want to put locking front hubs, either aftermarket or factory Aisin and would like to know for SURE what all I would need to gather for parts to do the conversion.  I am under the impression that cone washers and bolts for them are required???  how about bolts to put the hubs on??? gaskets/seals???  if I buy aftermarket is all this included???  ETC.

You're complicating this more than you need to - go to Amazon.com and buy any hub for a Sidekick - SuperWinch, Rugged Ridge, AVM, Warn - unbolt the drive flange and bolt the hub in place using the bolts that originally secured the flange.

Any hub for a sidekick or samurai  is what you want. You will need the cone washers and and bolts too. They are usually Allen head. If you just use the hardware that is holding the locked cap on now they will vibrate off. The cone washers are a must, I went to a fastener store and got new Allen head cap bolts every time i did the swap. I've never put gaskets on any of mine. Haven't had any problems yet. But when I have took them of for maintenance I usually put a bit of grease in them before I reinstall them.

The cone washers are a form of lock washer - they  can only be used on hubs that are designed for them, in other words, with the OE Aisin hubs, and not any hub for a Sidekick or Samurai - if the hub doesn't have the tapered recess to accept the cone washers they cannot be fitted.

The majority of aftermarket hubs do not have the tapered recess - SuperWinch and RuggedRidge hubs are made by AVM and do not have the tapered recess - I've had SuperWinch hubs on my vehicle for the last four years, fitted with the bolts that originally held the drive flange and have yet to have one vibrate loose.

Never used aftermarket hubs. I've only used stock. Everone I've talked to about the aftermarket ones have told me their overpriced and less quality then the stock samurai and sidekick aisin hubs. Lots of old sidekick around now for parts so it would be cheaper to by a set of used ones.