4 Wheel Drive and noise after use

[NaturalRampage]

Heya guys! Recently I decided to give my 4 wheel drive a test just in case we get a massive snow storm (which hasn't happened at all yet). So I locked the Hubs and shifted to 4x4 High. Now two things happened. First as I was driving everything seemed great, but then I hit a pothole (very common around here) and it caused the gear shift shaft to bounce between 2 wheel and 4 wheel high. That caused me to quickly react by popping it back into 4x4, which I learned was a mistake after driving 40 mph and caused the gears to strip a bit but then everything was fine, mostly. What I heard next was a whirling noise (I cant even explain it, I'll post a video if needed of the sound) coming from the front left wheel. It only makes the noise when the tire moves, the faster I drive the faster the noise is. I pulled over and shifted back to 2 wheel and unlocked the Hubs, but the noise is still there. When I took the truck home I looked at the tire and everything seemed fine, the lug nuts were tight and nothing seems damaged from the gears inside the hub caps.

So my situation is, Could there be a bad linkage from the gear shifter to the transfer case? And I cant think of anything that is causing that noise by the tire, so Im hoping you guys had a similar problem that could help me out.

Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks guys. And let me know if you guys need more info to help diagnose this!

 

[Krafty]

I would tear into the outer part of your hub and see if the axle spline shaft it rubbing on the inside of the wheel hub.

 

[Seabronc]

That could be anything from the normal singing a part time 4x4 makes to a hub problem. 4x4 will sing a little with the hubs locked and in 4HI but that should go away when you unlock the hubs and put it back into 2HI. Like I mentioned this is a part time 4x4 and it is not intended for high speed driving especially on dry pavement like the newer SUV drive systems. It is possible that the hub is in serious need of service which is an easy job . Like Krafty said, take the hubs apart, clean them, lightly grease them (DO NOT PACK THE HUB WITH GREASE), reassemble. You can get a service kit at most any good parts supplier. It includes a new "O" ring seal to keep water out of the hub.

I don't believe you did anything to the drive train from the transfer case to the hub. Once the shifter is in 2WD the drive shaft is disengaged. However, you can climb under the truck and try turning the front drive shaft. It should turn freely by hand when the shifter is in 2HI. You should also see both axles turning. If one is not, then that hub is not unlocked.

Good luck,

>-

 

[miesk5]

yo,

As KRAFTY & SEABRONC advised;

and here is the skinny by Warn®

"...Manual Hub OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: ONLY use fingers to turn dials. DO NOT USE PLIERS. Set the hublock dials to “FREE” and transfer case to 2-high for all driving that does not require four wheel drive. To engage four wheel drive set the hublock dials to “LOCK” and set the transfer case to 4-high or 4-low. Return the transfer case to 2-high before disengaging hublocks. Do not drive on hard surface roads in 4-wheel rive because it can cause drive train damage. Do not move the vehicle if the hubs are anywhere between “FREE” and “LOCK” or it will damage the hublocks. Driving with only one hublock engaged can cause drive train damage. Driving with the hublocks in ”FREE’’ and transfer case in 4-low can cause drive train damage. To ensure lubrication of the front axle, engage hublocks for a minimum of one mile monthly..."

Source: by Warn® by Warn®

See diagrams, because:

Ford placed two type of Manual Locking Hubs in 88 Broncos & F series;

87-early 88 Broncos & F Series Fors used the ****** Style (Top Hat)

Later Ford used the "Warn type"

87 to Early 88 ****** Style (Top Hat) Hubs are different than other Broncos; "...This was another of Ford's better ideas. For 87 and early 88 Ford used a one-piece locking hub assembly. This hub simply sits between the wheel and brake rotor and is held in place by the wheel studs. This type of hub is very easy to remove (simply remove the wheel), but it is different from all other Broncos and therefore parts and replacement hubs are expensive and hard to find. To convert your 87-88 Bronco to the "standard" hubs you'll need to swap all the parts from the spindle out from a Bronco or F-150. It may even be possible to take these parts from any vehicle with a Dana 44 front axle and the same wheel bolt pattern as the Bronco (5 on 5.5"). If you are considering this swap it would be a good time to consider the 8 lug axle swap you've always wanted (see section 10.2)..."

Source: by Matt K at off-road.com via web.archive.org @ http://web.archive.org/web/20010218101810/http://www.off-road.com/ford/bigbroncos/bbfaq.html#11

SLOW to Load since I retrieved it from WWW heaven a few yrs ago

Take time to read this; esp about the hubs and how the Ford system operates, etc.

Four Wheel Drive (4X4) General Information, Operation & Troubleshooting TSB 92-1-8 for Bronco, F Series & Ranger (COMPLETE); Includes Electric Shift On The Fly (ESOF) Troubleshooting & Hub Operation; same for 87-96; exc for that in 87; power from Fuse 6 (15 amp) to "ELECT SHIFT CONTROL MOD" WHT-PPL and CB 12 (30amp) to "ELECT SHIFT CONTROL MOD" BLK-WHT; SEE A7 and A8 in the 4x4 diagram, it shows those two wires BLK-WHT as BK/W from SHIFT MODULE to P1 BATTY and and WHT-PPL as W/P to P2 Source: by Ford via Chilton

Replacement (Factory (Warn®) 6 *****) & 87 to Early 88 ****** Style (Top Hat) (from Ford Electrical & Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual (EVTM)

Source: by Broncobill78 (Dave) at Ford Bronco Zone Forums http://broncozone.com/topic/12773-manual-hubs/

Our Sponsor here, Jeff's Bronco Graveyard does have a conversion kit;

87 to Early 88 ****** Style (Top Hat) Hub Knuckle Out Conversion Kit pic (a product); "...RECOMMEND ALSO REPLACING AXLE PIVOT BUSHINGS!!..."; miesk5 NOTE; year range is incorrect

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-32136-1987-88-knuckle-out-conversion.html

Our Price: $769.00

For more on both types of hubs, see my site @ http://www.broncolinks.com/index.php?index=106'>http://www.broncolinks.com/index.php?index=106

for such as:

Wheel Bearing Locknut Torque Settings for 80-96 MANUAL WARN STYLE HUBS, NOT Factory Auto Hubs; Ford Pickups and Bronco; "...Using a lockout spanner (Ford # T59T-1197-B or equivalent) and a torque wrench, tighten the inner bearing adjusting nut to 50 foot pounds while rotating the wheel back and forth and seating the bearing. Back off the adjusting nut approximately 45 degrees. Assemble the lock washer by turning the inner lockout to align the pin with the nearest hole in the lock washer. To lock it, install the outer lock nut and tighten it to 150 foot pounds. Grab the top of the tire with one hand and the bottom of the tire with the other. Move the tire in and out on the spindle. End play should be less than .006 – inch.).." Thanks to 90beater (Topher, Chris)!!!!

Source: by miesk5 at Ford Bronco Zone Forums http://broncozone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6916&hl=

http://www.broncolinks.com/index.php?index=106