Dana 44 hub Question for you guys.

[RockRanger]

The hubs are loose on my dana 44. The outer ring. It has maybe a 1/16" of play in it. All six of the allen head bolts are tight. The clip is on the end of the axle. the clip that goes around the outer part of the hub is in there as well. I tried both the stock f150 hubs and my warn manuals and they both are loose. Wheel bearings are tight as well. Any ideas?

 

[mechanix]

Loose as in about to fall out loose or loose as in just a little slop? A little play in them is ok. The snap ring groover might have a bit of wear in it. I wouldn't be too concerned.

Eric

 

[RockRanger]

Looseas in a little bit of slop. It wiggles around maybe 1.16 of an inch at the most. Seams like a good way to let water get inside the wheel bearings with it a little loose. I am not scared that it it going to fal apart more of just a preventative thing.

 

[mechanix]

Only way I would know how to fix it would be to replace the hub? If your seal around the lock out is up against the hub I don't think it would be a problem.

 

[tdavis]

Do you have the hub snap ring in place?

It goes not on the stub shaft, but in the hub body. This holds the lockout in place..

There are 2 snap rings in there - one on the stub shaft, and one that holds the lockout in the hub body.

If the big snap ring (hub body) is missing, it will do exactly this, because the stub snap ring is holding it in place.

It is part #4 in the attached exploded diagram

 

[tdavis]

Ok, I just re-read your first post..

Which hub (not the lockouts) are you running? Is it a Ford hub?

 

[tdavis]

I just thought of this - take off the cap, and put the cap bolts back in. Now pull on it - Is it loose when you do that? How far does it pull out?

 

[jrgaylor]

My hubs have a little play in them also, and I go in mud and water all the time, as long as your o-ring is in good shape you will be fine.
The only thing that holds you hubs in place is the large snap ring at it is the clearance around the snap ring that is causing the play in the hub

 

[Rick]

My hubs also have a bit of play...

 

[RockRanger]

Guess it is normal then. I didnt notice when I put the front end together the first time and was thinking something was coming loose from the wheeling and driving I have done with the truck.

 

[Kirby N.]

I ran into this problem as well. I think there is a slight variation between some Dana 44 outer hubs that is not accounted for by WARN. I used a TTB Dana 44 outer hub on one of my sides because the stocker was Toast. It fits tight, the original (76 F150) hub has slop like yours. I keep thinking I need to swap another hub on the other side.

 

[james t]

As long as the O-ring is in good shape there is nothing to worry about. I have Warns on one front and Superwinch's on the other... both are a bit loose.

 

[RockRanger]

So this past weekend I blew a hub while out wheeling. Stupid me forgot to bring my spare hubs but luckly Michael from thios board had a spare. While we were doing the Government standard operation procedure of one guy working and 5 guys watching Michael commented how the guy that built his front end said to leave the snap ring off the end of the axle. Had something to do with how it doesnt fit right with the basterdized setup of running a mix of ford chevy and jeep front end parts. So I left the snap ring off and hub was nice and tight. Guess we will see how well this holds up now without the snap ring.

 

[Rick]

I've been running Superwinch hubs snap ring less for 6 years with no problem... Knock on wood I've only blown one hub in that time span

 

[james t]

Ive never ran the snap rings on mine. If you really want to, you can run a bolt and a body washer all threaded into the end of the outer shaft. It will do the same thing as a snap ring.