why does my front driver wheel break free under pressure

[muddin76]

I have a 96 ranger supercab 4x4. Warn locking hubs, I jacked up the front end and locked the hubs, everything locks and turns, when I shift to 4 high and turn the tire on the driver side , transfer case is locked and I cant turn it. However, if I give a little force by hand the front tire will free. The axle or shaft from the tire to the gear box on the fornt spins with the tire so I know it is still locked in. But it is free from the transfer case now. So it seems that the front axle comes free when under pressure.Also the front drive shaft to the transfer case is still locked. I hear no grinding, no shimmy, drives great, even when in 4hi & 4lo, front end just breaks free when under pressure. I hope someone can shine the light on this for me, I have some mechanical background, just never had to tear into an axle. Would low fluid cause this, (lack of pressure) ? Could the axle end be spun and not holding under pressure ? is a pin in there that may have sheared off?

 

[kunar]

if you have both front tires in the air, the differential will let both tires spin if you try to turn them. the other tire will spin backwards. is this what you are doing?

 

[muddin76]

No, when I put the front end in the air and lock the hubs they are locked, axles spin. When I put it into 4hi the wheels wont turn , back end is on the ground and in gear, so I know its in 4hi. BUT, if I use a little force I can make the driver side tire turn and see the shaft from the tire turn, but the front drive shaft is still locked in gear. See when I drive in 4wheel the front tire breaks free and spins free, while the hubs are locked. Its like the axle may be stripped

 

[kunar]

so when youre turning the drivers side tire, the drive shaft is not spinning and the passengers side tire (or axle shaft) is not spinning but the drivers side axle shaft is spinning??

 

[muddin76]

in other words, I have the front end locked in to 4 wheel, hubs locked (warn Manual) transfer case locked. When I try to rotate the wheel it wont turn, GOOD... its in gear... BUT if I give a little try the front wheel and axle break free and spinn, front dive shaft still locked in gear but the front wheel spins, it grabs after a few rotations but frees again. I am thinking the front axle on the left side may be stripped and not holding in with the gears. Does this while driving also, 4hi , you can feel teh front end pulling but after a short bit its free and not pulling, it wont hold the pressure. Would fluid levels cause this ? does fluid level cause a pressure action in the gear box? I find no leaks anywhere, axle is clean.

 

[metalmacguyver]

is the other front tire spinning in the other direction as you are doing this? YES OR NO.

answer the question so we can help you instead of repeating what you already told us.

 

[muddin76]

no the other tire did not turn. When in 4hi and hubs locked I can break driver side tire free by hand with force. axle shaft turns, front drive to the transfer case does not and the other tire on passenger side does not. Its like it breaks free inside the front diferential. THis is what happens when I drive in 4hi or low.Under force I am only driving with back wheels. Can fluid levels effect this or does it sound like something is stripped in the front differential ? I wondered also is there any gear pins that may have sheared off

 

[Jspafford]

Low fluid will make horrible noises long before it lets something happen like you descibe.

As a matter of fact, anything broken inside the differential would make obvious noises.

Did you take the hubs off and clean them like someone told you in the other thread you have going??

 

[kunar]

i cant imagine any problem that would allow only one wheel and axle shaft to spin without something major going wrong before hand. you would have certainly known by obvious grinding noises if something had broken. if the axle shaft is spinning with the wheel, it wouldnt be a hub problem

 

[muddin76]

I have a feeling that the previous owner may have either put this truck under an extreme amount of force or may have went into 4hi at a high speed and stripped a gear in the front end. It grabs at first but when I force it to free I hear a little clunk and it tries to grab every few rotations but frees up again. I get the feeling its stripped and cant quiet hold just catches at times. I went under the truck while ago and turned the front drive shaft (2hi) I hear a light clunk in the front end when turning.Its smooth, but i hear a clunk.

 

[kunar]

well without being able to personally look at it, the next thing i would suggest (aside from cleaning and regreasing your hubs) would be taking out the 3rd member and visually inspecting the internals. have you always had this problem as long as you have had the truck? i guess maybe it could have spiders that have been stripped before you bought it.

 

[blkmazda90]

This doesnt make a lot of sense to me. Cause if your diving and something is wrong with your 4x4 you can deff. hear it and one wheel spinning free and not the other sounds like a bad hub.

 

[Jspafford]

Here is what you need to do. Leave one front tire on the ground. Lock the hubs and turn the tire in the air by hand. Watch the axleshaft behind the tire your turning to see if it turns with the tire and make sure the front driveshaft is turning.

Then put the truck into 4-Hi leave one tire on the ground and try turning the one in the air. It should not turn... Period. If it does, look behind it to see if the axleshaft is turning with the tire, when it breaks free and turns. If the axleshaft behind the tire is NOT turning, it is a hub issue. If the axleshaft IS turning, and the front driveshaft and other tire are not, there is something broken in the differential.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Here is what you need to do. Leave one front tire on the ground. Lock the hubs and turn the tire in the air by hand. Watch the axleshaft behind the tire your turning to see if it turns with the tire and make sure the front driveshaft is turning.

Then put the truck into 4-Hi leave one tire on the ground and try turning the one in the air. It should not turn... Period. If it does, look behind it to see if the axleshaft is turning with the tire, when it breaks free and turns. If the axleshaft behind the tire is NOT turning, it is a hub issue. If the axleshaft IS turning, and the front driveshaft and other tire are not, there is something broken in the differential.

What he said

 

[muddin76]

well I must say thanks for all the advice. Its not the hubs though. I did like yall said. I locked the hubs, jacked up one side, axle turns with the wheel, fornt drive shaft does not, went to the other side and same results. then put into 4hi, front drive is locked in gear, but front tire spins and so does front axle. Looks like I am going to be replacing some gears in the front axle. it must be a clean break inside cause I get no noise when rotating the axle and nothing when driving in 2hi.