How do autolocking hubs work?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Wild Wild West
How do autolocking hubs work?
Hey all,
I have a 96 F150 with a dana 44 and IFS. The transfer case engages when I hit the button and the front driveshaft turns, but the power doesn't make it to the front wheels from there. The front axles turn a bit, but can be stopped easily if I apply pressure. I don't know enough about how the auto-locking hubs work to know where/what to trouble shoot from here. I need some direction before I start ripping thing apart. It seems like the failure would have to be either in the diff or the hubs. Any ideas?
Thanks
I have a 96 F150 with a dana 44 and IFS. The transfer case engages when I hit the button and the front driveshaft turns, but the power doesn't make it to the front wheels from there. The front axles turn a bit, but can be stopped easily if I apply pressure. I don't know enough about how the auto-locking hubs work to know where/what to trouble shoot from here. I need some direction before I start ripping thing apart. It seems like the failure would have to be either in the diff or the hubs. Any ideas?
Thanks
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Wild Wild West
So you are saying that the front axles are always connected into the power of the front driveshaft at the diff? Then I have bigger problems than what manual hubs would fix, because I can grab the front axle and it stops turning while driveshaft is still going. What could be broken in the differential?
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
Likes: 12
From: Senoia, GA
i'm curious to know....how did you test all of what you said? you put it on jackstands and put it in gear or something?
i'm with BS....get some manual hubs, that way you won't have any problems in the future. also it would prolly fix your current problem!
-jason-
i'm with BS....get some manual hubs, that way you won't have any problems in the future. also it would prolly fix your current problem!
-jason-
Last edited by fishmanndotcom; Jan 28, 2004 at 10:41 AM.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Wild Wild West
Trending Topics
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
Likes: 12
From: Senoia, GA
lol sounds like me....what exactly are you applying pressure to? if you hold one tire will the other spin? have you tried tapping the caps of the auto hubs with a rubber hammer or something to get them to unstick if they are stuck?
-jason-
-jason-
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Wild Wild West
I am applying pressure to the front axle shafts (either) and they stop moving. There is no tire movement of any kind on either side (in the front).
This truck is relatively new to me and the previous owner was a traveling sales person who never off-roaded at all. I thought maybe the hubs might be frozen and I wanted to tear the whole thing apart and maybe replace the front bearings while I was at it, but I was not sure. I need to know how it is supposed to act in the unlocked conditon first, to determine how much work this is going to be.
This truck is relatively new to me and the previous owner was a traveling sales person who never off-roaded at all. I thought maybe the hubs might be frozen and I wanted to tear the whole thing apart and maybe replace the front bearings while I was at it, but I was not sure. I need to know how it is supposed to act in the unlocked conditon first, to determine how much work this is going to be.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
Likes: 12
From: Senoia, GA
it's not a lot of work at all....i can do a set of hubs and bearings in 30 minutes. with your truck in 4x4, transmission in neutral, and front hubs locked.....can you turn youjr front d/s? if it is so easy does both tires turn? or just one?
do your caps have 3 or 5 torx head screws holding them on?
-jason-
do your caps have 3 or 5 torx head screws holding them on?
-jason-
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 2,759
Likes: 2
From: Auburn,Al
when you engage the 4x4, the front driveshaft turns, which spins the axles, which puts torque to the hubs, that supposed to lock them, yours are stuck or broke......now since they aint locking you have no power to the wheels
the reason you can be spinning the front d-shaft..grap one axle and make is stop, is because your front has an open diff, try and stop both axle shafts and see what happens....all you need to do to make it right is slap some manual hubs on there
and yes, at least one of the front axles will always turn when the driveshaft is spinning(unless something is broke)
i hope that made some sense? cause i can go into more detail if you like
the reason you can be spinning the front d-shaft..grap one axle and make is stop, is because your front has an open diff, try and stop both axle shafts and see what happens....all you need to do to make it right is slap some manual hubs on there
and yes, at least one of the front axles will always turn when the driveshaft is spinning(unless something is broke)
i hope that made some sense? cause i can go into more detail if you like
Last edited by 85351ho; Jan 28, 2004 at 12:47 PM.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Wild Wild West
I need to make this clearer. When the front driveshaft is turning, BOTH front axles are stopped at the same time. I know that I don't have a LS front diff and I expected that if I stopped one the other one would turn, but that is NOT happening. The hubs are not locked at this point (obviously, since they are not manual).
Does this mean that something in the front diff is broken?
BTW thanks for all the help
Does this mean that something in the front diff is broken?
BTW thanks for all the help
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
From: Southeastern PA
Well if neither shaft is spinning, and the driveshaft is, it sounds like the diff is shot. Unless, hold on do the shafts spin when you don't have something stopping them? If not, it sounds like a grenaded diff.
