PVH Hubs Not Locking In

[F-22Raptor]

I have a 98 Ford Ranger V6 4.0 with the PVH Auto Locking Hubs. They will not lock in or engage, I have not checked to see if the transfer case is turning yet but it seems to me like it is engaging due to the fact that in 4x4 Low it will act like it is in a lower gear. I do not know if that is a for sure sign that it is actually working though.

I recently found that a vacuum line to the right hub was broken so i repaired that today. I checked and there is a vacuum being pulled in the line, but yet my hubs are not engaging.

I have been doing some reading up on this situation and I'm finding that when putting in the hub you should not grease the assembly. About a few months ago I had my new hub installed at the auto tech center at my college, as the old one was grinding and vibrating, and the instructor told the student to pack the assembly with grease.

It is that the fellow student in the auto tech program put grease (a decent amount of it) in the hub assembly that makes me think that the vacuum is not able to pull the hub in to lock. But could on side not locking in cause the other side with a assumed ability to lock in (via the vacuum pressure) to not work either?
Sorry for the long post, but if anyone know a possible solution that would be great.
Thanks,

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

If one hub doesn't lock in all the power will be transferred to that side giving you no 4wd.

Clean out the hub and try it again.

 

[F-22Raptor]

Okay i will be able too by the end of the week, I read in another post about lightly applying or rinsing the hub internals with 5w-20 to add some lubrication but to still allow the vacuum to work. Is that a good idea or would it mess something up? I'm just getting into the whole 4x4 PVH mechanism, so I don't know too much about it.

 

[--weezl--]

i would pull the vacuum line(s) off, and check for vacuum, before opening the hubs up...

 

[F-22Raptor]

Well i checked the vacuum line for the right side and there is a definite vacuum coming from it, I'm not sure how strong it should be but there is still a vacuum, but i haven't checked the left side yet. I did do just a visual inspection on it though and everything seemed to be fine. I'll check it tomorrow.

 

[--weezl--]

i'm not sure either...

could jack up the wheels, put it in 4x4, and turn the wheels by hand, see if the cv shafts turn... my suspicion is, as Sasquatch_Ryda said, you probably have 1 working, and 1 not...

 

[F-22Raptor]

Thats what I'm starting to believe, and i guarantee its that damn right hub too, its more than likely failing because of all of the grease in there. He didn't put all that much in there but enough to probably cause the vacuum to not work properly on the hub

 

[James86]

So how do you KNOW your 4WD isnt working? One day I thought mine was working because the light came on and I was in low range but starting climbing a muddy grade and kicked the ass out and realized the front wasnt doing anything. Made it to the top, switched back to 2WD, then back to 4WD and it worked. I just make it a point to cycle thru my 4WD about once or twice a month so everything stays free. That's the only time in the years of owning my truck the 4WD didnt engage when I though it would. Of course, it could be a fluke since vacuum fluctuates with load and RPMs, and while the manual says I can switch on the fly at any "leagl speed", I still ease off the gas when switching while moving forward.

If you're getting vacuum to the hubs and still think it isnt working, find some loose gravel or something to see if you can leave four marks. If my truck can do it with open diffs on gravel going uphill, I imagine you could. If the 4WD is working, at least one wheel should tear it up in front.

 

[F-22Raptor]

Yea, you make a good point about engaging it occasionally to make sure everything is turning. I haven't engaged my four wheel drive before yesterday for about 6 or 7 months. That could potentially be the problem.

I actually did just what you said and went out on a buddies farm and drove on a hill, which was somewhat loose dirt and mud at least on top, both facing down and another time facing up it and punched it and i only spun my back tires. I also tried easing into the hill but again it was only my rear tires spinning.

 

[James86]

I actually did just what you said and went out on a buddies farm and drove on a hill, which was somewhat loose dirt and mud at least on top, both facing down and another time facing up it and punched it and i only spun my back tires. I also tried easing into the hill but again it was only my rear tires spinning.

Well at least now you know for sure

Did it engage low range? If the transfer case is cycling properly, and you DO have vacuum going to the hubs, then you can know for sure it is the hubs themselves.

 

[bilzy7]

easiest laziest way is the pvh mod for manual locking pvh hubs. i did it... reminds me its almost summer no more snow time to unlock my hubs. its pretty simple guy says buy a special tool to cut caps. i just used my knife. its like fingering a dry squid... or a 40 yr old.
I mean unless your worried about ruining your precious pvh hubs, dont but... i used a big set of pliers and got it off. its plastic and sucks so itll break ez so be careful. i broke a couple plastic "knobs", didnt affect it opening or closing so w.e. pretty ez to do youll just finger it halfway to disengage and finger it all the way to engage. whatever you choose to do have fun.
Ohh and welcome to the WTF 98-00, no cheap lifting bull crap... im still mad at 97 prior rangers... I gotta spend 3500 for the suspension I want...

 

[--weezl--]

that made no sense to me...

 

[wohlf 16]

Can we just sicky this. I dont know how many people Ive had to show this to. This is what I did prior to my sas and it works great as long as you disconnect your vacuum line. Hope its ok to link to another forum.
Well my link caused it to pop up 60 some times so I deleted it. So im gonna paint a picture with words if I can.
1. Pop off center cap
2. Take a pair of needle nose pliers and remove cap on hub by turning it counter clock wise.
3. Now you can remove the rubber cover and the plastic thing with a spring in it that they call a hub.
4. Now that evrything is out you should have a outer cover, a rubber cover, and a 3 piece plastic hub (side of hub, spring, side of hub)
5. Take the outer cover and remove the metal filter looking thing.
6. This will expose what looks like a little wagon wheel in the middle of the outer cover.
7. Brake the wagon wheel center out to make it a cover with a finger size hole in it.
8. re-install it the way you took it out.
9. Disconnect vacuum to hubs.
10. Now you should have manual hubs that you can lock and unlock by pushing it with your finger.

note. When you push the hub with your finger it will do one of two things. It will either lock the hub in by seperating the three pieces using the spring to put pressure inside or it will lock letting it somewhat float freely. You can see this when you take it out.

 

[F-22Raptor]

yea when i throw it in low range it is very obvious that the t-case is doing its job, so theres no doubt about that. And yea since there is a vacuum coming from the lines it is more then likely the hubs like you said james. Yea i know what your talking about when it comes to the 98-00 rangers and getting lift kits or actually having the hubs work for once when you need to count on them. An thanks Wohlf il look into it and see if that would be a possibility, it sounds like a decent idea to try. I've been doing some reading into it and some people are saying something about manual locking AVM 470 hubs as a swap but my friend was saying something about my 4x4 system not being able to take them yet others on TRS are saying they will work. Would that be a good idea to look into? Here's the link:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/AVM_hub_swap.htm
Thanks for all the help.