Front Auto Lock hubs - OEM

[bartman]

Interesting. Would factory wheel offset/backspacing help with bearing life? Even with larger wheels/tires?

 

[Ford_Forgotton]

probably.

But also consider that a larger tire gives a better mechanical advantage to lateral forces. (Read that as, the bigger tire, acts as a bigger lever. So when you try to turn the wheel, your exerting more side pressure on the bearing.

So even with the stock wheel/offset, the larger tire is still going to cause more side loading/twisting than the stock tire. Not to mention you typically have a larger contact patch/treadwidth, which makes it harder to "scrub" the tire across the pavement.

 

[bartman]

I understand. It's the same principle that makes it necesary for trailing arms when getting a tall lift and using tall blocks. I would just want to minimize damage. I appreciate all of the info.

 

[dzl_x_4x4]

Hey guys thanks for telling me to park this beast. Went out to start installing the new Hub and it is shot. I am lucky that the rotor and brakes seemed to be OK. Broke down and bought both sides. The other side had good amount of play/slack, also. Don't forget the O-Ring as T-Bar stated in the links he provide and make sure to get a 1/2" breaker bar (I bought 24") you will need it, Thanks T-Bar. So far so good, of course I am not done with 1 side yet. Got stuck trying to get the C-Clip off the axle. Make sure you have a good "heavy duty" C-clip remover. My little weak one can do it, so off to sears.

So far.
$660 for 2 front Hub/bearing assemblies
$120 for O-rings and 2 seals (don't know if they are needed yet, I hope not)
$10 Breaker bar 1/2" X 24"
$ ??? C- clip remover

Thanks to ALL, for the help!

Dzl_X_4x4

 

[Ford_Forgotton]

well, I bought, the hub/bearing, new studs, new nuts, the O-ring, and the hub seal. Turns out I didnt need the hub seal. But I paid about 320 bucks for all of that.

I could have done both sides for about 600 even I think. But Like I said, I went ahead and paid the 1500 for the dynatrac conversion.

 

[Tbar]

Well................did ya get-er-done ???


Tbar

 

[Ford_Forgotton]

It aint showed up yet. Just ordered it late last week. I bought all new OEM stuff just so I could have a truck to drive while the dynatrac conversion was in the mail.

Once the new stuff gets here, I'll swap the OEM out and sell whats still useable!

 

[dzl_x_4x4]

Well................did ya get-er-done ???


Tbar

It's done and it helped more than just saving my life...Thanks

The X has 125K and this is the first time I have done this. I Did not need to replace any seals just the assemblies. It was extremely easy mechanically (just follow T-Bar'z pics). The hard part was: the right tools (lots of 1/2"&3/8" - 13/16" sockets, 1/2" Ratchet and impact, 3/8" ratchet and air ratchet, 1/2" x 24" Breaker Bar, a good External C-Clip remover). The bolts that you remove are all torqued very high, breaker bar took care of that.C-Clip on side 2 was a booger, but I still completed side 2 in under 1 1/2 hrs. Day one was more shopping than working.

$560 for 2 front Hub/bearing assemblies (typo in the previous post).
$20 for bolts (highly recommended, because I couldn't remove the old ones).
$120 for O-rings and 2 seals (don't know if they are needed yet, I hope not)
$10 Breaker bar 1/2" X 24"
$16 C- clip remover

1. Take tire off
2. take off Cailper (put on leaf spring) and remove rotor.
3. disconnect linkage (un-thread nut to the end (tip) of bolt and tap on that to prevent boogering up the threads).
4. Remove auto-lock hub and 4 nuts on backing plate.
5. bolt up new one.
6.reverse order to install

Results: Wonderful handling, cured 80% of my tire noise, no more brake pull, no more wander, more stable in the corners and no squeaking. The X feels like a new truck, of course I have replace almost everything in the front end

Thanks to ALL, for the help!

Dzl_X_4x4

 

[bigo]

HELP!!!! I had similar symptoms on my 99 4x4 7.3 superduty. I pulled the hub off tonight. No visible damage to the hub. Cant feel any play between parts with hub in my hand. The spline that the hub slides onto shows play in the spindle. there are rubber rings floating(seal flanges?) between the ujoint and the spindle and also between the u-joint and the axle housing. I believe the u-joints i speak of may actually be called yokes? There is significant play where the shaft goes into the axle housing. does installation firm up these parts or do i have more problems on my hands??????? Thanks, Matt

 

[dzl_x_4x4]

What I discovered was there was enough play in the wheel bearings that allowed the wheel/tire to skip teeth on the spline when I had the hubs locked. It was not the Auto-lock hub, that was the problem, it was the wheel bearing/backing plate assembly.

Yes, even after I installed the new wheel bearing assembly, the axle would still float up and down a little. And the rubber rings that are loose and floating are part of the seals in the diff and bearing assemblies, from looking at a new seal it appears to be a lip around the seal and I assume they break off. Mine are the same way. I did not replace these, because they are over $100 for all of them. I am not having any leaking from the diff's or the backing plate. And they look like a booger to replace.

To see if it is the wheel bearings, go out and jack up the front tire 4", grab the bottom of the tire with one hand and lift up/out and push on the top with the other hand. if you have any significant amount of play I would replace the wheel bearings. I had alot 1/2" -1"! You should have a very, very small amount of play.