is this u-joint or auto hub???

[kdogg212001]

well i never got a response last time i posted about this so i am trying again!! on my 94 xlt i am having a lil bit of trouble deciding which could be the reason why i am not getting the 4x4!! only 3x4!! the front left wheel is getting nothing what so ever!! i had a guy look and the axle wasn't spining so is that a possibilty of a u joint or something inside the front differential??? any help would be app. thanks!!!

 

[live2_4x4]

open front diff?

The 94 ex has an open front diff which means power takes the path of least resistance. Is it possible that nothing is wrong with your truck the power is just going to the easiest wheel to turn? Or is there a noise or other indication that something is wrong?

 

[kdogg212001]

well the sounds that i am getting are a winding sound like the axle isn't going in something like that!! i mean either way the axle should be turning if its ingaged right?? wheather its getting power or not and another test that i did was i went to a canal and just a little hill and tried to climb it and couldn't cause the front was doing nothing i mean i used to be able to roast my front tires if i were trying to climb over a rail road track!! now its nothing!! aahhhhhhh!!

 

[dreamr]

under what conditions is that one front tire only not spinning?

If on a lift and being tested and I saw three tires spinning my first thought would be a shot auto hub.

Now if off road I would have to agree with the open dif post above

 

[kdogg212001]

well the conditions that i test it in are ina parking lot, i basically just put the "x" in 4 wheel and tried to climb just a little curb maybe 8 to 10"s but the back tires were roastin!! i mean i figure that maybe i would try four low but still the back two wheels started to roast!! i mean i know that if it were working then it would have climb up no problem!! so what you think??

 

[dreamr]

well the conditions that i test it in are ina parking lot, i basically just put the "x" in 4 wheel and tried to climb just a little curb maybe 8 to 10"s but the back tires were roastin!! i mean i figure that maybe i would try four low but still the back two wheels started to roast!! i mean i know that if it were working then it would have climb up no problem!! so what you think??

Was either front tire spinning also?
If not I would look first at the hubs as they are commonly at fault.

In your first post you mentioned "the axle not turning", what did you mean?
Sorry I'm dense tonight
Was it just that the wheel wasn't turning? Or was the half shaft itself not engaging in the axle housing. If the latter somebody more knowledgeable about the TTB front ends needs to chime in.

 

[kdogg212001]

i believe that, that half of the axle wasn't spinnin! i mean i just sat in the xplorer and works the gears but i was being told that the passenger side was working fine and spinnin but the driver side there was nothing!! oh yeah NO the fronts were not spining just the rears!!

 

[live2_4x4]

Neither front wheel moved?

If neither front wheel moved I would start to suspect 4wd is not engaging at all. Might be time to put it up on a rack and look underneath to see exactly what is and isn't working.

 

[dreamr]

If neither front wheel moved I would start to suspect 4wd is not engaging at all. Might be time to put it up on a rack and look underneath to see exactly what is and isn't working.

I agree that you should get it up in the air and check. And just to make sure you know. It is perfectly normal for only one front tire to spin with stock open diffs. It does however seem that your problem may go deeper than this if both front tires are remaining stationary.

If you want to eliminate the hubs from the list take some time today to pop 'em open and inspect the assembly. Good opportunity to repack those wheel bearings anyway. If they are shot you will know as soon as you get it apart. For reference there are a few threads on here about the auto hubs on first gens with pictures for comparison. Just do a search.

 

[kdogg212001]

well i believe that it is engaging cause the front driver side i mean i can hear something spining but dosen't sound like its going in at all! i mean like the axle is just hitting something nd spinin!! i mean i have no flashing lights or anything else to indicate that nothing is worng with the four wheel drive?? oh yeah i think since i have an extra set of auto hubs i will mess around with thoes beofre i take the ones off my "x"

 

[MrShorty]

You say one front axleshaft was spinning while the accompanying wheel was motionless? that is definitely a bad auto hub.