How Much Grease In Automatic Hubs & 4wd Clunk/Squeak

[XionicWaste]

Hello,

I've got a recently purchased 96 Ranger with automatic hubs and its been making a rotational clunking and squeaking noise only when the 4wd is engaged. I'm close to positive the squeak is from the double cardan off of the transfer case but the clunking I am still unsure of. The clunk might be from the transfer case, I'm going to take the drive shaft off and see if it still makes the clunk/squeak sometime this weekend. I took the passenger side tire off just to grease and inspect and I took a look at those famous automatic locking hubs and saw they were slathered in grease, not packed but enough to be a "cake glaze" over the whole thing. The grease looks healthy and clean. I read that they should only be lubricated with automatic transmission fluid but other info says they should be greased... What is better? Should I clean them and lube with the ATF or leave the grease on.

PS: Any thoughts on the clunk/squeak?

EDIT: The clunk only happens when there is pressure on the truck ( I am accelerating or low gear down a hill) when I decelerate the noise goes away... To me it sounds like a UV joint maybe on the double cardan?

Thanks!

 

[LearjetMinako]

Never heard of using ATF to lube the auto hubs. I always thought they were supposed to greased really well. And from previous vehicles that I worked on. All of the Ford's auto hubs (Rangers, BII, & Explorers) that I have seen, were found greased.

I know when I did mine 2wd Rangers wheels bearings. I packed those bearings full of grease till no air remained between the back seal and crush washer.

 

[XionicWaste]

This is where I got the idea to lube the hubs with ATF.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/HubDiagnosis.html


This one made me do a double take...

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/howto_hubswap.htm

 

[racsan]

ive put atf in my hubs before installing them before. not had any issues due to it.

 

[XionicWaste]

So all you run in them is ATF? Do you clean and re apply every year or do you apply grease?

 

[LearjetMinako]

I guess the point in both of those tech tips is "Don't over grease". An ATF coating works and when using grease, don't pack them. Just hand coat each part with grease.

I would say, clean the hubs, rebuild them, and hand coat each part lightly with grease.

 

[XionicWaste]

Yeah that's what I was getting out of those too...

Thanks for your incite!

 

[Nhaz]

If the auto hubs are clunking while in 4x4 chances are they are toast. you can have a friend listen to them while you drive slowly. The clunking would most likely be the hubs cam being worn out and slipping.

Auto hubs are bad for this.

 

[XionicWaste]

I know its not the auto hubs, I should have mentioned the clunk is near the transfer case, I'm just unsure if its the double cardan or the transfer case. I hope its the double cardan because it will be an easy-er fix. The double cardan is already having a rotational squeak so I'm going to fix that tomorrow. If its the transfer case then its probability a loose chain... maybe...

 

[XionicWaste]

So I took apart the double cardan and replaced the 2 ujoints and also the ball and housing... That took care of the clunk and the squeak... The most surprising thing to me during this fix was the ujoints seemed stable and looked great when I took them out, the old ball was a little loose but I had to take the whole thing apart just to see that.

Thanks for the help TRS!