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Another thing on my radar , i was having a strange sound coming from the drivers front , it was intermittent rumbling, jacked the truck up to check wheel bearings linkage ect, everything is tight as it should be, checked U joints, carrier bearing, all seem good.
Talked to a friend he said he thought maybe my auto hubs might be the culprit, so yesterday it did it again, made the strange noise, Dropped speed to 25 ish, switched to 4x4 high and the sound went away, so am suspecting i have a vacuum leak somewhere, any upgraded lines i should be looking at?
I use ‘Right Stuff’ black RTV on diff cover. One minute cure and immediate return to service.
On front axle, you want to check the knuckle seals (some call them vacuum seals). This is what centers the axle in the knuckle. If you can move u-joint up and down inside the ‘C’, these seals need replaced. If they are worn enough, it will cause the axle to be at an angle that it spins with hubs unlocked. This can destroy the axle bearing inside the hub bearing and wreck the stub shaft.
I use ‘Right Stuff’ black RTV on diff cover. One minute cure and immediate return to service.
On front axle, you want to check the knuckle seals (some call them vacuum seals). This is what centers the axle in the knuckle. If you can move u-joint up and down inside the ‘C’, these seals need replaced. If they are worn enough, it will cause the axle to be at an angle that it spins with hubs unlocked. This can destroy the axle bearing inside the hub bearing and wreck the stub shaft.
my buddy stopped by, had a beer with me and we went through the front end he didn’t have time to test out the vacuum for the front hubs and honestly neither have I ! But I am leaning to r&r the hubs soon as possible just because I think it’s a bearing going south, have had no further problems but it sits in my head and makes me worry
For the rear end start with just a ounce or two of the friction modifier. Drive for a while, then slowly in figure 8's. If the rear binds up you need a bit more friction modifier. If no binding it's good.
Too much friction modifier kills the function of the LS rear. Best to sneak up on the needed amount so it works properly.
my buddy stopped by, had a beer with me and we went through the front end he didn’t have time to test out the vacuum for the front hubs and honestly neither have I ! But I am leaning to r&r the hubs soon as possible just because I think it’s a bearing going south, have had no further problems but it sits in my head and makes me worry
Its unlikely the hubs are THE problem here. What I said is more likely and more urgent. Maybe I didn’t describe how it works/fails well....
The ‘bearing’ that goes south is the axle shaft bearing inside the hub bearing/unit bearing. The axle shaft rides on this bearing. You can use the grease gun needle method to lube this bearing with the locking hub removed, but if the axles are drooping because the knuckle seals are bad, it causes the axle to ride in that bearing at an angle and destroy them. Since there is no inner race, the needle bearings ride directly on the stub shaft. When these bearings fail, it destroys the stub shaft because the bearings need a smooooooth place to ride. When the angle of axle is steep enough, it will bind in the locking hub and spin - even with hubs UNLOCKED (and present as a ‘vibration’ exactly as you described). Damage is already happening when this happens. Besides the stub shafts getting wrecked, the hubs and thrust washers often get damaged.
Honestly, everyone who reads this should go out and check this today. Stick a big screwdriver or a pry bar in the axle ‘C’, under the u-joint and lift up on the axle shaft. If it moves up and down, you need new knuckle seals. I ONLY use spicer seals here.
Listor, are you going to perform the "rebuild" yourself?
If so, I can upload the instructions with torque specifications and what not from the Ford Service Manual if you like. Sometimes we have to send work out due to specialty tools, time or ability.
Sometimes we knock out the task ourselves with a little help from friends and those that have gone before us.
Its unlikely the hubs are THE problem here. What I said is more likely and more urgent. Maybe I didn’t describe how it works/fails well....
The ‘bearing’ that goes south is the axle shaft bearing inside the hub bearing/unit bearing. The axle shaft rides on this bearing. You can use the grease gun needle method to lube this bearing with the locking hub removed, but if the axles are drooping because the knuckle seals are bad, it causes the axle to ride in that bearing at an angle and destroy them. Since there is no inner race, the needle bearings ride directly on the stub shaft. When these bearings fail, it destroys the stub shaft because the bearings need a smooooooth place to ride. When the angle of axle is steep enough, it will bind in the locking hub and spin - even with hubs UNLOCKED (and present as a ‘vibration’ exactly as you described). Damage is already happening when this happens. Besides the stub shafts getting wrecked, the hubs and thrust washers often get damaged.
Honestly, everyone who reads this should go out and check this today. Stick a big screwdriver or a pry bar in the axle ‘C’, under the u-joint and lift up on the axle shaft. If it moves up and down, you need new knuckle seals. I ONLY use spicer seals here.
I will indeed check this out, will need the truck for hunting this year and sure don't want a failure out in the boonies!
Listor, are you going to perform the "rebuild" yourself?
If so, I can upload the instructions with torque specifications and what not from the Ford Service Manual if you like. Sometimes we have to send work out due to specialty tools, time or ability.
Sometimes we knock out the task ourselves with a little help from friends and those that have gone before us.
I found what i needed on youtube, did a walk through! Hardest part was getting that hub nut off, that bugger was on there!
I did not use ant rtv on the cover, hope that's mot a mistake, but it's an easy enough fix, if it starts leaking i will deal with it then, i actually have a tube of the right stuff on the shelf
although i did not see how much lube to put back in, 3 quarts in and never could feel it , never started coming out?
I found what i needed on youtube, did a walk through! Hardest part was getting that hub nut off, that bugger was on there!
I did not use ant rtv on the cover, hope that's mot a mistake, but it's an easy enough fix, if it starts leaking i will deal with it then, i actually have a tube of the right stuff on the shelf
although i did not see how much lube to put back in, 3 quarts in and never could feel it , never started coming out?
I *think* it’s 3.75qrts. Many lift one side of axle and overfill it by a quart or so after it full when level.
Looks like open differential (no LS on tag?), so friction modifier not required.
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