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1978 F-250 4X4 front lockout hubs : the grease that I use on the lockout mechanism sliding components is way too stiff in cold weather & hubs won't engage !! what do you guys use or recommend ? TIA
You can take the lock in/out off and spray it with brake cleaner to get some of the froze grease off. Then put it back together with a very light coat of grease, do not pack the grease in there. Also make sure that the grease is the problem and not some other new issue. Do not take it apart to the point you are pulling wheel bearings, just the lock in/out.
I've always packed em with whatever grease I'm using on the bearings. They get a little sticky when it gets cold, but if you work them regularly over the year they aren't that bad. The synthetic grease seems to be a little better in the cold.
They also sell a tool that's just a big plastic **** with lugs that makes it alot easier.
So I just found this....."Never use wheel bearing grease in locking hubs,...and do not "pack" the locking hubs with grease of any type.
When servicing locking hubs, I "paint" all moving locking hub parts with white lithium grease with a "throw away" acid brush.
When installing the locking hub to the wheel hub, I pour in 2-3 ounces of clean engine oil (10W-30 is fine) to keep the hub lubricated and protected from corrosion.
Lock the hubs once a month and drive it several miles (or all day) to keep the lube circulated.
Never had trouble with hubs after doing this for 40 years."
So now I am going to go re-read my OEM shop manual.
I've been using Kendall L-427 Super Blue for hubs and just about everything related auto/truck/off road equipment, and definitely on any severe duty applications with temperature extremes. Good from -40 to 350 degrees F
My hubs get exactly the same grease as my front wheel bearings as there is no partition between them. If I put oil in them hubs, then I'll have oil in them bearings too. I use only Moly fortified Ford disc brake spec Valvoline grease, VV632. It works.
I made me a **** to turn the red hub ****, but I like that fancy blue one. It really is easier than finger tips in ice filled cold recesses. An internal spring "locks" the hub, the red **** only uses ramps to push the lock ring apart to unlock the hub. When locking hubs, the ramps just move so the spring can push the lock ring into engagement.
I have found disengaging 4wd helps before turning hubs to free, drivetrain bind would not help. I used the Parker o-ring lube for the sealing o-rings, it might cause them to operate smoother and not tear up the rubber rings. The dana service manual for locking hubs said to use that so I figured to give it a try.
You should use grease on the bearings and oil on a Warn style hub. Warn tells you to do this. it doesn't matter if there's a no divider the grease stays where you put it and the Warn hub only takes a coating of oil it's not in an oil bath.
On Spicer hubs when we had the ranch fleet I used 80-90 on them too , all you have to do it give them enough lube to slide back and forth. now days that they're my toys I go ahead and use a little grease I don't care about cold weather I never engage them anyway. .
Yes you should put the truck (xfer case) in 2wd before you try to unlock the hubs. Just like the owners manual tells you to do. Also if you have difficulty shifting out of 4wd, you can try backing up a few feet to help un load the drive line.
I have found disengaging 4wd helps before turning hubs to free, drivetrain bind would not help. I used the Parker o-ring lube for the sealing o-rings, it might cause them to operate smoother and not tear up the rubber rings. The dana service manual for locking hubs said to use that so I figured to give it a try.
Absolutely, I never try to unlock hubs unless the transfer case is in 2-HI. To try that with a load on them is how the fingers that ride the ramps get bent or broke. You can lock hubs anytime, as until you lock them there's no load on the ramps or fingers, just the spring pushing the locker ring to engagement.
I've always packed em with whatever grease I'm using on the bearings. They get a little sticky when it gets cold, but if you work them regularly over the year they aren't that bad. The synthetic grease seems to be a little better in the cold.
They also sell a tool that's just a big plastic **** with lugs that makes it alot easier.
