I have a 2000 3.0 4x4 new torsion keys, new upper and lower ball joints, new tie-rod ends, new wheel bearings, and new axel/cv shafts, and a recent alighnemt. Everything looks normal and works like it should except i keep breaking hubs, and im not really offroading that much, maby once a month. I have gone through 3 sets of manual locking ridgeline/avm hubs. i got the last pair under warentee, and i just broke anoher hub last weekend while i was driving across a muddy feild. I locked them in clicked it to 4x4 and drove streight, crusing in 1st through some mudd maby 5" deep and i heard a loud click/clunk. I turned around got back on the road and unlocked the hubs, as i drove it made a ratteling noise. I took it apart and saw that the gear that slides over the axle shaft was broken off the hub, if you've ever had one of these hubs off before their only held on by six plastic prongs. can anyone make sence of this???

 

They are cheap. That is the reason no one else manufactured manual hubs for them, because Ford's design doesn't really allow for a strong locking hub.
You should have swapped in live axle hubs and cv's when you replaced everything. Still could.

 

yeah i wanted to do a solid axle swap, but when i replacied everything my dad owns the truck so he wanted everything stock, because he thought stock was the best.

 

I'm not talking about a solid axle, I'm talking about "live axle". Meaning there are no lock out hubs, the front wheels are always connected to the axles like 01+ rangers, 95-01 explorers, and sport tracs up to 2005. You can swap wheel bearings/hub assemblies and CV's from those year vehicles.

 

00.5 rangers have live axle as well. and the newer trans

 

True story. They started sometime in 2000 with the live-axles, I just often don't mention them because a 2000 ranger could have either.

 

yeah when i went to get my new axles they only had the live-axles, i had to wait for them to order my kind. I was thinking of getting the new wheel hub/bearing assy. and switching over, but i just put new ones on my truck before my axle shaft went.

 

mines a 00 and its got the live axel

 

huh strange havent broken any hubs and i do some mudding

 

how could i find out if i have a live axle or not? i have a 2000 3.0 also

 

If you pop off the chrome/plastic center cap and you see a black plastic hub that has a little metal screen then their not live axles. If you have a spindle nut looking end then you have live axles.

 

Alright i think i found out the problem, the front halfshaft/cv axle had some play inside the hub, as i took it apart i found that the inner bearing for the axle shaft was toast. I replaced the wheel bearing/hub and so far so good.


when i broke that hub



new parts!!!

 

Torsion Keys are bad.

 

x2! crank your tbars take the keys out or just body lift it.

 

I want to do a body lift and some 33/12.50's, but im in college right now with no job so it will be a while. and my keys arnt fully maxing out my suspension, i dont have them all the way up.

 

Take them out. Even if you have 33s... Body lift is only 120 shipped

 

add a case of beer and a pizza and it's installed.

 

So comes out to be 153 bucks. I am sure you could find somehow to make money in a weekend.

 

where do you get a body lift for 120 shipped? with the shifter extinson? and if i take out the keys my truck will have a huge rake to it. I dont have the stock leaf springs anymore.

 

summit. $119 shipped.

Everything you need.

98-00 ranger.