Problem with Auto Locking hub on 86 Ranger

[bernerboy]

Heys Guys

How in the snow and my 4 wd is making a clunking/grinding noise on the left front hub. I am assuming that I need to swap to manual hubs but for the mean time is there anyway to locking the auto hubs in til I can get it over to the garage to take it apart. We got 17 inches of snow last night and need the 4 wd to work

Thanks

Gene

 

[Evan]

Yes, you can modify an auto hub to be a permanently locked-in drive flange. You will need some brake parts cleaner and some JB weld.

1. Take the hub completely apart.
2. Keep the splined input piece that fits over the outer axle shaft, and the bearing inside it. Keep the splined collar that fits over the input piece and has outer splines that mate with the cast ridges that run inside the hub flange.
3. Clean these two pieces, and then JB-weld them together so the splines are mated.
4. Reinstall the assembly you just glued back into the hub. The bearing on the bottom of the input piece goes over the cast shaft at the bottom of the hub.

Everything else can be thrown away. You know have a permanently locked drive flange. It is still weaker than a manual-locking hub, but much stronger and more reliable than an auto hub.

This is the only way to lock in a failing auto-hub. I did this in my living room. You could take the wheel and hub off outside and then bring the hub indoors.

 

[bernerboy]

Just had it down to the neighbors garage and had it somewhat apart but couldn't see anything wrong Put it all back together and it seemed to work fine the first time I used it but the minute I put the vehicle in reverse and backed up 20 feet and then put it in low to go forward, I started getting the grinding noise. It is almost like it isn't engaging.

Just an update tomorrow I will take it to the garage and let the mechanic look at it.

Gene