Mine is a 92 vintage. Sounded like wheel bearing noise when I turned to the right. Have the hub apart and found a few things, but bearings seemed Ok. I know pics would help, maybe tomorrow I could get those. But I found some related issues, looks like I have at least one u joint in front axle shaft that needs replacing. Found some ball bearings under front end of truck. What parts of my front end would have these, if any ? So far wheel bearings and axle shaft bearing to spindle are tapered and or needle bearings.

This next one is where a picture would help, I may have the Dana 44 front end, not sure but the diagrams for parts in hub are different in my 92 vintage truck. The book shows two axle nuts and a washer between, mine seems to have a cup, a wave type washer, two pieces with teeth that mesh together and the axle nut threaded part which all appear to go into that cup and then install to hold in the outer wheel bearing. I also have looks like a shredded thin washer that dropped out when I was disassembling, looks like diameter about 2.5 inches.

I may have to put together to use it then revisit and tear it all apart, looking for suggestions before my next steps.

If I am in 2 wd I would assume that my bad front end ujoints would not be making any noise, correct ?

Geez, I forgot looks like the rubber boot is almost gone from one side of lower ball joint but there doesn't seem to be any unusual movement yet.

Other than that, things aren't so bad, other than needing a rotor down to discard limit ..... weather is finally tolerable to work outside on it ....

 

The only place that I can remember having ball bearings was the auto-locking hubs.

 

The only place I can think of that has ball bearings up front is INSIDE the steering gearbox.

You can tell what front axle you have by looking on the differential housing. There will be either a 44 or a 50 cast into it. Also the 44 has smaller hubs than the 50 and also I believe the 44HD version uses the 50 hubs as well.

 

I'm pretty sure the D44HD uses the smaller D44 hubs.

 

Here are the images that I was able to get, appreciate any comments ....

By the way I did verify this is the DANA 44 front end, thanks to dixie460 above ....




Spindle Nut assembly, as seen in other pics, a cup, a wave washer and the spindle nut. Does that wave washer go into the cup first, if not where ?














What part of hub or assembly did these shavings come from ? I would guess them to be about 2.5 inch diam originally ....





My hub, book shows a splash shield there originally, is this advisable to add it ?





The rest of the parts. What type of lub in sliding assembly, not the bearings ?