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10 bolt locking hub play- too much??

scouthead

scouthead

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Posted a video on you tube but can’t remember how to post it here- if you want to look for it just search my YouTube handle -

scouthead1

It’s the most recent video and there’s only like 10 total so shouldn’t have to look hard for it.

Replaced all the spring bushings on the Blazer recently. While the front end was off the ground I noticed quite a bit of play somewhere in the front axles/hub lockouts. This is the 1988 K5 that’s in anything I’ve posted in the calendars or my build thread- front axle is not origional but I believe is a standard 28spline 10 bolt. Has manual warn lockouts…

when the hubs are locked, I can grab the tires and rotate quite a bit before the axle turns. Seems excessive. Both driver and passenger sides are the same. How much is normal? The blazer is parked at my desert place- I’m not there and won’t be able to poke around in the front end for a couple weeks- worn out hubs? Are the 10 bolt axle shafts notorious for splines wearing out?
 
It’s been 8-10 years since I’ve had the front end apart. Can’t remember how much play “it used to have”

I will say that on a short trail run last weekend, I believe I can FEEL this play as the axles and wheels load/unload as the trucks weight shifts and as I get on and off the gas… pretty sure I can hear it too.

This truck is all manual 465 trans… and there’s always been a little gear slap, but I’m pretty confident the clunk, clunk clunk, clunk clunk that I can hear and feel recently is the play between the locking hub assembly and stub shafts
 


Don’t know if I can copy and paste this link, but about to find out! -edit- seems to work. Watch the tire vs the u-joint movement?
 
I couldn’t tell you how much play mine has but they all should have some. Remember, you’re seeing the slop between the stub axle and hub gear + the hub inner gear to the outer gear + the outer gear to the bearing hub splines, it all adds up and then gets exaggerated by the tire diameter. The play wouldn’t look as bad if you were only looking at the rotor movement.

I’m sure different brands of locking hubs have different amounts of play too. My Spicer hubs have bigger teeth on the 2 gears than Warns do so my Spicers probably look really sloppy.
 
nvrenuf said:
I couldn’t tell you how much play mine has but they all should have some. Remember, you’re seeing the slop between the stub axle and hub gear + the hub inner gear to the outer gear + the outer gear to the bearing hub splines, it all adds up and then gets exaggerated by the tire diameter. The play wouldn’t look as bad if you were only looking at the rotor movement.

I’m sure different brands of locking hubs have different amounts of play too. My Spicer hubs have bigger teeth on the 2 gears than Warns do so my Spicers probably look really sloppy.
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Yeah… all sounds true! The warm premiums still used some kind of soft metal as the main “guts” of the hub assembly right? Pretty sure only the center that contacts the axle shaft is steel to steel… I thought maybe the fit between the hub itself to the aluminum/zinc whatever might be worn out or about to strip. Got a Death Valley/panamint run I would like to make in about a month. I will pop the hubs out to inspect before then but for the next week or two I gotta ponder and thought it would be good to get some thoughts from you guys
 
Wes Harden said:
Where ya been. long time no post.
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I would outline everything here but prob would be more appropriate as a pm. Can I not send those as a non paying member?

Short short version:
-had a moderator take some things out of context and tried to make an example out of me… accused me of personally making fun of him and banned me from CK5? I got a snarky email and There was no way to contact him to rebut explain or apologize. All hit me out of the blue and as a paying member I didn’t like it. felt like someone had a bad day and needed to throw some power around -It left a bad taste in my mouth.

That and getting laid off, and mom having the most rough/drawn out loss against the cancer and finally passing a couple months ago? Been a rough year and I’ve had a real low tolerance for drama and conflict
 
very sorry for your loss, loosing one mother is a rough go, cancer toke mine 12 years ago still gets me.

Is still good to hear from you. Hope you stick around some.
 
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I’d bet John’s right about all the slop is a combination of every splined connection within the axle stub to bearing hub - with the bearing hub splines being the most likely culprit of possibly having the most wear.
Check those internal splines really good where the locking hub body rides/engages when you take it all apart - that area can wear down really easily over time if there was not enough grease applied to it; also the bearing hub metal is fairly soft and malleable.
If the problem lies in the inner workings of the manual hub components I would think that you would have heard some clunking while rotating the wheel back and forth.
 
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It looks like a lot to me. I don't remember there being really any slop once the hub is locked. How does the other side compare?
 
tarussell said:
I’d bet John’s right about all the slop is a combination of every splined connection within the axle stub to bearing hub - with the bearing hub splines being the most likely culprit of possibly having the most wear.
Check those internal splines really good where the locking hub body rides/engages when you take it all apart - that area can wear down really easily over time if there was not enough grease applied to it; also the bearing hub metal is fairly soft and malleable.
If the problem lies in the inner workings of the manual hub components I would think that you would have heard some clunking while rotating the wheel back and forth.
Click to expand...
Yeah you can hear the clunk. In the video I was just trying to show how far the tire traveled before the hub picked up the axle and turned it- it will clunk if you turn it harder by hand
 
Blue85 said:
It looks like a lot to me. I don't remember there being really any slop once the hub is locked. How does the other side compare?
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Passenger and driver are both about the same- close enough not to try and measure… but yeah, seems like a lot.

I remember my Toyota days with a low mileage birfield and those forged aisen hubs- there’s essentially zero play there. ‍♂️
 
That much slop with serious clunks probably means something is broken or well on its way to being broke - get us some cool pics once you take the hubs apart.
 
scouthead said:
Posted a video on you tube but can’t remember how to post it here- if you want to look for it just search my YouTube handle -

scouthead1

It’s the most recent video and there’s only like 10 total so shouldn’t have to look hard for it.

Replaced all the spring bushings on the Blazer recently. While the front end was off the ground I noticed quite a bit of play somewhere in the front axles/hub lockouts. This is the 1988 K5 that’s in anything I’ve posted in the calendars or my build thread- front axle is not origional but I believe is a standard 28spline 10 bolt. Has manual warn lockouts…

when the hubs are locked, I can grab the tires and rotate quite a bit before the axle turns. Seems excessive. Both driver and passenger sides are the same. How much is normal? The blazer is parked at my desert place- I’m not there and won’t be able to poke around in the front end for a couple weeks- worn out hubs? Are the 10 bolt axle shafts notorious for splines wearing out?
Click to expand...
It seems like more than I remember.
Once you take it apart, if the warn locks are the problem I have a couple of used sets.
Let me know.
I actually will be in orange on Monday so I can have them with me if you're close enough to meet up
 
imiceman44 said:
It seems like more than I remember.
Once you take it apart, if the warn locks are the problem I have a couple of used sets.
Let me know.
I actually will be in orange on Monday so I can have them with me if you're close enough to meet up
Click to expand...
just saw this... will shoot a PM over
 
anyway, the worn out hubs or no, the truck made the wheeling trip to death valley and back - over a thousand miles with at least half offroad.

slashed a sidewall, but the hubs held up. still Pretty sure i can feel the parts all loading and unloading - will have to buy some new hubs and tear the front end down soon.
 
Don’t forget to verify that the wheel hub ( not the locking hub ) internal splines are not worn out as well - this will also cause severe slop/play and eventually wear out to the point of failure.
 
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