I'm in need of some 1998-2000 4x4 front axel help

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Hey all. I just bought a 99 ranger and the previous owner installed rugged ridge manual hubs. Gotta say they are piles of junk. Driver side won't stay on and passenger side has blown up. I just ordered the mile marker replacement hubs to replace them.
My issue is the passenger axel is rubbing the back of the hub/bearing assemly which makes a metallic schwing sound. Similar to the sound a tractor disc makes when spun on concrete. I have absolutely no experience with this type of suspension. I'm wondering if the hole that the axel shaft goes through is supposed to be tight or does the axel have play? Both my axels can be wiggled at the back of the hub assembly. Does this mean the hub assembly needs to be replaced or just that the locking hubs are junk?

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

Ok after lots of searching at O'Rileys that led to nothing I ended up buying a new hub assembly. The axle bearing in side read HK 3012. So I will be ordering two on line. One to replace the old one in the driver side unit and one to go in the hub assembly I pulled out for a spare. So if your axel shaft bearing goes out and you go to a parts store you'll only find S-268 or 5707. They are not the axel shaft bearings that go into the hub assembly. You'll have to buy a HK-3012. They are pressed in.

 

[tneymeiyer]

Hey fyi I had the same problem over and over u must replace lower ball joints and there is a seal that sits inbetwen the hub and axle that also needs to be replaced