Front Auto Lock hubs - OEM

Good day All, I have noticed I have a slight squeal that cycles, from the drivers side. doesn't sound like brakes, so I lifted just the drivers tire. Without the parking brake set, it is very hard to roll. So , locked the hub manually and it was still hard and would rotate a little and make a click, the whole tire would move back and forth, looked very bad, when it clicked (didn't think of looking at the axle to see if it was rotating). I unlocked the hub and it seemed to rotate a little easier. So, I lowered the drivers side and lifted the pass. side to see what it would do. It was hard to rotate, so I locked the hub manually and rotated the tire and there was no click and the axle was rotating.

now my question, is it the hub or wheel bearing. Will it cause the squealing.

Thanks

Brett

hard to rotate, I would check a frozen brake caliper, was there clearance between the pads and the rotor? if so ,,,, I would lean towards bearings. did the wheel rock back and forth on the bearing axis?
it should rotate with a little effort but not a lot. and no noises

the whole tire would move back and forth, looked very bad

Click to expand...

Sounds like the hub to me.......

I am in the process of writing a WIKI but haven't finished it yet.

Link 1

Until I do check out my webshots file on doing this job.

Link 2


Tbar

powerboatr said:

hard to rotate, I would check a frozen brake caliper, was there clearance between the pads and the rotor? if so ,,,, I would lean towards bearings. did the wheel rock back and forth on the bearing axis?
it should rotate with a little effort but not a lot. and no noises

Click to expand...

Yes, my next project is to tear down both sides and grease pins, check pads, etc. I didn't check for clearance, it was just plain hard to spin and wouldn't even do 1-2 complete revolutions before it would stop. Didn't hear any pads rubbing, it just feels too tight, not enuff grease, etc., but when the hub was locked it would move 1/2-1" in and out when it clicked. I think that something is loose and it allows the hub and tire to move (in and out at the axle when looking at the tire) and the click is when the hub doesn't lock onto the axle, but skips to the next tooth? Anyone buy that hypothesis?
How can I check the hub, do you just take it off? Any gotcha's? Are they supposed to be re-packed or greased periodically? I am going to manually lock it and drive it in 4wd tomorrow, to see if I feel or see anything on that tire.

Thanks!

Dzl_X_4x4

Lets back up a minute.........forget all the other noises and symtoms.

When you jack up the truck and grab hold of the tire to wiggle it back and forth do you find alot of play ???


Tbar

Tbar said:

Lets back up a minute.........forget all the other noises and symtoms.

When you jack up the truck and grab hold of the tire to wiggle it back and forth do you find alot of play ???


Tbar

Click to expand...

Yes, it has a good amount of play (grabbing the wheel and pushing on the left and right side. Some of it may be the steering components flexing. But when I lock the hub and rotate the tire it clicks and moves 1/2-1" in and out. Feels like the hub is slipping and skipping across the Axle splines (if it works how I suspect). Like it is locked until you rotate it, then it moves out, away from the brake backing plate, clicks (I suspect, skips spline on the axle) and drops back towards the brake backing plate. It is very hard to explain. Maybe I can record a video that you can see it happen on (i am worried about the size of the file, I may have to post it on my website and you can download it from there).

What do you think?

Brett

It sure sounds like the hub to me. Your locking 4X4 hub is not working correctly because the shaft is straight and the coupling in the locking hub is not. I suspect that is why it is not engaging.

Maybe someone else chime in with their thoughts.


Tbar

I have to agree with T bar. sounds more like the hub is going south. are you still driving it?
and maybe a spline is buggered up to from the play.

powerboatr said:

I have to agree with T bar. sounds more like the hub is going south. are you still driving it?
and maybe a spline is buggered up to from the play.

Click to expand...

I still drive it 3 miles each way . I don't want to, but I have too until I can tear it down and fix it in the same day. I agree that the hub is probably shot. But I am afraid of the play on the wheel, I bet the wheel bearings may be shot too. How are the axles held in, C-Clip inside the diff? Backing plate with bearing press on the axle???? or something else? I am worried about the amount of play on that side. With the hub un-locked and in 2wd, the axles should not rotate, correct? Should the tire spin freely (like a 2wd or a car?

I will check out your pics TBAR, I imagine that replaing the hubs would be preferred over the wheel bearings.

Thanks,

Brett

dzl_x_4x4 said:

I still drive it 3 miles each way . I don't want to, but I have too until I can tear it down and fix it in the same day. I agree that the hub is probably shot. But I am afraid of the play on the wheel, I bet the wheel bearings may be shot too. How are the axles held in, C-Clip inside the diff? Backing plate with bearing press on the axle???? or something else? I am worried about the amount of play on that side. With the hub un-locked and in 2wd, the axles should not rotate, correct? Should the tire spin freely (like a 2wd or a car?

I will check out your pics TBAR, I imagine that replaing the hubs would be preferred over the wheel bearings.

Thanks,

Brett

Click to expand...

I think you are making this more compicated than it is. The wheel bearings are located in the hub and are non-serviceable. Replace the hub and you you will be good to go. You won't be doing anything inside the diff at all.

IMHO you should stop driving the truck until you get it fixed to prevent further damage.


Tbar