Hey guys took my truck for a spin today and ran into some problems. Got maybe 5 miles down the road at approx 40 mph truck made a sharp pullright (felt like I was gonna die). Pulled into a parking lot and could here and feel a grinding sound that got faster and louder the faster I went. Made it home and looked at my hubs and noticed passenger side was in lock position and driver side was unlocked position not sure how long it's been like that or how they got this way!!! Could it have popped into the lock or free position while driving by itsslef? After I put both in the free position I crawled under the truck and noticed passenger side ujoint is frozen and can't spin it? Tried backing up while turning the wheel multiple times no luck. Also if i put both hubs in locking position but keep the 4x4 on the floor in 2wd and back up it make a horrible grinding sound is that normal? Truck maybe gets driven 2 times a week no problems till now all front end components are new within a year. Truck is a 1997 f350 reg cab 4x4 automatic. Any help appreciated to get the u joint free and could I have broken somthing or caused damage? Thanks Kyle

 

use 2WD and unlock the hub, does it still grind?


If yes then it rebuild time and it is a bit of work to do


I have to change my inner axle seals and not looking forward to it as I have to remove that ujoint and shaft to replace the seal

 

Hubs are in the free position now and truck is in 2wd no grinding Hurd but when I crawl under the truck and try to spin the u joints the passenger side won't move freely but driver side will?

 

can be a bad bearing in the hub or the ujoint, wont know till you take it apart


1997 Ford F350 Axle Repair - Dana 60 Front Axle - Diesel Power Magazine


is a good write up on how to do it on a D60

 

Hubs are new u joints checked and greased not to long ago?

 

So couple of things i wanna be able to clear up.

First should i here grinding or feel resistance when backing up with both hubs locked and truck in 2wd on the floor? If not what could this be?

second how do I free up the passenger side axle shaft? My drivers side spins free by hand but passenger side is stuck. Both hubs in free position.


Third if I had one side locked and one side unlocked could this have caused my truck to jerk to one side then make a humming noise while driving?

 

 

If I take the warn hubs apart what exactly am I looking for? I just had them apart couple weeks back when i did ball joints on drivers side and greased ujoint.

 

Before taking it apart, unlock both hubs and have an assistant drive the truck slowly while you observe the front end. See if either front axle shaft turns as the truck moves. Good chance the passenger side will, which would explain why you can't free-rotate it by hand. That would mean the locking hub on that side isn't unlocking. Next thing I'd be "looking for" is the purchase paperwork for the hubs. Or just contact Warn. They have a lifetime warranty, and MIGHT just honor it even if you don't have a receipt/invoice. They might make you exchange both at the same time, however, so be prepared to remove both.

 

Thanks for the reply! Could a bad locking hub randomly pull my truck to the right while driving?

 

take the hub off and find out

 

With both hubs in free position neither side shaft moves. Also front driveshaft doesn't move either

 

something is binding them up

 

Okay obviously everything is gonna need to be pulled apart. What could cause the shafts to bind other than ujoints?

Secondly am I right to assume the front driveshaft should spin when driving with hubs in free position?

 

bad diff, bad bearings, bad carrier bearing, bad outer axle bearings, bad hub bearings, bad ujoint


yes drive shaft should turn if hubs unlocked and in 2WD


I would look at the oil in the diff for metal and pull hubs to see what is going on.