I've got a 93 f150 push button 4x4 with automatic hubs

I was driving through a left turn when I noticed my steering wheel was wiggling in my hands like my 4x4 was engaged. Then as I accelerated out of the turn and continued in a straight line there was this light rattling and clicking coming from the front end that was speed sensitive and constant until I came to a complete stop. It went away after this and didn't return until a mile or two later. It comes and goes as it wants and sometimes on turns either there is a nasty loud clicking from the front end like 4x4 is trying to engage or the steering wheel will wiggle and the truck will shake, but only sometimes. The weirdest thing is that sometimes it will lock up my steering wheel and it will not unwind by itself but this locking up only occurs through the first quarter turn either way of the wheel. After the first quarter turn either way power steering returns like normal.

Alignment was good before this and i'm almost positive it still is, power steering fluid is full and the power steering pulley is not locked up, 4x4 had not been engaged for at least a week before this happened, and i was driving nicely on city streets when this problem occurred. I have no idea what caused this to happen. I think that my automatic hubs may be busted but would busted hubs cause the steering to stick and lock like that while driving?

Thanks for your help in advance. Any thoughts or solutions would be great especially if your 4x4 hubs have gone on your truck also. And the main question that is stumping me is would broken hubs mess with my steering like that?

 

I don't have the answer for you however, years ago I had a 1970 1/2 ton ford one of my hubs was partially engaged and my truck was doing the same thing as yours. My hubs were manual and someone had turned one of them part way. I think you should start by looking at your hubs. Maybe take them apart and do a repack. Who knows what you could find? I would also check the mechanisms used for engaging and dis-engaging the hubs. Solenoids, valves etc. I don't know how but someone on here may. Hopefully this helps but my knowledge is pretty limited.

 

The outer drive axle U-joints are seized on your front end.

Yes I know 4x4 wasn't engaged but when the u-joints seize they put side loads on the hubs that can make them act like they are locked or with auto hubs actually lock them momentarally, and when that happens the drive axle rotates with the wheel but because the joint is seized it doesn't like to rotate and you will feel this in the steering wheel.

 

that makes complete sense!! Thanks for your help. That explains the steering wheel problem perfectly. I was planning on replacing the u-joints anyways as long as the hubs were off. I think i'm gunna replace my automatic hubs anyways with some manual locking ones, I've always wanted to do that. To go from auto to manual I'm gunna need a conversion kit correct?

 

It only depends on the cap your current auto hubs have, if you have the cap with 3 bolts, then yes, you'll need a conversion kit, if it has 5 bolts, then you won't. Have a read at the link in my signature, you'll find all the info you need to get all the way down to the u-joints and back, including new manual locking Warn hubs.

 

thanks. i am already half way through but this is still very useful. would anybody happen to know how to remove the spindle bearings?