4x4 front axle not working
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4x4 front axle not working
I've got a 79 F150 4x4 with a dana 44 up front with lock-in hubs and a ford 9" in the rear. I was off roading the other day and it was working great. I put it in and out of 4x4 a couple times and it seemed totally fine. A few days later I locked my hubs but when I tried the 4x4, I heard loud snapping sounds from my front passenger hub. This happened a couple times as I tested it out and when it happened I would lose 4 wheel drive.
Is this a result of worn hubs that need to be rebuilt or replaced? My front drive shaft and axle look fine as far as i can tell. Also, is this safe to drive with the hubs unlocked and with the t-case in 2x4?
Thanks for any help you have!
Is this a result of worn hubs that need to be rebuilt or replaced? My front drive shaft and axle look fine as far as i can tell. Also, is this safe to drive with the hubs unlocked and with the t-case in 2x4?
Thanks for any help you have!
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Your hubs don't actually hold the spindle on; they simply facilitate the mechanical connection between your axle shaft and the spindle assembly. Secondarily they also keep the weather out of your bearings.
As long as you don't hear any snapping or grinding or any sort of binding sensation, you should be fine.
As long as you don't hear any snapping or grinding or any sort of binding sensation, you should be fine.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Oh thought I would add... If your looking to fix this on the cheap, hit up a junkyard. You can use the OEM manual hubs from pretty much any bronco or f-150 all the way up to 96. The d44 ttb trucks have the 1/4 hubs where as the dents have the nearly full turn; this makes for a nice little upgrade for cheap.
When doing this you should take the hub along with all the internal components up to the spindle nuts; the solid axle hubs have different internal components than the ttbs and are not interchangeable.
You can probably do this for $10 - $15 a side or if you want shiny new drop $100 for a new set of warn or superwinch hubs; these might require a conversion kit that, if my memory serves me correctly, resembles the d44 ttb manual hub components with striking similarity.
When doing this you should take the hub along with all the internal components up to the spindle nuts; the solid axle hubs have different internal components than the ttbs and are not interchangeable.
You can probably do this for $10 - $15 a side or if you want shiny new drop $100 for a new set of warn or superwinch hubs; these might require a conversion kit that, if my memory serves me correctly, resembles the d44 ttb manual hub components with striking similarity.
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