Well I guess it has finally happened to me. While driving, I noticed a squeaking noise coming from the front drivers side wheel, so after a day of driving, I put 'er up on jackstands and shook the front wheel and this is what I got!
The passenger side does the same exact thing, just not as bad. Took the wheels off to further inspect, yep, dang thing moves all around.
Kind of unexpected, I have 155,000 miles on this truck. So I'm going to install a Spyntec free spin hub kit with Warn Premiums.
What exactly are the benefits to lockout hubs on these trucks? It seems to me the difference in mpg would be very minimal with a CAD already in place? Without a cad I could see it but with the cad what's the point?
CAD design still ensures that the axle stub shafts and ujoints are spinning 100% of the time. I believe the diff also spins over, but in reverse due to friction. When you engage 4x4 the front shaft overcomes that friction and starts spinning the correct direction.
It's a very poorly designed system, with too many flaws and extreme unnecessary wear on components.
Hub assemblies here are about $400 a side after taxes. I've gone through 3 in 2 years. First 2 were on the truck when I got it, last one ran dry a year after I installed it. For some reason SKF hubs only have 1 year warranty, so I ended up shelling out for a new hub, (AC Delco with a lifetime warranty). If you don't mind changing hubs every few years it's not a bad trade off for free parts, but adds up to the cost of a eliminated setup pretty quick.
Serviceable bearings,shutting down the rotating mass.
I don't think the newer bearings out there are as hardy as the factory supplied ones of the past.
4lo's pretty nice.
Looks like someone might have changed these once already...
Anyways, already got both side hubs off.
I'm changing to the "upgraded" older lockout style hubs, lol, just because it's so much easier to deal with. I'm not going to put the unit hub bearing junk back on again, I'll have this truck the rest of my life so, easy decision for me. The heck with messing with this stuff again.
what do you mean by the "upgraded" older lockout style hubs? Have not heard that mentioned before. Personally I would love to swap to a king pin axle and be done with all of it, but that is a bit beyond my capabilities with the fabrication that is needed for the swap.
I say that, because that's how my brother put it. He was laughing because, generally the OEM's "upgrade and redesign" things as time progresses as new models come out. Maybe Dodge thought the unit bearing was an "upgrade" from the traditional old manual locking hub design.
So essentially that's what I'm doing, "upgrading" BACK to the "older" design if you will. LOL
I was always leary of my Cad setup on the 24v. Had I kept it,I would have converted it to the Dynatracs. The best converts to a single 35 spline axle shafts as I recall.
I've got both... 96 Dodge has CAD unit which I hate. Then my 2002 Dodge has solid axles which I love. I've had more issues of locking and unlocking with CAD axle than with my solid axle. MPG wise there is no impact really with solid axle. If I'm holding a high mark of 27.2 MPG (hand math) then I know that solid axle drag is fairly minimal. As for bearings I've only changed 1 set of bearings in 300k miles.
If you went through 3 sets in 2 years something is wrong. Mine were changed at 106k now almost 170k and they are still tight. That's also been 2 full winters with a 870lb v plow on the front.
Can someone learn me on these hubs real quick!? With the lock out switch on the spyntec, once locked does it work similar to an LSD? And do they need to be locked manually?
Yes. they need to be locked manually. No, they do not work or provide any more traction than before, they simply engage or disengage the outer stub shafts (by twisting the hub selector) . what they do is eliminate (on my late model '02 without Center Axle Disconnect) the front inner axles, front driveshaft, & transfer case internals from unnecessarily spinning full time. You gain other things like grease-able cone style bearings, which are available at any parts store for a Dana 60, for pretty cheap, a wider bearing spread which can take more load, some report lighter, smoother steering, and less vibrations. some people claim they gain about 1-1 &1/2 mpg after the swap, others don't report any fuel mileage gain.
Coated and baked my housings in gun barrel coating for added protection...that stuff is on there good and it's tough!
Everything else exposed I primed and rattle-canned.
Coated and baked my housings in gun barrel coating for added protection...that stuff is on there good and it's tough!
Everything else exposed I primed and rattle-canned.
Today some parts came! Everything in the spyntech kit is very nicely machined everything is high-quality.
All I did today was Press in the Spicer U-joints into the axle shafts and press in the upper and lower ball joint's on the axle, which are also Dana/Spicer.
All I could get done today was install the knuckles. Those dang brake dust shields I had to order won't be here for a couple more days. Mine were all chewed up.
It has been a while since I had a vehicle with manual locking hubs but I seem to recall having to lock all four hubs before spending the day scrambling around off road. So help me understand how going free spin on the front axle but not in the rear axle works? Thanks.
Because the axle shaft is the flange that bolts to the hub......?
Not sure how I feel about how far those stick out.......
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