Hubs not unlocking

[magnumpi]

While riding around yesterday i noticed the front end was making some noise and i figured i had just forgot to unlock the hubs from 4 wheeling the other night. So i pulled over and gave em a quick twist(manuals) But after i got back on the road the front end still was making a little roaring or whirring noise like the hubs were still locked.
So this morning i crawl up under the truck and try to spin the front driveshaft, but it won't rotate freely. It still tries to turn the diff and front axles. I backed up, and checked and backed up again, and pulled forward some and turned the wheel, and basically just moved the truck around in ever position possible to try to get the hubs unlocked (by this point i think the neighbors thought i was drunk or crazy).

The front end still sounds like everything is spinning when im driving and the front driveshaft wont spin free. So what could be wrong? I've done some searching but can't find anything. Any ideas?

Thanks
Josh

[Streetgang]

If you were able to turn the manual dials to the "un lock" position, but still could not turn the front DS, I would think one (or both) of your hubs are shot.
If I was you, I would take the hubs apart, and find the exact cause of the problem.

[magnumpi]

Originally Posted by Streetgang

If you were able to turn the manual dials to the "un lock" position, but still could not turn the front DS, I would think one (or both) of your hubs are shot.
If I was you, I would take the hubs apart, and find the exact cause of the problem.

Bah, thats what i was afraid of. I really can't afford new ones right now.

Their just the stock manuals from 85, guess 20 years of service is acceptable. Is it gonna be determental to still drive the truck with the hubs shot like they are?

I guess I'll pull em apart tomorra and try to figure out whats wrong. What should i look for?

Thanks
Josh

[Steve83]

Did you shift the t-case out of 4???

The d'shaft will ALWAYS spin the diff & at least 1 of the axleshafts. Try turning each u-joint inside the steering knuckles. The one that WON'T turn has a locked hub.

[magnumpi]

ok, I'll try that in the morning...

Yeah, the t-case is outta 4wd, i triple checked. So if the hubs are unlocked, the driveshaft should spin freely and turn the diff and an axle shaft, but it shouldn't still be trying to turn the wheels should it?

[Steve83]

The t-case disconnects the front driveshaft from the transmission, and the hubs disconnect the axleshafts from the wheels. The driveshaft is ALWAYS connected to the diff & axleshafts. Depending on how tight your diff is, both axleshafts MAY turn when you turn the d'shaft while BOTH hubs are unlocked, but at least one of them has to no matter what.

If the d-shaft won't turn with both front wheels off the ground (or the hub locks removed), then the t-case is still in 4.

If either axleshaft won't turn with its hub UNlocked AND the t-case in 2 or N, then that hub is stuck locked.

[MANNY]

That is correct pi it should turn the diff not the tires. you should take em apart. That is the only way to know for shure. The pop out springs could be weak. Or i have even seen it where they had so much grease in em they got stuck in. This happened on my bro's 85' 150. Check your PM's i sent ya one!

[magnumpi]

I didn't get a chance to take them apart today, but i crawled under it real quick to try turning the safts. From what i can tell niether saft will turn freely. Also when i try to turn the driveshaft i can see both shafts trying to turn instead of just one. But my frontend is suppose to be limited slip, so i guess thats normal.

Anyway, what should i look for when i take the hubs out? Are their any suprises i should expect? Anything gonna pop out and shoot across the yard? Also, i guess im gonna need new hubs so i started looking around. They're cheaper than i thought. So is one brand better than the other? Whats the difference between warn standards and premiums? is it worth the extra money?

[magnumpi]

Ok, i answered some of my own questions by searching :)

But im still wondering about what to look for when i take the hubs apart. Justsee if they are stuck? Or if anything is destoryed? does anything "pop" our of em?

[Steve83]

Click my signature (under my first post in this thread) and look in the Brakes & Hubs photo album.

I suspect you'll find some carmelized grease, and some surface rust on the lock rings, and probably a spring or 2 heavily rusted, to the point that they're ruined. But that's just a guess.

MileMarker hub locks are cheaper & just as good as Warn Premiums - they both have LLT warranty, and will stand up to abuse (like towing 4 tons in front-wheel drive).

[magnumpi]

Ok, i took the drivers side hub apart today. it didn't really look all that bad, but i think someone has been in them before because the bolts were a little looser than i expected. Anyway i didn't SEE anything visibly wrong with the hubs. There was no rust, and the springs were still really....springy. THe grease was a little "carmelized" but not too bad, and there was still plenty of it. To me that hub didn't seem bad. How do i really check? is there a way to unlock it for now?

I haven't tore into the other side...i guess i should and see what its like. If its just one hub stuck locked would it cause both axle shafts to be "locked in" and rotating? I got my dad to drive the truck while i looked at the front driveshaft, and its definitly spinning.

Thanks for the help
Josh

[Steve83]

Take both hub locks OUT of the hubs, and then roll the truck a little. You don't need to remove the tires, or even jack the front end up since the locks don't bear ANY weight. If the d'shaft still turns, the problem is in your t-case.

[magnumpi]

Alright, i finally got these things fixed. When i went around to the passenger side hub i saw that a bolt was missing from the outer cover....so yeah....Inside was all caked up with mud and all the grease was virtually destroyed. The hub was still locked in. So after some fiddling around gettin the friggin hub out I cleaned it up, regreased it and sat it back in. Then it was still locked in. took it back apart to find that i used too much grease (Yeah, im a learnin noob). cleaned out some and reassembled. Works great now. My stock hubs are locking and unlocking great.

Thanks for the help guys. Does anyone know where i can get another bolt to replace the one that fell out of the hub cover? (It did fall out, or wasn't put back in at some point. Its not broken off in the hub)

THanks again
Josh

[Steve83]

Any fastener supply house, or maybe even a good hardware store. Just pull one good one out to compare. You only need to match the threaded section, and the length from the threaded tip to the INNER face of the head. The head itself can be different, as long as everything INSIDE the cap is identical. You might just buy a full set so they're all the same and then save the originals for spares.

[tonyp0811]

I hate bring this one back from the dead but I have a question..
I just purchased a 79 XLT Ranger with a 400/C6 6in Lift with front and rear diff gaurds. The issue I am having is the driverside hub will not unlock.
It is still the orginal stock lock from 79. It will not move at all to the free postion. I was going to replace them but before I did was wondering if there was an issue trying to take it apart while locked?

[Shadofax]

there's no issue. You really have no choice but to undo the bolts for the cap and pull it and see what the issue is. Likely just lacking maintenance.

[tonyp0811]

Very well I will gut it this weekend.... thank you for the help.

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by tonyp0811

I hate bring this one back from the dead...

Why? It shows us that you searched , that you spent some time reading the search results , and that you read at least one thread that directly pertains to your question, BEFORE posting.

[cupcake]

oops

[magnumpi]

Geez....ive learned a lot since i started this thread.....

Since it is back from the dead.....
My hubs locked themselves in again not long after i got them fixed. Turns out the cap/nob assemlby was screwed up/stripped out. so the spring in it wasn't being held back at all and just constantly kept pressure on the hub...keeping it locked in. After i actually stopped and figured out how the hubs worked it was clear. i was just shoving everything back together the way it popped out and didn't realize that the outer spring wasn't suppose to be loose from the cap.