4x4 front end making noises- help me out

[PUR PONY]

Well my explorer is put away for the winter and I have my 92 ranger out and about....

today was our first snow and the need for 4x4 to get anywhere...... I have not used the 4x4 much on this truck but lately it has been giving me problems.

First of- it has the electronic lock in hub- truck has 150K on it

When I put it in 4x4 it takes a second and sometimes make a very small clunk....... and then its engaged.....

then driving alot at about 15 mph it will start making a LOUD grinding noise and then a clunk and then goes quiet again.... does this every 30 secs to a min.......

about 20mph its fine and makes no noise-


other problem is...... it will never DIS ENGAGE.....
I have to go back and forth about 5 times before it will come out of 4x4..... this is a pain when i am using 4x4 on back roads and then jump on the highway-


What is my problem??? Do I need new universals and hubs????

Now if I go with a set of manual warn hubs or something like them will it hurt if I lock them in and use 4x4.... then shut 4x4 off and run on the highway to work with the hubs still locked??

thanks guys

 

[PUR PONY]

well i guess i answered most of my own questions....... after looking around some more on the web I think I am going to order up a set of warn manual hubs.....

unless there is a better company other then warn-

But I still have a few questions about replacing front u-joints-

My truck has 150K milage but 4x4 is used very seldom... only in the snow- do you think that my u-joints are fine..... what is the average milage before you have to replace???

How Do i go about replacing them?? do the front axle shafts have to be removed completely??

thanks