I have a 1987 suzuki samurai and found out the 4x4 doesn't work at the worst time. The transfer case shifts just fine and the front driveshaft spins so i'm going to guess the hubs aren't locking in properly. I have unlocked and locked them and few times and no luck. I think it might be this real cold weather. I don't have a garage to work in at the moment and don't want to do them outside. Does anyone know who I can take it to to get the hubs rebuild and some new seals thrown in them.   The wheel bearings have some play in them and need to be tightened and repacked. I am willing to purchase all parts needed and pay for the labor. I would like to help or watch so I can learn how to do it myself.  I live in south kansas city and can drive it anywhere. I guess i could just take it to a shop but would rather take it somewhere i can learn how its done.   I would try and tackle it myself but i'm sure it will take me a long time and it's cold.   Any recommendations on who could help me and what it would cost.    I would like to get it all done in one day and be back on the road sometime before the next snow. 
Thanks

lol   too late     its snowing      but it still gets around okay

I assume that you do not have a locker in there?
Don't go to a shop unless you've got deep pockets.
There's really nothing to rebuild in the hub.  It's not supposed to be packed with grease.  Take the cover off the hub, and look inside.  Is it rusty?   Is it packed with grease?  Have someone look inside the hub to see if the axle is actually turning when it is in 4 wheel drive.  Is the "4x4" light on?

Are your knuckles dry?  You might need to rebuild them while you're at it.  The trunnion (pinion) bearings may need to be replaced.

Go to:
http://www.suzukiinfo.com/
Get yourself a copy of the Samurai Factory Service Manual.

Ha, funny(not really). Just found I have the same problem a few days ago. Will it do this if only one side is bad(no locker)? The passenger side was always hard to turn and get locked then unlocked. Driver side always turned really easy. Too bad I'm in Arkansas or I'd help you (and me) learn to do this. Give me an instruction sheet and I'll give it a shot. Where do I get parts for this 'rebuild'? I'd rather support a member site than the local 'chain' parts place, since we don't have a hometown parts house anymore.

The 4x4 light comes on and i could have sworn it worked when i bought it. I don't think it has lockers in it.  I'm thinking this cold has something to do with it, like there is moisture in there and it is freezing up.   Could I lock it in and put it 4x4 and jack up each tire and spin it to see if just one side isn't locking? I don't think I can afford to pay a shop to fix it, but don't know what they would charge.  Should I buy new seals before taking the hubs off? Or try and get it locked in and working before trying to seal it up?
Thanks

http://www.acksfaq.com/asinhubs.htm

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ look what i found

i was told to take mine apart and clean everything up then put back together. supposedly parts don't usually break. just be careful not to lose the spring and ball. gonna try and find a warm place to work and give it a shot. maybe my buddy is right and i can get away with just a clean and grease. i'm just gonna use gasket material to make new gaskets for the covers.
if you have moisture you've most likely got rust like mine does.
i do know that without a locker both wheels will freewheel if one side is bad.

Got the 4x4 working just in time. I locked both tires in, locked it in four wheel drive and jacked up each tire and they spun. So i figured both hubs were not locking in properly. So i started on the driver side. I unlocked everything and pulled off the cover and there was a bunch of nasty rusty crud in there. Obviously the seals are not working properly and water and dirt are getting in there. I noticed some red (loc-tight maybe?) on the threads of the bolts and some blue (sealant maybe?) on the gasket. The spring is attached to the cover and the nob allows the spring to push the clutch into the lock position, from what I could tell. I kept it in 4x4 and jacked up the driver tire and spun it, it spun freely. then pushed the clutch into place and the tire wouldn't spin, so it was locked. Then put the cover and spring into place and bolted back together. Then went to the passenger side, jacked it up and it was locked in so I didn't have to mess with it. Took the thing outside, chained it to a tree and the 4x4 works. I'm happy for now but really need to find some gaskets, (O'realleys didn't have any) and clean and seal up these hubs so I can properly lock and unlock them. For now they are staying locked, until weather permits me to properly do the job.  You guys were right they are very simple and no sense and taking it to a shop. So for anyone with the same problem and need a quick fix, pull the cover off and manually push the clutch in to the lock position and put the cover back on in the lock position and the spring should hold it there.


any tips on sealing them to prevent water penetration and where to find some gaskets and seals?
Thanks

I just buy some gasket paper from an auto parts store. Trace the cover and cut.  I always put some sealant on the gasket.

I'm glad that you got it working.  You're gunna need it!

What type of sealant on the gasket?  any sealant on the threads of the bolts?   And the o-ring   does anyone stock that to replace? I want to seal them the best I can when I get to cleaning them all up.
Thanks

I use the Blue Goo for all the routine shit on the Sammy.  Where is this "o-ring' you're referring to?  Torque the cover bolts to 6-8.5 ftlbs.  I never us loc-tight on those, the FSM does not require it.

I'm assuming here that you've only removed the hub cover.  Did you unbolt the hub body?

I did not pull off the whole hub body just the cap and didn't disassemble the cap either. From what the diagram looks like it looks like there is an o-ring when you disassemble the cap, I don't know.   There was some sort of red sealant on the threads of the cover bolts. Is was soft and not like lock-tite.   I also saw no bolt and washer in the center of the axle. In the diagram there is a bolt and washer and mine didn't have those.  I couldn't imagine why you would need one there, but I don't know.