Hey, im from the 1987 to 1996 Forums.

I did ball joints on my 88 F-150 with manual locking hubs the other day. It was the first time I took apart a 4x4 hub and I messed up...I took the lock apart on the one side. Is it ok to drive without it in the axle? I want to pull it out and take it somewhere to have it put back together, cause I dont know how to put that spring back in the right way. It doesnt lock right now and id like to have that option available when it snows... Im a southern boy and snow isnt my thing... Heh.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

You mean you took the hub apart?

Take the other side apart and lay the pieces in order how they come out, or just use it as a reference.

 

Like prozon said, take the other side apart if your confused. Really they are pretty simple.

BTW Why is your grill green???

 

Also, pick up a haynes manual or something like that from your local auto parts store, they give fairly detailed procedures for things like this.

 

Well, I have a Haynes manual and ill tell you right now, from the day I got it I thought it sucked! It doesnt elaborate things which is why I accidentally took apart the lock hub. I was poking around but I finally found out what I needed to do. I dont really want to pull the other side apart. I know how it goes together, just not how to put it together. If that makes sense. Is it ok to drive without these locks in the hub????

I only took apart the part that engages the 4WD. I have some pics in my 'garage' section of it.

And.. I painted my grill green because I got bored..............

 

He painted his grille green because it kicks ***.
Why not? :P

As long as all the lock nuts are still in there.. I don't see anything bad happening, but then again, what else would be missing? A spring? Some doodad? I'm not completely sure what you are missing out of your hub? And why you can't just put it back in. If you've taken any of the nuts off, I would not drive like that, you'll probably lose a tire. Crack open the other side and take a look how its supposed to look. If you understand, put them both back together.

 

Havent been on in a day or so.. not long but long enough. So, the axle and everything is together. The thing is, the locking hub assembly is what I took apart and cannot get back together for the life of me. But, as you probably know to take it off involves removing the cap, a snap ring, an outer diameter lock ring and it all slides out revealing the hub lock nuts behind it. So, everything is together but the 4wd locker on the driver side. There is a big spring, a little sprocket gear thingy (the spring keeps pushing it back out cause I dont know how to lock it in) and then the basket that it all fits in. The drive axle pokes out between it all but I dont have to remove that to pull it apart or put it together.

 

This might help. The hub (rotor, bearings, seals, lock nuts) are all together. Its just the manual lock I took apart.

<img src=https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=3254&pictureid=13447>