Anyone had this problem?

[billyboy123]

This is just driving me crazy. I get a clicking noise coming from the hubs on the front of my 4x4 '91 sport. It started on the passenger side and now makes the noise on the drivers side as well. Click click click....it's driving me nuts trying to work out what it is. When I jack up the truck and turn the wheel, I don't hear it. Only when I'm driving. Anyone had this problem? Any fixes/suggestions? thanks!

 

[jimbo74]

first, is it the hubs? they are wierd acting, especially if you still have the auto hubs....

 

[bdeancyr]

If your hubs are making a "racheting" noise they probably arent disengaging. I had this problem on my 91. It usually means there shot. Go get yourself some warn locking hubs. They are cheaper, stronger and last much longer.

 

[billyboy123]

Thanks for the reply guys. They ARE auto locking hubs but they seem to be disengaged. When they are engaged, they feel like they're locked hard (no noise) but turning corners on concrete and you can definately feel the wheels squeeling and wanting to go in their own direction. It feels weird. Anyway, so you think I need to replace the hubs then? I'll pull them apart one more time and if it doen't work, I guess I'll have to change them. I did read one thing in the user manual though. It says that you have to align the hub when installing it. Alight to what I have no idea. Maybe this is the problem?

 

[X24]

Try putting it in and out of 4x4 a few times. See if it goes away. Does it just sound like you have a rock stuck in your tire? Can you feel it in the floor? Does it do it while driving straight or just sharp turns?

Warn manuals are the way to go.

 

[Alec]

don't mean to be nitpicky, but the projects forum is for ongoing or completed projects such as axle swaps, engine swaps, etc. I'm moving this to the general forum.

 

[TPLYNCH]

Billy, if you are using 4x4 and making turns on concrete, then you are asking for your hub to blow! And very nasty noises are what you get when you do use 4x4 on hard surfaces....

 

[Kirby N.]

Does your drive shaft turn when you are in 2x4? If it does then your Hubs aren't disengageing. Mine did that and I Had to back up about 50-60 Feet (instead of the normal 10) Replaced them with Mile Markers. They are exactly the same as Warns, but cheeper. They are alot stouter than the autos though. The Alignment thing is when you slide them on, you have to turn them until they line up, but if you got the wheel on, then you aligned the hub.

 

[SWLathrop]

There are 3 other things that can cause an AUTO-LOCK hub to do what your hub(s) is doing besides being shot.

#1. A bad U-Joint on the axle shaft(s) will cause the hub to try and "LOCK" up due to the end of the axle tipping up into the hub splines.

#2. OLD or TOO much grease. If you haven't cleaned and repacked your wheel bearing lately, old grease will gum up and cause the hub to try and engage. Too much grease and the grease will turn, thus causing the hub to try and engage.

#3. Wheel bearing loose. Auto-Locks are very sensitive about torque specs. Just a little play and the try to engage due to the axle spline tipping into the hub. Bearings should be torqued to 25ft pounds while turning the rotor, backed off 1/8th turn and re-torqued to 16in pounds.