Wheels locked up on my drive home

[hondakillah]

To start off, for about a week, I had a "squeeking" sound coming from my Ex, that would increase/decrease with vehicle speed, but wouldn't match it. At about 10 mph, the "squeek" would happen about once a second, at about 35 mph, 2-3 times a second, and I wouldn't be able to hear it over 45.

The other day, on the way to work on smooth pavement, there was a large clunking noise, and then nothing, everything went back to "normal." Figured all I'd have to do was make it back home that night, and drive the other rig the next day, and look at it this weekend. Well, on the way home that night, there was the clunk again, and then back to normal. But then a couple miles later, my wheels locked up, and I was able to safely skid to the side of the road. I tried moving, and it felt like I was trying to drive over a curb, or over a chalk. Called the tow company, they loaded my rig onto a flatbed, and took me the rest of the way home. When they loaded and unloaded the truck, the wheel turned no problem.. And this morning, I hopped in the rig, and to give it a test, it rolls back and forth in the driveway just fine; won't take it on the road.

I pulled the rear wheels, and drums (drivers side was stuck on, had to persuade it to come off) and the pads look fine. The rear axles aren't impossible to turn, but they take more than what I recall to turn them. Is there something I should look for here?

I have a LSD, and when I was turning the wheels (both off the ground, 1 at a time) the other wheel would turn, just not at the same speed, but in the same direction.

I dumped the rear diff fluid, and it was dark, but not completely translucent, but again, not completely opaque.

My ABS light has been on for a couple months, but I disregarded it, because my ranger has had it's ABS light on for the 5 years I've owned it (once in a fortnight's blue moon it goes off, only to come back on shortly after).

I'm going to pull the front wheels and look at the front brakes and calipers. When I bought this rig, it came with new calipers, which I installed 3 years ago, and haven't had a problem with them (as far as I can tell).

Does anyone have any insight for me? Things to look at or for?

I really appreciate the help!
Hondakillah

 

[killer.jensen]

We could probably use a little more information here. Which wheel(s) locked up?

 

[hondakillah]

We could probably use a little more information here. Which wheel(s) locked up?

I wasn't too sure, and that's where my biggest problem lied... But! After more investigation, I found it was the front passenger tire that locked up... Bearings blew up.

 

[92exp4x4]

That'll do it! Hopefully the spindle is ok. The polished exciter ring is probably why your ABS light is on. It looks like its been hitting the sensor.

 

[hondakillah]

That'll do it! Hopefully the spindle is ok. The polished exciter ring is probably why your ABS light is on. It looks like its been hitting the sensor.

THANK YOU!!! for telling me what the heck that thing was. And now I'm angry again, because in looking how to remove that little bugger, I find out that it needs a 6mm 12 pt socket... Grrr

You can see in the first pic that the inner bearing race is on the spindle... Well..... It's stuck on there, real good.. And in my attempts to pull it off, I mangled the spindle... :thumbdwn:

So I've got my replacement spindle, now just awaiting the socket... I've got 6 or 8 6mm sockets.... all 6 point though!!!

Again, much obliged on the help here! Hopefully, this thread will come in handy, in some way shape or form, for future use.

 

[arco777]

For the 6mm 12pt, I actually just used a wedge on the metal chunk that bolt holds on. It split the old crummy metal around the bolt threads and I pulled it off with the frozen up bolt. You actually don't need that piece, the ABS sensor (silver, cylindrical) will stay in place just fine. Be careful not to stab the sensor when busting the chunk off.

I've done this four times so far and it's worked every time. Takes only a minute, versus the pointless fight of hammering tiny sockets onto the bolt, which never works. Have checked my work and after thousands of miles the ABS sensor has not moved a millimeter.