Howdy all,
I need to replace the auto locking hubs on my 2006 F350 what brand is recommended for a reliable replacement?
Many Thanks
R.K.

 

If you want the auto feature i believe only Ford oem will work. I replaced a pair a few years ago for a little over $100 each.

 

Reliable? Toss em in the trash and put on some Mile Marker or Warn manual hubs. Never have to think about them again and hub bearings will last alot longer.

 

The Black Warn Premium Hubs look awesome.

 

If you go this route, don't forget to block off the vacuum lines or you'll have other issues, if I recall your defrosters won't work?

That said, the manu-matic hubs Ford supplies are decent enough hubs, they just require service that manual hubs don't. Every other year at minimum you should pull the hubs out and lube everything, and every few months you should find a field or dirt/gravel road and engage 4wd, and drive around for a bit - this keeps everything lubed up and free.

 

Not trying to hijack this tread but I am having trouble getting my original auto hub off the hub assembly.
I removed the snap ring but the lock out hub is not budging.

 

either the flange at the bottom of the hub that the snap ring was just in front of is sticking and not wanting to come thru the final 1/8" of the axle hub or the sliding shuttle gear is stuck firm to the end of the axle shaft. Are you removing it because the hub no longer was working? If so its likely to be the shuttle. Once they start to leak water inside and the hub isn't nicely lubricated surface rust forms and sticks it right to the axle.

Wiggle the hub back and forth on the axle hub, like try and turn it back and forth on the axle stub, don't rock it yet. If the hub is unlocked it should be able to turn and maybe clear out dirt and gook so the flange can come clear and get the hub off. If your unlocked and the hub won't turn on the axle its stuck engaged. Maybe try flooding the hub best you can with PB or Kroil or the like and then get on your knees to pray this works and it comes loose of the corrosion. Maybe some light taps sideways on the hub to see if you can break it free. Last resort is gonna be destroy the hub to get it all off, wire brush the hell out of the axle stub, then grease it all up nice and thick before you reassemble with a new hub. The hub has a big retaining ring on the inside where you can't get to, you'd have to crack and smash a plastic plate to get the outer hub body free of the internals and the shuttle, then with the shuttle gear exposed you can go to town with a torch to heat it and then it will slide right off, under 10 seconds and it's gone. Again the hub will be destroyed trying to get to that point.

 

Thanks for your reply.
Yea so I beat the by jeepers out of the stock auto hub, after I removed the retainer snap ring.
I bought new Mile Marker 449 S/S manuel hubs and 2 new 515020 Timkin wheel bearing assemblies.
The old auto hubs are stuck in there. It got hot this afternoon and raining now so I will see how it goes in the morning.
I see I need to get the lock outs out to remove the snap ring to remove the wheel bearing.

Thanks again.

 

Yeah there is that snap ring around the axle between the hub and the bearing that screws you in this case. You need that auto hub out of there to get at that retainer so the axle will slide out of the bearing. If you have the mile markers and are committed to the idea of tossing the auto hubs then just cut the hubs right up against the bearing hub surface, right where the auto hub retaining ring was and the whole top hat will come off. You can then disassemble the thing from there, but that sliding shuttle is stuck firm I'll wager. Even a propane torch might get that thing unstuck once you can get right at it. You have the bearing too so you can even bang it in further on the spline to pop it loose. I'd see if I could sneak down there with a 2 or 3 jaw puller and push against the axle to pull that GD shuttle off of there. Learn from this experience and grease the schite out of the axle spline and inside the hubs with high temp grease every 2 or 3 years at least. Those MM hubs are gold on the D60, almost impossible to break or destroy. Get (2) 1/8" NPT pipe plugs and remove the vacuum hose barbs on top of the spindle and plug them. Then go under the hood, passenger side, and find the vacuum canister right behind the battery, if you follow the pass side line up you'll find where to disconnect the 2 lines for the hubs and plug them up on the canister side with rubber caps also. Now your a real man, you get out and solidly lock 2 lbs of hard steel into place on each side and know the 4wd is going to drive that pig forward. Sucks being hung up and finding out those crappy auto hubs are stuck, leaking, or F*ked. I have rebuilt / refurbished hubs for all brands of axles for many years, and I toss those POS in the trash religiously, they CANNOT be trusted. The design is total crap and the pot steel internals cant take too many hard shots or heavy pulls before they either strip or break. Those mile markers use forged internals and a pretty stiff locking spring. Tough to operate the first few times but them they wear in and get easier. If you got the fortitude, take em apart now and grease the **** out of the insides, make em easier to operate the **** and the slide will operate alot easier. I take em apart and slide the shuttle on and off the shaft a few times, use a file to lap them a bit so the action is super smooth. That way if you put it into neutral and it rocks back just a few inches they slide and lock right up immediately and its not a SNAP into position as your drive forward or back, that's hard on everything when they do that. Just let it easy roll into lockup before putting the coals to her.