D44HD TTB locker
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 233
Likes: 2
From: Puyallup, WA
D44HD TTB locker
I've got a lunchbox locker in the front of my 83 F250 and Mile Marker stainless hubs. I pulled the whole axle out and rebuilt it all; joints, bushings, bearings. I swapped to a D50 inner hub on the passenger side, and since the locker is in there no c clips on either side. I have a 7/8" compression spring cut down in between the D50 inner and passenger outer driveline. This seems to be universally accepted online as an acceptable setup.
Ever since it was all put back together the hubs make the worst noise, like the hulk wants out of the hub. At first it came from both hubs. I took hubs out, put them back in because they seemed ok, and the passenger one stopped making noise. Driver side never stopped making noise. I contacted Mile Marker and they sent me a hub to swap it out with and that didn't seem to make a difference.
I can drive around with just the passenger hub locked in in low or high, but as soon as I lock the drivers hub the hulk wants out. It almost seems like the outer axle shaft that goes through the hub can slide in and out about 1/8"-1/4". Is that normal?
Ever since it was all put back together the hubs make the worst noise, like the hulk wants out of the hub. At first it came from both hubs. I took hubs out, put them back in because they seemed ok, and the passenger one stopped making noise. Driver side never stopped making noise. I contacted Mile Marker and they sent me a hub to swap it out with and that didn't seem to make a difference.
I can drive around with just the passenger hub locked in in low or high, but as soon as I lock the drivers hub the hulk wants out. It almost seems like the outer axle shaft that goes through the hub can slide in and out about 1/8"-1/4". Is that normal?
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
I would jack the front tires off the ground and turn them while watching the front axles. Those lunchbox lockers are known to be very noisy. So if one of your axles is not unlocking at the hub, it's going to make noise.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
I thought you were in 2wd with the hubs unlocked and complaining about a frontend noise. From what I read, if you have the hubs locked in and are going around corners, you are going to get noise from that style locker. I thought if you did have the hubs unlocked, maybe one of them wasn't unlocking, and that was still turning the locker, causing the noise.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
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I thought you were in 2wd with the hubs unlocked and complaining about a frontend noise. From what I read, if you have the hubs locked in and are going around corners, you are going to get noise from that style locker. I thought if you did have the hubs unlocked, maybe one of them wasn't unlocking, and that was still turning the locker, causing the noise.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 233
Likes: 2
From: Puyallup, WA
Sorry for the confusion. 2x4 works without issue. 3x4 works without issue (passenger hub only). 4x4 (both front hubs) makes the noise.
It's not a clicking/ratcheting sound. It sounds horrible. A huge loud clunk/bang. It shakes the vehicle.
It's not a clicking/ratcheting sound. It sounds horrible. A huge loud clunk/bang. It shakes the vehicle.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,978
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From: Virginia
Does it make the noise in the grass or in the dirt. Or only on pavement? How does it act with the transfer case locked in?
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Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
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^^^
”3x4” isn’t doing anything since you aren’t connecting the left front hub to the axle shaft.
”3x4” isn’t doing anything since you aren’t connecting the left front hub to the axle shaft.
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Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 233
Likes: 2
From: Puyallup, WA
From what I've read my transfer case seems to behave better than most. It's the bw1345 and I can get in and out of any gear in the transfer case with the engine running and transmission in N. I have to be a little careful of trying to change the transfer case gear too quickly though without hearing a angry grind into gear.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
The truck should move straight ahead or back when locked in 4wd no problem for as far as you want to go regardless what surface it is on, if it binds up after only a few feet that suggests the gear ratios in the front and rear diffs are different or there are different sized tires on front and back.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
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The locker is allowing you to do that. Maybe I missed it but what happens when you only lock the driver’s side hub? What does the u-joint look like on the driver’s side?
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
I've tried on mud/grass, snowy roads, and wet pavement. I can sometimes drive perfectly straight while locked in for a few feet without issues. With the transfer case in 2wd high, and the hubs unlocked I have no issues. In 4x4 High or low I have the same experience I've been describing, but I can assure you that power is making it to the front passenger wheel when the transfer case in 4x4 and passenger hub locked.
From what I've read my transfer case seems to behave better than most. It's the bw1345 and I can get in and out of any gear in the transfer case with the engine running and transmission in N. I have to be a little careful of trying to change the transfer case gear too quickly though without hearing a angry grind into gear.
From what I've read my transfer case seems to behave better than most. It's the bw1345 and I can get in and out of any gear in the transfer case with the engine running and transmission in N. I have to be a little careful of trying to change the transfer case gear too quickly though without hearing a angry grind into gear.
And by the way, to try and prevent grinding in the transfer case, put the transmission in park while holding the brake. Don't let up on the brake. The problem you are having is when you put the transfer case in neutral, and the transmission is in drive or any other gear, that free's the transmission to start turning. That will spin the front half of the transfer case but the back half of the transfer case is not moving. That causes the grinding. Sometimes when you try to put it in park after having the transfer case in neutral, you will get grinding from the park in the transmission, because the transmission is moving. In some cases the best thing to do is turn the engine off. Then get it in park to stop the transmssion, then get the transfer case in the proper mode, and then start the engine again.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 233
Likes: 2
From: Puyallup, WA
All three u joints in the front axle are new along with the ball joints etc. I can't say I've tried to lock just the driver's side.
I'm at the point where I need to decide what to do. Buy a new spring/pin set for the locker and try to set it up again, find a posi and swap that in, or put my open diff side/spider gears back in. I'd like to keep 4 wheel traction though.
I'm at the point where I need to decide what to do. Buy a new spring/pin set for the locker and try to set it up again, find a posi and swap that in, or put my open diff side/spider gears back in. I'd like to keep 4 wheel traction though.