Tackeling this front end problem tomorrow. insight?

[The Dog's Truck]

91 4 liter, 5 speed

I am going camping up in the mountains soon and i need to tackle this front end before we head out.

the locking hubs work great. 4wd high and low engages just fine. and when in 4wd with the lockers in everything works just as it should. Except...

There is a nasty nasty chugging sound and a bucking motion from the front end.
It only happens in 4wd, the locking hubs don't affect it, and it is speed dependent.

its bad enough i would not drive it down the road in 4wd. and when we had the rear drive shaft out and had to move the truck I noticed it behaved the same way. All the U joint on the front are just fine.

I wanna tear into this tomorrow afternoon. i could be the front diff, i suppose it could even be the T-case.

Anyone have any ideas. or does this sound like a common failure? any direction at all would help me.

 

[CHKNFKR]

Does it happen driving in a straight line?

 

[The Dog's Truck]

yup.

its not a turning thing, it will keep crunching and chugging along in a strait line or a turn.

 

[straycat]

When did you service it last?

 

[The Dog's Truck]

When did you service it last?

That would be a really good question for the previous owner. but judging by the condition of the rear U joints, its probably been a very long time.

We have been going over the tuck slowly getting it back into shape. did the brake system, replaced U joints and shocks, got the engine back to health... now we have to tackle the front end.

It does not look like i will have proper time to tear it down today, it will have to wait till wed when i have the whole day set aside for it.

 

[straycat]

Hope it's cheap, Bro. Good luck!!

 

[adsm08]

Wait, you are driving it down the road in 4wd with a locker in the front diff?

If so, I think I found the problem.

 

[CHKNFKR]

Wait, you are driving it down the road in 4wd with a locker in the front diff?

If so, I think I found the problem.

Kinda what i was thinking but he said it behaves the same way even with the rear driveshaft removed. Even with a locker it shouldn't buck and clunk in front wheel drive unless it were locking and unlocking going into and coming out of turns.

 

[adsm08]

Kinda what i was thinking but he said it behaves the same way even with the rear driveshaft removed. Even with a locker it shouldn't buck and clunk in front wheel drive unless it were locking and unlocking going into and coming out of turns.

With the rear shaft removed he shouldn't have wheel hop. It still won't steer pretty.

Also, he may have damaged other components in the 4x4 system by driving on the road with lockers and the 4x4 locked in. It is still relevant information.

 

[gribly]

Sounds to me like he's getting his manual locking hubs and differential locker lingo confused. So I ask, are you actually trying to drive down the road with an engaged locker in your front end?

If not, your front end probably is full of water from a broken breather tube or too much swimming, and all rusted from the inside-out. That'll be fun to clean up.

 

[adsm08]

Sounds to me like he's getting his manual locking hubs and differential locker lingo confused.

Even if that is the case, it may still be that the system is operating as it should.

My t-case doesn't fully disengage until I stop and back up a foot or so. If I try to throw it back in 2-hi and take off through a turn without unlocking the hubs I still get some mad wheel hop on a dry surface. And that is a manual case.

 

[The Dog's Truck]

sorry for the mixed up lingo.

To clarify. the problem occurs ANY time I am in 4wd. high or low. on road or off. hubs locked or free. with or without the rear shaft.

In 2wd, i have no issues.

also, I just dont drive around the roads in 4wd for no reason or with the hubs engaged. just as it is right now, i would dare even if it snowed.

i have a feeling this wont be cheap.

 

[94 lngbd]

sounds as if it may be play between the ring & pinion gears

 

[adsm08]

also, I just dont drive around the roads in 4wd for no reason or with the hubs engaged.

And I had to ask because we have seen it enough times that it almost needs to be one of the first five questions.

I like to give individuals the benefit of the doubt, but as a race, humans are stupid.

 

[Ryannn]

Hope its nothing like that! ^^^ Hahah.
Good luck man!