Hubs won't unlock

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Jul 20, 2005 | 02:52 PM

RShaips

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Hubs won't unlock

I am thinking of buying my Dads 2000 Excursion, his wife has been driving it for the last three years. It has 113,000 miles and a diesel motor. I have been driving it for a couple of days and noticed almost immediately that when turning at a slow speed that the drivetrain vibrated and growled. I have owned many 4wd vehicles so I quickly figured out that the front hubs were still engaged. I would bet that they have been like this for a long time as the front tires are worn terribly.I got the hubs to turn after putting WD40 on them but still the front end is locked. I know that these are vacuum operated and would like to know what I should do to get this front end to unlock as cheaply and quickly as possible. I want to make sure that the noise and vibration I am feeling is caused by the front end being locked in before I buy it. Can I just take them apart and clean them? Once I have determined that it is the hubs causing this problem I will buy it and replace them with manual hubs next time I have problems. Thanks

Jul 20, 2005 | 05:48 PM

fatswany

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Joined: Sep 2004

Posts: 240

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From: Briggsdale, CO

I personally haven't had this problem, but I have seen it posted many times. Do a search on this forum for "hubs" and I bet you'll find plenty of advice. Good Luck!
By the way mine is a 2000 PSD also, I love it. Grab that one while you can, you won't regret it.

Last edited by fatswany; Jul 20, 2005 at 05:54 PM.

Jul 25, 2005 | 01:46 PM

rossgn

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Joined: Mar 2004

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stuck lockouts

If you reach around and turn the half shafts by hand back and forth they will go into the free position. You can get a good set of Warn lockouts cheap. I would say well under 200 bucks

Jul 25, 2005 | 03:35 PM

RTM

Cargo Master

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 2,735

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From: Sunny Florida

Mine won't unlock either and the thing to do is clean them or that's what I have read here. The big thing to do is to swap to the warn hubs or I should say that seems to be the trend here on this forum and I would agree with it. I just haven't bought the warn lock outs yet. You may find the warn does not list a part number for the Ex. I beleive you just need to buy the same kit used on a F350.

Jul 26, 2005 | 08:47 AM

RShaips

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I just took them off and soaked them in WD40 and worked them back and forth and put them back on. Work fine now and we will see how long they last. Very easy to do.

Jul 26, 2005 | 11:58 AM

neilc88

Elder User

Joined: Apr 2003

Posts: 536

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From: Cleveland, OH

Quote:

Originally Posted by RShaips

I just took them off and soaked them in WD40 and worked them back and forth and put them back on. Work fine now and we will see how long they last. Very easy to do.

How do you take them off?

Any pictures? I need to do the same.

Jul 26, 2005 | 01:33 PM

RShaips

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Sorry no pics, just take the snap ring off of the hubs, you make have to tap on the hub to get it to pull off and that about it. You do not need to take off the wheel or anything else. Good luck