I came up to Maryland from Florida, got to Annapolis and my truck jerked to the side and back again. It woke me up. I noticed my wheel slightly out at the bottom. I was about 10 miles from where I was going so I drove at about 30 mph the rest of the way. Pulled in the driveway and jacked the front up and the wheel just fell off. The entire hub assembly was in pieces, the hat of the rotor broken off and caliper mount broken. I bought everything I needed today, put it back together and notice about 1/4" play between the hub retaining clip and the washers. I pulled the other side off and notice about 1/8" play. I could put a whole nother washer set on the one side. This can't be normal is it? I've got a rental and I'm not driving it again until I find out. Also I wanted to replace my dust covers but Ford says I have to buy a $600.00 in & out axle. Parts stores say it a dealer item. Any help?

 

that isnt normal...something has to be off or taken an extremly bad wearing.......... the seals are a dealer only item, but that price is high

 

Dealer says they don't sell just the seals, you have to buy the entire axle set to get them. And with brand new hub assbly there is no wear. The axle goes in the housing on the inside, the short axle goes thru the hub/bearing carrier on the other. thats whats so disturbing. I even pulled a hub off a buddys truck and his is about the same as my other side- 1/8" play. I guess the axle must bottom out in the housing or else they would come apart like mine. I still think your right in that 1/4" play isnt normal, but why?

 

yeah i would think something is deffinatley off because i just put new hubs and upper and lower balljoints in the front of my truck and that seems like way to much play

 

I did find the part #s for the seals at powerstrokeshop.com. So I'll call Ford and see if they have them. The parts dept people complain about the way their computor programis set up so maybe if I just give them #'s they might find them.

Krazy
How much play did you have? I'm thinkin that that little retainer clip really isn't strong enough to hold anything so the inner axle must bottom out inside the housing and the hub assembly holds everything in place. the locking hub piece probably bottoms out on the retainer clip and then the outer ring clip holds that part of the hub. So maybe the clearance dosn't matter that much. I think I'll buy another set of washers to minimize the play though. Just thinking out loud. I have no idea what the purpose of that plastic hex spacer does.

 

i really dont remember how much there was, but they moves very slighty when shaking it around with some force... i also went with the warn premium hubs instead of the factory vac. ones...well worth the money, big difference

 

Sorry to hear this Tim. You have a 4x4 correct? Did you have a non-metallic thrust washer between the two metallic thrust washers when you reassembled? It sounds like you are missing one of the three thrust washers...

 

Yea its in there. I was able to look up the part #s for the seals on powerstokeshop.com, went over to Ford, picked them up and installed them. The extra space I had was due to the old seal being crushed flat at the perimeter. All is right in the world once again.
Thanks for your help.

 

All right !!!!!!!!

 

good to hear everything is as it should be