Hub Help

[amplifire]

Hi everyone,
Over the summer I re-greased my auto-locking hubs, using synthetic grease for the bearings and seal and fluid film for the rest of it. I tested it out at the time on some gravel and it was working fine. Now, however, when I shift to 4hi I get a ratcheting clicking noise; if I shift back to 2hi the noise will continue, it will go away if I reverse to disenage the hubs but they do so with a thud. Should I take them back apart and re-lube the parts, or could it be that I didn't set the pre-load accurately, or something else? thanks for the help

[Scotto]

I would take them apart and clean them, then re-lube. They aren't engaging properly, and it's likely there's a bit of dirt in there.


Scott

[Jayman]

At the very least, remove the hub and re-index it on the spindle.

When you reinstall the hub, there should be no spring-back when you put it on, and it should slide all the way onto the spindle withut springing back. If it won't seat completely without you having to push on it, it means that it needs to be rotated again. Take it back off, turn and reinstall again. You'll find the special spot where it slides all the way on without any problem, then you can put the bolts in.

If you installed it incorrectly, the hub will not engage properly, and you will get that ratcheting noise.

From the FSM:

CAUTION:
Any hub, the original or a new one, should go onto the axle
freely by hand and fit flush against its seat. If it does not fit
flush, do not pull the hub into place by tightening the bolts.
The hub is possibly misaligned inside and tightening the bolts
will cause damage. Remove the hub and turn to align correctly
before continuing.

[Simon]

Also, do NOT use much, if any grease on the auto hubs. Most bearing grease is too heavy if used in higher quantities for the auto hubs to engage/disengage properly. For mine and Pezzy's manual hubs, I only use Fluid Film as a lubricant.

[Morpheus]

Too much grease will prevent the hub from locking properly.

[amplifire]

Thank you for the responses. So do you think I need to take it apart down to the bearing, or just get the hub assembly off, clean it and re-spay with fluid film? I hadn't used grease in the assembly itself, only fluid film, and although I was following the FSM, Jayman's post has me wondering if I was too hasty getting the hub back on. I know I didn't force it on, but hopefully it isn't knackered up now if I didn't have it lined up...

[Adam]

Just take the hub off, clean it up and spray a bit of fluid film on it and you should be good to go. Also make sure it seats properly like Jayman said. I had that happen to me and wondered why it didn't work.

[Simon]

Just take the hub off, clean it up and spray a bit of fluid film on it and you should be good to go. Also make sure it seats properly like Jayman said. I had that happen to me and wondered why it didn't work.

X2. The bearing has no bearing (heh) on the hub. Just get the excess grease out of the hub, and spray (liberally if you please, but just make sure to coat well) with Fluid film. It's light weight enough that using a decent amount won't hurt anything.

[studum]

Amplifier, did this end up working for you? Or did you have to replace your hubs? I have the exact same thing hapenning to me, right down to the thud when they disengage.

[Snafu]

It should as it worked for me...just pulled the hub off, clean it out and use fluid film in there. Easy-peasy.

[studum]

It should as it worked for me...just pulled the hub off, clean it out and use fluid film in there. Easy-peasy.

Thanks, I'll grab some fluid film from CT on lunch and give it a shot tonight. It was really disheartening hearing this sound last night after getting the truck running so well.

I fear the worst that the hub is mangled though. I found this thread:

http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f46/ ... unk-50962/

And his issue is exactly what I experienced last night (and this morning)

[amplifire]

Yeah mine worked after I cleaned and re-fluid filmed (can I make that a verb?)

[studum]

I wasn't so lucky, my one hub's innards were mangled. I'm swapping them out tomorrow with some working used ones. Going to clean and fluid film the replacements before putting them on though.

[amplifire]

yeah I just saw the other thread, sorry to hear that! glad you found some.