So today I went four wheeling in my truck and my hubs broke I believe. and here is why...

I bought my truck (1996 4wd with auto hubs and 3slow) anyways, ever since i bought my truck i have dispised my auto hubs. First time I put it in 4wd i drove it around in the dirt and notice my front end popping. almost like it was the hubs, figured this was just how the auto hubs acted so whatever...

I took my truck 4 wheeling today and it was doing the same thing. No big deal. Well i went to climb up a hill that was rocky and they quit popping..cool...until I found out that basically i have 2wd in 4wd. Anyways, was just wondering if this truely is my hubs? Also I checked the 4wd drive shaft while in 4wd parked and the front one wouldnt turn so the transfer case was locked.

 

is ur front u-joints on your axle shafts working fine?? i have some "play" in my front u-joint on the axle shafts on my 93 ranger and when in 4wd they clunk real hard every once in a while. hmm.. i dont think its the hubs.. i've never had a problem wiht mine.. it might be the transfer case..

 

I dont think its the tansfer case because when in 4wd and parked/turned off the front driveshaft wont turn, and it sounded like the popping was coming from my hubs and the were making a whining/grinding kind of noise. And then all o sudden i only have 2wd, but its 2wd low.

 

When you have properly operating AUTO hubs they will make no NOISE except while engaging and disengaging and even then it is usually a suttle single click.

I would say your hubs are probably toast!! if your a hard core wheeler you need manual hubs but if you don't beat the **** out of your truck the auto's work great and besides who the hell wants to STOP-GET-OUT and turn fricking ***** TWICE just to reap the benefits of 4 wheel drive ( UNLESS ) you are driving the **** out of your truck THEN by all means get some manuals.

 

hmm.. maybe it is the hubs that are ****ed, does it sound like the grinding is coming from the sides of the truck (like the hubs) or the front centre of the truck.. like the diff..hmm..

i wonder if the front yoke(front end of front drivedhaft) siezed up.. my front yoke seized up in my 93 and add a weak driveshaft u-joint and snap.. but mine would still engage into 4wd but do nothing.. pull the tire off and check out the hubs.

 

Well the funny thing is, when they first started popping, i was driving gravel roads and had it in 4wd because i had some really bald street tires and they just would not hook up, and then today I was just basically idling around and crawling up a hill slowly and they did the popping and then stopped, which I thought meant they finally engaged when in reality they broke....

SO that being said, i HATE auto hubs. i will NOT replace them with another set of auto ones, so what do I need to convert to manual hubs? Getting out for 4wd is no issue, plus I cna have 2wd low if I need and can leave the hubs unlocked.

 

And im almost certain its the hubs because I pulled the tire while I was out there to see if they maybe werent on right or something, and a piece of what I believe to be metal fell out. I couldnt tell because it was all greasy and black...

 

yup sounds like your hubs are done for... not sure about the converting to manual hubs.. hopefully someone with that knowledge will chime in.

 

Some videos I took some time back of my truck before I bought new hubs!!!!!!!!!

I Know You Know I Know :: popping sounds video by IknowyouknowIknow - Photobucket

I Know You Know I Know :: evidence -1 video by IknowyouknowIknow - Photobucket

I Know You Know I Know :: evidence -2 video by IknowyouknowIknow - Photobucket

I Know You Know I Know :: evidence -3 video by IknowyouknowIknow - Photobucket

 

You hit the nail exactly on the head wit those videos. Mine did/does the exact same thing except worse. And it would grind like that up until about 40 and then BANG and quit. SO id say there as good as gone.

 

dude that doesnt sound good!!! sounds like a credit card hitting the spokes on a bicycle.

 

I am glad I could help, Actually I wish that the ( POWERS TO BE ) of this site would ad it to the appropriate tech help sections for DIAGNOSING auto hubs on rangers UP-TO 1997.

 

heres a link on how to swap them
Ford Ranger/Bronco II Automatic To Manual Hub Swap
you can usaully find a set of manual hubs and every thing to convert them for under 100$ in the parts for sale at the ranger station i got mine for 60$ installed