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4wd Guru question?

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
I have a question for you techs or even 4wd veterans.. Ive noticed whenever I have the front hubs locked that ive been getting a vibration in the steering wheel... It feels kinda like an unbalanced steer tire.. but I dont think thats what it is. Mainly because It's smooth as glass when the hubs arent locked.

My Question is since this is my first 4wd truck.. is this normal for when the hubs are locked? Or is it a sign somethings wrong with them.. When i got the truck they were very stiff to turn the selector.. I pulled them apart to rebuild, regrease as I had been told thats what they needed because they were hard to turn.. Which did fix that problem... but ive felt that vibration even before doing that... and seems to be getting worse.. Im not 100% certain its in the hubs or if i need to look somewhere else..
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
It isn't totally uncommon. You are driving the differential and driveshaft all the way back to the transfer case with the wheels so all the driveline is in play. You will likely experience the same vibration if you also had the transfer case engaged.
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
Didn't you just replace the u joints? I don't remember if they were the front ones or not.

If so, was the problem occurring before the u joints were replaced?
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
It isn't totally uncommon. You are driving the differential and driveshaft all the way back to the transfer case with the wheels so all the driveline is in play. You will likely experience the same vibration if you also had the transfer case engaged.

hmmm...was hoping you might have said they were bad hubs.. forgot to mention theres also like a grinding noise to it when theyre locked in.. like a pepper/salt mill shaker makes.. just a lot louder..

Didn't you just replace the u joints? I don't remember if they were the front ones or not.

If so, was the problem occurring before the u joints were replaced?


front shaft.. but was doing it before the u-joints were done.. techs told me the ones on the end of the axle shafts were good but starting to wonder about that..
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
You check the oil in the front rear yet Sparky?

I'm betting it's low, and like mud. Could be time for a change.
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
was wanting to check last night but wasnt gonna lay on the ground when was wet... hopeing by the weekend itll thaw out so i can check that..
 

blacksnapon

Moderator
Staff member
Grinding in the front? You've got one lockout working and one not. That'll cause the vibration as well.
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
While under there, check u joints on the axles too. My bet, they are toast.
Probably no one ever locked the hubs, and everything sat in one position for a very long time.
First time you locked the hubs, and went around a corner, you RIPPED everything loose.

Replacing the ujoints in your axle shafts are going to suck if you don't have the slam hammer that screws on over the end of the cone that your wheel bearings ride on.
I can guarantee, with how everything else has gone with your truck, the cones are going to be STUCK SOLID!.
Might even have to add some heat from a torch
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
Grinding in the front? You've got one lockout working and one not. That'll cause the vibration as well.


sounds like from that direction... at low speed it sounds like a when you walk on soft snow/thin ice you hear it make that crunch sound... at higher speeds 55-70 its more of a hum shaving metal sound..
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
While under there, check u joints on the axles too. My bet, they are toast.
Probably no one ever locked the hubs, and everything sat in one position for a very long time.
First time you locked the hubs, and went around a corner, you RIPPED everything loose.

Replacing the ujoints in your axle shafts are going to suck if you don't have the slam hammer that screws on over the end of the cone that your wheel bearings ride on.
I can guarantee, with how everything else has gone with your truck, the cones are going to be STUCK SOLID!.
Might even have to add some heat from a torch

one of the times i had it in the dealer they claimed the U-joints were good on the axle itself.. but kinda have my doubts on it.. from what i read online to get them shafts out it sounded like it was easier to pull the whole steering knuckle than to break it down.. but i know its been out before when it went into the dealer as they did some "dust boot" changes on the end of that axle..
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
You can leave the ball joints intact.
remove the hub
Remove the caliper
Remove the rotor
remove the cone
pull the axle

Best to get new axle seals at this time too, they usually fail right after this repair

I would get a set of mile marker hubs for it if I were going to change, I used them on my 94 F 150, and my 94 F 350, and am pleased with the results
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
You can leave the ball joints intact.
remove the hub
Remove the caliper
Remove the rotor
remove the cone
pull the axle

Best to get new axle seals at this time too, they usually fail right after this repair

I would get a set of mile marker hubs for it if I were going to change, I used them on my 94 F 150, and my 94 F 350, and am pleased with the results

wouldnt i have to open the diff cover too to remove a retainer c-clip or something?? or do the front axles not have those?

Ive been wanting to replace the hubs with WARN hubs.. but never got around to it...
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
No, they just pull out. there is a c clip behind the hub that keeps it from walking back and forth. It's not like a rear axle.

Warn is a good hub, I have it on my 89 F 350, but $ wise, I go with the Mile Markers now.
Both are great hubs, but I like that the Mile Markers are metal, not plastic.
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
ahh so its more like my dually rear where its the shafts bolted from the outside..

I went looking for milemarker ones.. apparently they dont make them for the 04... or least none of the aftermarket companys listed them for it.. the only 3 i could find for mine is WARN, Yukon Gear and SuperWinch.. Heard that superwinch are supposed to be good.. yukon looks to be all metal but cant tell for sure as the pics all show from the face.. Ive just always liked Warn's dunno why..
 

1970Custom

They call me Spuds
14,107
447
Middleton, ID
Those should be auto or lock on the hubs, at least they are on the in-laws '01, so unless 4wd was never used I doubt that's the issue.

I've never had a 4wd truck that didn't vibrate when the front was locked in, my old '86, my '93, and my dad's '96 PSD all had/have a vibration.
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
auto lock are the pneumatic vacuum ones for the SOTF trucks.. mine are all manual.. so its lock and free...
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
ahh so its more like my dually rear where its the shafts bolted from the outside..

I went looking for milemarker ones.. apparently they dont make them for the 04... or least none of the aftermarket companys listed them for it.. the only 3 i could find for mine is WARN, Yukon Gear and SuperWinch.. Heard that superwinch are supposed to be good.. yukon looks to be all metal but cant tell for sure as the pics all show from the face.. Ive just always liked Warn's dunno why..
Technically the shafts just float in the front...Like I said, there is a c clip in there to hold it out where the hub sits
Warn makes a good hub, like I said, My 89 has warn hubs on it, and they have caused me no problems
Those should be auto or lock on the hubs, at least they are on the in-laws '01, so unless 4wd was never used I doubt that's the issue.

I've never had a 4wd truck that didn't vibrate when the front was locked in, my old '86, my '93, and my dad's '96 PSD all had/have a vibration.
He still has a gear stick on his, most of the newer trucks are shift on the fly.
None of my 4x4 trucks vibrate when the hubs are locked. steering them, or parking them like normal is a different story tho. Turning circle gets way wider.....
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
Technically the shafts just float in the front...Like I said, there is a c clip in there to hold it out where the hub sits
Warn makes a good hub, like I said, My 89 has warn hubs on it, and they have caused me no problems

was meaning its similar as they were from the outside instead of the inside... but nice to know i wouldnt have to crack the pumpkin open if i went to do it myself as i hate the smell of gear oil... i think warns were what we had on the 79 but i didnt get to drive it much before it got parked.. just a few drives to learn how and that was it..

He still has a gear stick on his, most of the newer trucks are shift on the fly.
None of my 4x4 trucks vibrate when the hubs are locked. steering them, or parking them like normal is a different story tho. Turning circle gets way wider.....

yup stick on the floor and have to get out to lock the hubs...

have found that part out already... gets clicky when i try to turn too sharply...
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
was meaning its similar as they were from the outside instead of the inside... but nice to know i wouldnt have to crack the pumpkin open if i went to do it myself as i hate the smell of gear oil... i think warns were what we had on the 79 but i didnt get to drive it much before it got parked.. just a few drives to learn how and that was it..



yup stick on the floor and have to get out to lock the hubs...

have found that part out already... gets clicky when i try to turn too sharply...

Bad u joints
 

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