Curious if anyone else on the Forum is running, or has run Spyntec's hub conversion? I've now got them through an axle swap and just looking for someone to commiserate with and bounce a few things off of. Having some aggravating ABS issues since the axle swap that I've been trying to work through.

 

I think @SoK66 runs them. It's been quite a few years but I had considered adding them very early on in my build....sadly after I bought wheels and brakes which negated the cost benefit of adding them. I was looking for fuel economy gains and he said there really wasn't enough with an average fuel price to justify the cost of wheels, brakes, axle shafts, etc.

 

Well, I can tell you in the short time I've had em, they are a major PITA. Having to disassemble a hub every time you need to remove the brake rotor is redonk! I can see, when this was the only option, that it was a good idea. If someone had to go this route these days, the Teraflex 8-lug hub conversion seems much better. I'm now built into a corner with this current axle/wheel combination. Everything is custom. Have PR44 front with PR60 full width rear, but since trying to match the front lug pattern, the PR60 rear has 5x5.5 pattern. The wheels have all been bored out to fit the hubs. Stuck with bored out TF front rotors due to the 5x5.5 pattern. The TF conversion with the brake rotor simply sliding over the hub in which the wheel studs are installed is a much better design.

I can say that it is nice not having everything spinning up front, but not to the extent these conversion sets cost. For what it's worth, I think previous owner built into this situation constantly trying to salvage previous decisions, until they just threw it all out the door and went with a PR60/80 combo. Started with a Rubi, added PR44 up front, then added PR60 in rear at which time I believe the hubs were added up front and the wheels added and bored out. I'm left working with the situation cuz the deal was way too good to pass up.

I just keep having ABS issues up front now. The previous owner, who I do believe is a stand up guy, claims to never have had issues. I'm wondering if I'm just having an issue getting the hub installed perfectly which is throwing off the rotation of the tone ring just enough. Seems very straight forward with the hubs. Install hub, insert the outter bearings, install innner spindle nut to 50ft lbs, back it off 1/4 turn, install washer and ensure lined up with the inner nuts peg, install outter spindle nut and torque to 130-150ft lbs. Not certain how I could screw that up time and time again (I've had these removed several times over now) .

 

I've been through a lot of these Spyntec hub threads over on the other site now. Hopefully Sokk66 will respond here as well. Curious to hear how/why experienced spindle wear.

 

I was curious what the advantage of those were until I started reading about them more. I like that you can service your tapered roller bearing. For $1500 though yeah not so much! Only thing I can think Russ is bad connection at the connector plug. Does your OBDII scanner do brake codes? If not you can run by my place and use my Blue Driver, when you're in the neighborhood.
Joking of course, unless your up at your dad's place.

 

Here's how my timeline looks. Swapped the axles. Within first few drives I was randomly throwing ABS code. Light would come on, then go off a few minutes later....always randomly. I'd sense the ABS kicking in on next brake or so and then back to normal. I was able to, with the Jscan app, dig down and see a code in the ABS module (no OBDII code) and it always said "erratic front passenger sensor signal", or something along those lines. I replaced the sensor as those were the ones that came with the axle. No issue for ~2 weeks after that of just spare time driving about (not dailly driving). We were finally relieved of our Progressive Snapshot. At point I was much more free to start stomping on the brakes to ensure all was good. First really hard brake and all the sudden ABS issue was back. Mind you, a few of these times ABS/traction control/hill descent lights shine and the jeep just bogs down with zero power. This weekend I swapped hubs from passenger to driver (all internals followed the hub over to the other side). Went for a drive....immediately having issues again, cept this time it was along the lines of "front left wheel speed not comparable" or something like that. I need to snapshot it next time. In the process of swapping hubs I very closely inspected the tone rings to make sure nothing was wrong.

idk....after reading all Sokk66's posts on JKO, all I can think of is these things are extremely sensitive to getting the bearings set right. It seems so straight forward as with any manual hub, but maybe I'm just off by some minuscule margin when seating the hub on the spindle

Here are the instructions if anyone is interested. I'm running these with RCV shafts. The entire set up came as is so nothing has changed from what previous owner had.

http://www.solidaxle.com/PDF/JK_SpynTec_Directions.pdf

Next step is to remove driver's side hub again, re-inspect everything and put it back together.

 

Total long shot have seen different greases in bearings cause hiccups with similar systems. Both bearings packed with the same grease?

 

I have replaced the driver's side speed sensor now, cleared codes and test driven. Seems ok at the moment. I find it extremely odd how both sensors could crap out like that, and immediately after having one particular hub on (I had swapped sides the hubs were on at one point). Gonna drive the heck out of it the next few days. I hope @SoK66 does eventually chime in cuz I'd love to pick his mind on some stuff regarding these hubs.....or anyone else that has experience with em.

 

Did you put the "bad" hub on a lathe and turn it to see if it is true? From what I read the problem is following the hub/tone ring, etc.

 

No, I don't have a lathe or else that would be a good idea. These hubs are not that old, so I tend to think this is user error and it's all my fault.

As it stands currently, I replaced the driver's side ABS senor yesterday and cleared that code. I now have new sensors on both sides. It test drove yesterday just fine. I thought I'd drive it a lot in the next couple days. Coming to work this morning, all was good until a few miles out. There are some longer sweeping curves. I could feel the engine bog just ever so slightly a couple times, then boom, damn ABS lights up.....only for about 15 seconds. When I got to work I pulled the ABS and tranny code.....pointed to failed passenger side sensor!



So, I'll recap by saying the previous owner of this axle is a stand up guy. I asked if he ever had an ABS issue and he said no, and I do believe him. We are not super close friends, but I've dealt with this guy in the past and he's a good guy. His build was new '16 JKRU, 2k miles in dropped brand new LS3 in it and built from there. He just went to PR60/80 combo and I cleaned up on his PR44/60 combo with ATX Chamber Pros. Rear axle had literally 1 trip to Moab on it, front axle maybe 10k miles or so. I did replace the wheel studs from 9/16 to 1/2" so both front and rear matched. This hub sits in front of the rotor, so the only x-factor here is i separated the rotor/hub and pressed new studs in. I've inspected several times, and I see no gaps or obvious issue indicating the hub is not sitting flush on the rotor.

The only thing I can think of at this point is it's a bearing issue. Either 1) replace bearings and try to start over, or 2) repack existing bearings and try again. I can only think there is just enough play in there that during a long corner, the tone ring is getting just a touch too far from the sensor to pick up as it rotates. The issue is the rear bearings aren't easy to get out of these. Have to remove the rear seal, which from Sokk66's posts on the other forum, sound like are not an off-the-shelf item and owners of these hubs should stock up on some.

I'm kind of at a loss at the moment. It's been very frustrating. It doesn't seem like it should be that hard. I'm open to anyone's suggestions. I wish I knew someone with a lathe to test that.