94 4x4 front end problems

[NiteOwl]

Hi Everyone,
I have a 94 4x4 that is having some front end problems that I am trying to diagnose.
I suspect possibly locking hub problems and maybe ujoint problems as well.

When I engage 4 wheel high while driving it pulls sharply to the right and I have to turn the wheel left to compensate. I also get a lot of vibration on the right front wheel. If I punch the gas a bit it will sometimes correct the problem, the shaking goes away and the pulling stops.

I have been told my auto hubs are probably not locking. My question is, if one hub locks and the other does not, would the result be a sudden pull to one side? Would that pull be toward or away from the side locking?
And what would cause the vibration?

Now, I noticed a while back that with 4x4 engaged and I am turning a corner or backing at an angle I would get some heavy clunking from the front end.
I assumed this to mean a had one or more ujoints going bad in the front drive train. If so, they may or may not be related to the problem above, I just do not know.

What is the proper method to test for bad ujoints?
Are the ujoints on the 94 Explorer difficult to replace? I have no experience with the 4x4 setup but have some mechanical experience. I do have all the basic tools but if anything unusual is needed I may end up having to go somewhere for the repairs.

We have not had any real snow yet here but could at any time. I also have to do any repairs out in the driveway and this is my only vehicle to use right now so I cannot get into a repair that I cannot complete over the weekend.

Tried posting my questions in another site's forums but all I got were responses saying "Your hubs are bad, replace them." with no info on the symptoms or for testing the joints.

Over the holiday I will be putting the vehicle up on jacks and testing as I had read in other posts here and will be cleaning out my auto hubs to see if that helps but any additional info would be appreciated.

BTW. When cleaning the hubs, should I worry about any solvents potentially breaking down the grease in the bearings in the hub? Should it all be pulled apart and cleaned so bearings are not affected?
I once saw a web site that had a lot of how-to info for Explorers but the next time I tried to go to the link I had found the page had stopped responding saying I could not access it.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[DeRocha]

Welcome to the best damn site for explorers... You will find lots of info... I will post back later (need to do some short travelling). Check out the maintenance links in my sig line for some good info. I have replace all my u-joints and the front can be a hudge PITA if you don't have the correct tools.

 

[Rhett]

Your hub parts can be separated from your bearings. Just clean the hub parts (plastic cam, ring, etc.) separately and you won't have to worry about getting solvent into the bearings, if you're worried about that.

Inspect the bearings for wear and scoring, but if it were me I wouldn't necessarily clean them out. I *would* repack the bearings with new grease (do it the quick way, put some grease in the palm of your hand and roll the bearing through it a couple of times) before I put them back in. Might as well while you've got them out.

Also inspect the hub parts for wear. Particularly the plastic cam piece. If any of the "teeth" on the cam are worn down then your cam is probably getting shot. I hear the cam can't be purchased separately, either. So then your options are, buy an entire new autohub assembly, or convert to manual hubs. But as long as the hub parts are still ok, I think you might solve your problem if you simply take them apart and clean them pretty well.

 

[DeRocha]

Your hub parts can be separated from your bearings. Just clean the hub parts (plastic cam, ring, etc.) separately and you won't have to worry about getting solvent into the bearings, if you're worried about that.

BTW. When cleaning the hubs, should I worry about any solvents potentially breaking down the grease in the bearings in the hub? Should it all be pulled apart and cleaned so bearings are not affected?

Rhett, Niteowl did his homework and is asking if the solvements will affect the HUB Bearing at the very end of the autohub. The answer is yes the solvents will break down any grease in the bearing. Generally I soak my autohubs in ATF (tranny fluid) for a few hours while occarsionally working the splined area. A few years back my hubs were chattering/squeling whenever I took sharp corners. I soaked both HUBs in paint thinner for a day while my front end was apart. I then drained them form 2+ hours and then soaked them in ATF overnight. My hub noise went away and all has been well every since.. I take my X offroad several times / year and it has held up fine.

 

[NiteOwl]

Auto hubs

The ATF fluid would still break down the bearing grease wouldnt it? Or is it not enough of a solvent to penetrate the packed bearings in the short term?
Or did you mean to soak in the ATF fluid after disassembly?
I have to go out and buy some snap ring pliers to disassemble.
I did find on inspection though that one of the hubs had part of an o-ring hanging out. Looks like it split and pushed it's way out of the assembly which may account for it not engaging.
The thing is, the vehicle pulls to the right and it is the right one that I think is not engaging which is opposite of what I would have expected.
I have to get it up on jacks and test what is actually engaging. I pulled something in my back this morning though so I may have to wait until tomorrow to look at it.

Thanks for the info.

Rhett, Niteowl did his homework and is asking if the solvements will affect the HUB Bearing at the very end of the autohub. The answer is yes the solvents will break down any grease in the bearing. Generally I soak my autohubs in ATF (tranny fluid) for a few hours while occarsionally working the splined area. A few years back my hubs were chattering/squeling whenever I took sharp corners. I soaked both HUBs in paint thinner for a day while my front end was apart. I then drained them form 2+ hours and then soaked them in ATF overnight. My hub noise went away and all has been well every since.. I take my X offroad several times / year and it has held up fine.