So I have on 2 occasions almost gotten stuck in nothing more than soggy grass the last couple of weeks and my front wheels aren't pulling. I have the manual locking hubs with the manual transfer case from the factory, so it's not a lack of vacuum that's causing the issue. I have good engagement on the T-case lever and the light comes on on the dash. I am thinking my hubs may be bad and found a good deal on a new set of Warn premiums, but I don't want to throw money at the wrong thing. What should I do in order to trouble shoot this pig?

 

Humm, is your front driveshaft still on? You are a first on here that I have seen with the manual hubs not working. Watching.

 

When you engauge the transfer case, check to see if your front drive shaft truns freely or if it locks in.

You can lock the hub and check to see if the axel is locking in if not you should check the hub .

 

Put the t-case in 4wd and try spinning the front drive shaft, it shouldn't spin. Put it back in 2wd and lock both of the hubs in. Try spinning the shaft again. It shouldn't spin. If it does, one of the hubs isn't locking.

 

Yeah, remember all my gloating every time someone was having issues with their ESOF? Well, I guess karma has gotten me...

I will try the things that were suggested by Robert and Trevor in a few minutes then report back to you guys what I find.

 

I was just thinking, I had the front wheels off about 6 weeks ago replacing my front brake pads and right side slide pins. While I was there with the right side wheel off the ground, I attempted to remove the right side hub in order to inspect it. I only got as far as taking the metal retaining spring off and the hub was stuck in there pretty good, so I hit several times with a dead blow hammer and a rubber mallet to no avail. It wouldn't come loose, so I just put the spring clip back on and finished the brakes. Do you think that I may have gotten it to where it won't engage properly?

 

Could be. If it was stuck that hard, the guts in it could be stuck just as much.

 

I'm leaning towards that being the issue the more I think about it. I may have to break down and get those Warn Premiums. Everything was working great this winter in the snow.

 

Jason, have you seen these vids. They show you how to take apart and grease the manual hubs. Have a look. LINK

 

Okay, just locked the hubs and the front drive shaft was locked in, in both 2wd and 4wd. I am going to try a boosted launch and see if i can get some spinnage from the front wheels. I will report back soon.

 

It's working now. Nothing but traction on boosted launch. I may have had my hubs in the free position last time it wasn't working. The time before that I tried them in both positions and neither one would the front pull.

 

It's ok Jason. We know how much you like to make a new thread.

 

Sounds like one of them was stuck in free and finally came loose. Might still be worth taking them apart and greasing em up.

 

Man do I love that little switch on my dash.... hasn't let me down once.



Sorry Jason, I just had to!! Glad it's working for you again!

 

Jason, you need to get you some Warns. I've seen how you lock your hubs, almost had you stuck on the beach by having them in the wrong position. LOL Warns are easy to read, easy to turn and sure to lock. All that being said, I still forget to get out and lock them sometimes, until I start spinning. I do miss my ESOF at times, like when in deep sand, air blowing in my face and not defaulting to defrost and leaving me stuck in soft sand, but that's about all I miss about the ESOF.