HELP - Need a little hub advice

[atomicglock]

Took my factory hubs apart today for cleaning and lubrication. What I found was bits and pieces of broken gears. I can't get new hubs (Milemarker) for several days and I need to drive my truck to work.

Can I put the hub body back in place minus the internals and drive my truck without causing anymore damage?

Thanks

 

[dboyw]

You can keep them off until your new hubs arrive. You just don't have four wheel drive now. I drove for a while without the hubs on and there is no damage done.

 

[atomicglock]

Ok, I got my new Milemarker 449ss hubs yesterday but I didn't have time to install them yet. I do. however, have some questions.

On my truck I have these chromed plastic lug nut covers (like a ring with a hole in it so you can reach the dial on the hub). Anyway, the new hubs looked a little larger in diameter that the old ones so just for giggles I took one out of the package and tried to slip it into the cover. No go. It wouldn't fit. Anyone else have a problem like this? Am I going to have to stop using the covers? And, when I go to take the wheels off, will the they still slide over the hubs? Did the store give me the right hubs?

 

[dpantazis]

take the trim rings off, the hubs should fit INSIDE them and then the cover goes on.

 

[atomicglock]

take the trim rings off, the hubs should fit INSIDE them and then the cover goes on.

So the covers will fit even though the hubs are larger? COOL! Thanks. How 'bout the wheels? Will they still slid right off over the new hubs?

 

[atomicglock]

Well, I finally got my new hubs installed today. I've been very busy lately and didn't have time until now.

Everything went very smoothly and they work perfectly.

I do have an off topic concern though.

I'd noticed a strange noise coming from the rear end and some leakage from the pinion seal. Now, understand, I'd changed the seal last year. What I found was the pinion nut had loosened up to the point where I could turn it off with my fingers.

Anybody ever had that problem before or what might have caused it?

I replaced the seal anyway (Instead of just tightening up the nut). I also inspected the bearing as best I could and it seemed good so I put it all back together and took the truck for a test drive. No more noise!

We'll see what happens.

 

[DaveBen]

Lock Tight the nut to keep it from backing off. Did you torque it to the proper foot pounds?

Dave

 

[atomicglock]

Lock Tight the nut to keep it from backing off. Did you torque it to the proper foot pounds?

Dave

Unfortunately my torque wrench only goes up to 250 ft/lbs so, what I did, was to put my 625 ft/lbs impact wrench on setting #4 of 6 and torque it that way. Not the best method I know, but on setting #2 it torqued my lug nuts to 150# so I figured that would be close enough, I hope.

I thought these nuts were supposed to be self locking?

 

[DaveBen]

What more can you do? You did everything reasonably proper.

Dave

 

[bigrigr]

Thay are self locking to a point, and they are a one time only type of deal. After you take it off, you're supposed to get a new one. However, i have used a chisel and hammer and hit the "crown" (at the top of nut, farthest away from the rear bumper) in a couple places to "crimp" the nut after all tourqing is complete. I've never had one come loose that i know of. Jmo