(another) auto hub question..long...sorry..

[ernzo]

Hello Fellow Explorer people!
92 ex 4x4..standard auto hubs.

When the snow first hit here about a week ago, I discovered that the hubs were slipping / clunking.....I believe that the slipping was torque wind-up as I replaced the rear tires and not the front, the fronts are actually fairly good but I guess the difference is too much...

I had this happen before and Touque Wind up is fairly easy to hear, and feel... getting new front tires this afternoon and will check back...

But...besides the obvious clunking from the hubs....I also found that taking her out of 4x4 would not completely release the hub...and I was getting a weird wine ratcheting from the TC! Not Good! Of course, I am going slow, pulled over, put her in reverse and free'd the hubs...now, all good moving forward....

So.....

Took the hubs off, they were real greasy, and this was not my first trip down this particular job....cleaned them as per - brake clean, atf...

Question....with the hub off, I see that the outer-bearing is exposed and I am sure grease is migrating to the hub, no? I tried to clean the spindle without de-greasing the outer bearing using brake clean....? Mistake?

The hubs and spindle seem fine, I could not see any obvious issues but what would In look for? The spindle mechanism looked like it always has....the hubs cleaned up well, everything seemed intact...

Lastly....... in 2 wheel, I am noticing a new vibration....only when accelerating...not at all freewheeling or at a standstill...from what I can tell, it is NOT the motor and it IS something in the drive-line.....

the Vibration is more noticeable when going slower - 10-25 MPH...in fact it is more of a shake and it all started about the time of the hub clunking issue last week....

I am wondering if I harshed a universal with all the hub slippage...?

Again, at a standstill no vibration....at 45 in N....freewheeling...no vibration..


Man I love the Explorer but I need to figure this out....

thanks a million....

 

[ernzo]

bump..

 

[92exp4x4]

Ball joints? Bushings? Does all that check out? Even with it not happening while free running, with tourque applied something may move only then?

Are the vibration dampeners still attached and in good shape? There should be one on the t-case and one might be on the rear axle.

Check motor/trans mounts. Something might be contacting the body or frame under acceleration

 

[ernzo]

Hmmm, thanks I had forgotten about the vibration dampers on the tcase and pumpkin....I will eyeball those. This happened, as far as I can tell, real suddenly..like something got loose or fell off....The ball joints are good, I have had an ongoing issue with front bearings....but I do not think those are causing this...it is differently torque...AND the rate increases with the speed of the vehicle, not the engine.....meaning that at about 20 MPG and 2000 rpm, it is a real shake.....but speed up to 40 and 2000 RPM...more of a vibration....so....

 

[Backwoods "X"]

Could be that the Ahubs are starting to try and "stick" in the "locked" position. Ours did something similar a couple of weeks ago, with a not too healthy sounding racheting noise, vibrations at different speeds,and then, nothing, which was followed shortly there after ( same day ) by the Xcase motor locking itself in and then quitting. Replaced the Ahubs with some manuals took care of the front noise and vibrations, while another motor took care of the in-op Xcase. Something to consider...

 

[ernzo]

Well, I agree the hubs were seemingly sticking in the locked position, at least the drivers was. That caused a real bad ratcheting noise....

I cleaned them out and they are working OK now, I need to open up the drivers again and clean more....of course....

They are NOT sticking now, as for the weird vibration, I have not had an oportjunity to check all the possibilities...it does not seem to be the vibration damper on the t-case...

 

[Tony H]

Maybe the auto hubs are staying locked after being cleaned. Are you sure the front Axles are not rotating when driving foward?
How are the outer 'U'joints on the axles?

 

[ernzo]

Correct, the drivers hiub is not fully releasing it seems, but I can release it by stopping and going in reverse for a few feet.

So, I will dissemble and clean more....the front axle is not turning (when the hubs are released)

I have not looked at the front u-joints, but the vibration exists in 2 wheel drive so....

The vibration happened suddenly around the first snow when I also discovered that the hubs were jacked - they were stocking and there was MAJOR clunking ...I expect a worn universal on the drive-shaft got real bad real fast...hopefully anyway....