MAJOR SUSPENSION FAIL !! Now what? (old aftermarket)

[eightynine4x4]

So, yeah, all 4 of my bearing lock nuts, 2 on each side, are loose enough to spin by hand.
How about that!
Referred to shop manual, found the bearing adjustment procedure, and am about to go attempt to locate a 4 prong spindle socket that’s the correct size. Somewhere around 56 mm outer diameter.
Also both of my inner brake pads had no anti vibration clips installed. I just finished redoing the front brakes, so everything is back to good standing now, including the caliper pins.
The more i open up this truck, the more I realize i should have flown off a cliff by this point.

 

[Shran]

Amazon.com

That's the socket you need. Use a breaker bar on that and tighten the outer nut as tight as you possibly can.

 

[scotts90ranger]

The socket is the same as a Dana 44 locknut socket if you find an auto parts store with someone at the counter that knows anything...

With the sway bar I realized after I posted that there was no weight on the axle so it is drooped out as far as it will go, with just a 2" lift the stock setup will probably be fine but the way to get it up in better angles would be with longer end links.

 

[eightynine4x4]

The socket is the same as a Dana 44 locknut socket if you find an auto parts store with someone at the counter that knows anything...

Yep I found that one at autozone and it fits.

 

[eightynine4x4]

So the inner lock nut on passenger side is missing it’s little pin that is supposed to line up with one of the holes in washer that’s between the two lock nuts. Then that secures the inner lock nut and washer together in place.

On drivers side the pin is there.

According to pics in this listing, I believe these pins are manually inserted by the user.

1989 FORD RANGER 2.9L 177cid V6 Brake & Wheel Hub Parts | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

It’s the “Locking Hub” item there.

Looks like my pin fell out in the past, or was never installed.

I plan on opening the wheels back up this summer to do all the u joints in front. I can obviously then also just replace the bearings and replace the lock nuts.

As long as I crank the outer lock nut to the spec of 150 ft lbs, is it in theory safe to drive with that pin missing for a couple months?

 

[Shran]

Interesting, I've never bought a new set of those nuts so I can't say if the pin is separate on a new set. I can tell you, however, that you MUST have the pin in place. The pin locks the washer to it, the washer is held in place by the notch in the spindle, and the outer nut holds the washer in place by friction. Without any of those pieces in place, it will be really hard to get your bearings torqued down correctly. I would try drilling that pin out on the nut you have on hand and replace it with a little piece of a drill bit or something like that.

 

[eightynine4x4]

Interesting, I've never bought a new set of those nuts so I can't say if the pin is separate on a new set. I can tell you, however, that you MUST have the pin in place. The pin locks the washer to it, the washer is held in place by the notch in the spindle, and the outer nut holds the washer in place by friction. Without any of those pieces in place, it will be really hard to get your bearings torqued down correctly. I would try drilling that pin out on the nut you have on hand and replace it with a little piece of a drill bit or something like that.

Yeah I thought about trying to cut a drill bit but was weary of tossing something into the system that wasn’t a perfect fit. I felt like just trying the torquing, and went ahead and both sides torqued down the same. Went fine. 150 ft lbs.
Considering I was driving for a couple years with an 1/8” gap between the washer and outer lock nut, I’d say I’m in a much better place. I’ll look into sourcing that pin though. Doesn’t look easy to find!!

 

[eightynine4x4]

Also just want to add that the torquing of the side without pin wasn’t any more spinny than the good side with pin. I wasn’t just cranking the bearings to 150 ft lbs haha

 

[Josh B]

Mine you torque it to 150 with a 2 3/8 socket I got from Oreilly, after showing them it was listed online that they had it. then back it off and torque the same 1/2 drive socket with a 1/4 drive inch/pound torqued to 16 in/lb, then insert the locking pin

 

[eightynine4x4]

Mine you torque it to 150 with a 2 3/8 socket I got from Oreilly, after showing them it was listed online that they had it. then back it off and torque the same 1/2 drive socket with a 1/4 drive inch/pound torqued to 16 in/lb, then insert the locking pin

In my 89 shop manual it says to first set the bearings by torquing the inner lock nut to 35 ft lb, then back it off 1/4 turn, then redo the torque but only to 16 ft lb this time.
This inner lock is the one with the pin sticking out. So then you just place the “hole-y” washer over it and hope one of the washer’s holes lines up and the pin slides in, but if it doesn’t they say to just adjust the inner lockslightly as needed. So technically you could be deviating from 16 ft lbs this way or that.

Then you add the outer lock nut, and torque that one to 150 ft lbs.

I understand why jamming to hex nuts on a threaded bolt works to create a locked pair so to speak, but this is more complex than that and I’m not going to claim I get it. I mean without the pin the washer would act like a normal washer and spin a little as the outer lock but was cranked in, and eventually just stop due to friction and the i outer nut would be the only thing turning. I guess the pin principle is to make sure this stoppage actually occurs, so that the bearings aren’t over cranked by the 150 lb force. But if the washer and inner lock nut and united rotational by the pin, then doesn’t the inner/washer pairing just sorta become one piece? Seems kinda counterintuitive in that way, since the washer is doing nothing now. Maybe it’s just a spacer so that the two lock nuts don’t interact and have mating issues?

Regardless, I think I’ll just undo the side that’s missing the pin and try fabricating the pin and install it.

 

[Josh B]

Are we both talking about automatic locking hubs? Mine are, I may have gotten off track here, I think the hole'd washer is on the manual locking hubs? My apology if I have

 

[scotts90ranger]

Josh, you're the only one talking auto hubs, the OP has manuals, completely different animal, when I had auto hubs I just used channel locks and a magnet to do wheel bearings... but that's been a decade...

I did have to make my own roll pin for a lock nut one time when I found a sheared pin, I don't remember what I did but I think I just found a small roll pin, maybe a drill bit shaft? either way the nuts are hard to drill and the stock pins aren't much easier...

 

[eightynine4x4]

Josh, you're the only one talking auto hubs, the OP has manuals, completely different animal, when I had auto hubs I just used channel locks and a magnet to do wheel bearings... but that's been a decade...

I did have to make my own roll pin for a lock nut one time when I found a sheared pin, I don't remember what I did but I think I just found a small roll pin, maybe a drill bit shaft? either way the nuts are hard to drill and the stock pins aren't much easier...

Yes sorry for the confusion!
I’ll give the drill bit shaft a shot, although it sounds like it could be a nightmare since mine is similarly sheered off and ill have to drill it out.. using a tiny bit itself. I can see snapping 5 of them and it being an all day affair!

I may try this Napa one, which are available nearby. The Dana one below is a couple weeks out but sounds more promising

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NOE6301658?cid=paidsearch_shopping_dcoe_google&campaign=GSC-Catch-All&campaign_id=6478877959&adgroup_id=79272987338&adtype=pla_with_promotion&gclid=Cj0KCQjwu-KiBhCsARIsAPztUF0oeeCrykGGDnCbcZeK0sACf6IVqbBNUD7MO17y6kPDm9urDoYw4L4aAtVZEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&

Amazon.com

 

[eightynine4x4]

Shopping for this is a bit confusing..
The first one below, commonly searchable as 32720, is called a conversion kit.
So I’m wondering if converting from auto to manual locking involves simply using the same exact set of lock nuts / washer as already is installed on manual, or if there’s something different about converting / adapting.
This one is made by Warn so it’s probably better than knock offs such as the one below it.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7453107

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yes, the conversion is just the same locknuts manual hubs use, as long as it's for the right axle (after this many posts I don't remember if you have a Dana 28 or 35...)