My 76 w200 is just regular four wheel drive without the locking hubs. I would like to change it to locking hubs so when I'm not four wheelin the whole front axle will not be turning. Where would I get a kit and how do you change it over.

 

Does your truck already have 2wd in the transfer case, and you just want to defeat the stock axle disconnect system?

Or is your truck full time 4x4?

 

I think full time went away in 74. But that was the same year they did away with the locking hubs I think. Maybe....

 

My truck has the 2wd position in the transfer case but when you are in 2wd driving the whole front axle gears are still turning i think. I'm just trying to get a conversion kit to manual locking hubs so the gears in the front won't be turning that way I will get better gas mileage and the front gears wont wear out near as quick.

 

Gas mileage is one thing, your gears won't wear out.

You'd still be turning your rear gears, correct? Gears last almost indefinitely when set up properly.

 

does the truck have front drum brakes? if so you may almost want to find a axle with disk brakes and locking hubs already and just swap the whole axle

 

My truck has disc brakes in the front and drum in the back. I'm pretty sure I'll have to check.

 

It does. To my knowledge, almost none of the 70's Dodge trucks had drums up front.

 

Yeah that's what I thought. Anyway I'm just trying to get a conversion kit that way I will get better gas mileage by not having the resistance of the front axle gears.

 

Not to rain on your parade but it will only be about 1 mpg. lol The bigger thing is less wear on the axle u-joints as you're disconnecting at the hub rather than the axle as in the CAD system trucks like mine where the u-joints are always turning.