4x4 front drive shaft turns but no power to tires

[47chevy]

Please help. Can someone please give me some advice and help me troubleshoot. I have a 1977 K5 with the NP205 transfer case (i think) that will not spin the fron tires. If i put the truck in 4H or 4L the front drive shaft engages and spins; however, no power goes to the front wheels.

Could this be a front axel problem, an issue with the locking hubs or what? I dont think it is the transfer case since it locks into gear and the output shaft turns.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[87 Blue Beast]

it can be only two things, either the front differential is blown apart or the hubs are junk. can you feel the hubs lock in?

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

Please help. Can someone please give me some advice and help me troubleshoot. I have a 1977 K5 with the NP205 transfer case (i think) that will not spin the fron tires. If i put the truck in 4H or 4L the front drive shaft engages and spins; however, no power goes to the front wheels.

Could this be a front axel problem, an issue with the locking hubs or what? I dont think it is the transfer case since it locks into gear and the output shaft turns.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most likely cause is locking hubs though it could be a front diff issue. Lock your hubs in and jack the front tires up, you should be bale to spin the front tire by hand and look at the axle shaft to see if its turning, if not then the hub on that side is not locking in

 

[47chevy]

Thanks for the quick response. When I bought the truck, I drained the front pumpkin housing and it all looked fine except for the huge amount of water in it.

As far as the hubs are concerned, I dont feel them engage at all when I spin them from free to lock; however, I dont know what that would feel like.

I did jack up the truck with jackstands and engaged boith 4H and 4L with the hubs locked and the front tires did not spin at all. I did not try to spin them by hand though. Should I do that or just replace the hubs?

One thing I noticed, there is ALOT of grease that leaks out of the axel behind the tires. Maybe the seal on the hubs are shot and they are rusted.

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

One thing I noticed, there is ALOT of grease that leaks out of the axel behind the tires. Maybe the seal on the hubs are shot and they are rusted.

when your first line said a lotof water came out of the diff my first thought was hubs probably look the same way..... this line pretty much confirms it. I would guess the hubs are rusted, you can pull them off and clean them if they are not too bad. You need to get in there anyway and do new seals, possibly wheel bearings, the annoying little spindle seal and cage bearing so might as well replace the hubs while your at it

If your just trying to get it in 4wd right now, pull the caps off the hubs and see if you han free them up by hand to engage

 

[47chevy]

Ressurrected Jimmy...Thanks. I will just replace the hubs, seals, bearings, etc...and see what happens. Do you have a suggestion on which hubs are the best and easiest to replace. Also, is this something I can do myself or do I need to take it to a shop.

Lastly, when I bought the truck it came with an Aussie Locker for the front differential that was not installed. Do you know anything about those, this truck is strickly off road.

Thanks again for all of your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

you can do hubs on your own. To do hubs/front wheel bearings the only tools you need are spindle nut socket, snap ring pliars, and allen wrench (aside from the most basic hand tools). For hubs everyone is going to say warn premiums, lifetime warrenty and close to impossible to break on a 10bolt front axle.

 

[47chevy]

Thanks!!! I will give it a try. My last question...should I have the Aussie Locker installed on the front or not.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Thanks!!! I will give it a try. My last question...should I have the Aussie Locker installed on the front or not.

If you want a locker in the front then yeah, you should install it. The hubs, seals and Aussie locker are pretty easy for you to do yourself.

Make sure you actually have a dana 44 front and not a 10 bolt, '77 was a transition year between the two (my '77 had a D44, some have 10 bolts). Aussie lockers are not made for 10 bolts so if you have a 10 bolt your Aussie locker will not work with your front axle. Check here to see which diff you have.

Also be aware that lockers put more stress on things and make parts in the axle easier to break. Its all part of the price of traction

 

[4X4HIGH]

Thanks for the quick response. When I bought the truck, I drained the front pumpkin housing and it all looked fine except for the huge amount of water in it.

As far as the hubs are concerned, I dont feel them engage at all when I spin them from free to lock; however, I dont know what that would feel like.

I did jack up the truck with jackstands and engaged boith 4H and 4L with the hubs locked and the front tires did not spin at all. I did not try to spin them by hand though. Should I do that or just replace the hubs?

One thing I noticed, there is ALOT of grease that leaks out of the axel behind the tires. Maybe the seal on the hubs are shot and they are rusted.

It may be that the previous owner has removed the front axleshafts for some stupid reason. Look behind the knuckle to see if there is an axle there with the u-joint in it. If the axles are missing then of course lots of the gear oil will leak out of the housing and water would get into the housing if driven through a deep enough water crossing.

 

[ThaMule]

I had the same problem. It turned out that my axleshaft was broken. I said screw it and got me a D60, rebuilt it so it was brand new and now life is all good!

 

[tRustyK5]

Could be someone got carried away with grease in the hubs. They need a light coating and no more...otherwise the parts won't slide in and out easily and you'll be stuck with hubs that stick and won't engage. The ramps on the inside of the knob push the outer portion of the hub inward freeing them. The only pushing them back out when you turn the know the other way is a spring. Too much grease or grit or rust and the spring can't push the out part outward and the hubs don't engage.

Rene

 

[dyeager535]

Just dig into the hubs and check them out, that much is very easy to do. Rust or too much grease and they don't work...either way it only takes ONE hub that is bad (with an open diff front) for the front axle to be worthless.