Front Axel / 4x4 help

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Torino73

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Hey guys. First post here so bear with me.

I just bought a 78' Bronco, and the 4x4 doesn't seem to work. It worked when I bought it. I put it in 4x4 a week or two after I purchased it and when I did it lurched forward and clunked really loud several times and then after a little bit it stopped and it drove fine. So, this week it snowed and I went to put it in 4x4 and it didn't lurch or clunk, so I assumed it was fine but then I started fish tailing around so I figured I wasn't in 4x4.

I wanted to make sure that my hubs locked correctly so I jacked up the left side of the truck and locked both hubs and spun the wheel and the axle moved but not the drive shaft. I unlocked it and spun the wheel and the axle didn't move and neither did the drive shaft. I made sure the hub on the right side worked and it did.

The transfer case is good. I could see both spin when it was put in 4high.

Is my Front differential bad or is there another possible problem?

Please help!

 

Rons beast

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Hey Torino Welcome,

The way to be sure the front is pulling correct....or is NOT, is to disconnect the rear driveshaft. Put the transfer in 4 HI..lock front hubs and see if the front drive will pull the truck.

Fishtailing alone is not a determination of proper function of the front drive.

Good Luck

 

Bully Bob

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Hi & welcome..!

4WD engaged does not guarantee the tires locked to the surface. However, it does help maintain a straight line when slowing/stopping on slippery surfaces.

Rule of thumb.., don't lock hubs/operate in 4x4 on any hard/dry surface.

"when I did it lurched forward and clunked really loud several times and then after a little bit it stopped and it drove fine."

-- This doesn't sound good.., could you tell where this sound came from..?

Keep us posted on this.

Try this. put (both wheels) front up on stands or blocks (safety). Put transfer in neutral. Lock in both hubs. spin dr. shaft by hand. You should see one or both wheels rotate (usually in opposite directions). You should see both axles (u-joints) rotating.

If only one wheel rotates, stop & hold it with your foot., turn dr. shaft & now the other wheel should spin. This is normal.

There should be no noises & the hubs should lock & un-lock freely. With hubs unlocked.., the axles should not rotate while rotating wheel.

It's possible you just have dirty/sticky hubs. (especially when cold)

Depending on usage.., they should be pulled, cleaned, inspected, re-greased every couple years.

"The transfer case is good. I could see both spin when it was put in 4high."

No idea what this means... :unsure:

Might be well served to search online or get a magazine on 4x4 do's & don'ts if you have limited exp. with the safe usage.

HTH

B

 
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Torino73

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The noise came from the front differential. If I put it up on jack stands and lock the hubs and put it in 4High I can spin the front drive shaft and neither of the tires will spin. But if I spin the drivers side tire and the drive shaft at the same time I can feel the gears trying to catch, they will catch a little bit but slip almost instantly. It makes me think that the front diff gears are bad.

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

Seabronc

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If you leave it on the ground with the xfer case out of gear, hubs locked, you shouldn't be able to turn the front drive shaft. If you can, you probably blew the differential gears.

With both wheels off the ground, hubs locked, turning either wheel will cause the other to turn as well as the shaft. If not, as you already know, you got problems. Could be the splines in one of the hubs, hub locking mechanism, universal joint or gears. If it is an open differential, and one side is toast, no power will go to the good side, (that is the nature of the beast).

It almost sounds like someone changed the rear gears and didn't change the front ones to match, that will do a job on them.

Good luck,

peace.gif


 
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