Are auto locking hubs rebuildable? What fails?

[Redfred]

Done a lot of research on the boards and found the general consensus is to swap to manual lockers. My problem is that finances are unusually tight at the moment for several reasons and until I have the funds for new lockers, my only option is to attempt to figure out if I can get these going for a little while longer.

What's going on is while in 2wd, it seems that one or both sides is attempting to engage. Right before a complete stop, I can hear a slight grind then when almost completely stopped, I feel and hear them try to grab. After a 5 or 10 mile run, the hubs are hot. Not too hot to touch but still warmer than normal. I've confirmed the heat is not the brakes or wheel bearings. There are no broken pieces in the hub and the bearings are snug and full of grease. The hubs have just a film of grease on the splined sections. Can anyone point me to what component of the auto hub should be related to it attempting to engage without command?

 

[Deuling]

You can most likely get some used manual ones for next to nothing. And then ditch the autos instead of spending any time or money repairing them.

 

[MrSchaeferPants]

Ya find some cheapo used manual lockers. Don't bother to repair the autos. Now personally I'm ok with auto lockers, a lot disagree. Your exact circumstance is why people dislike autos (or opposite, fail to engage). Should be able to find a used set of either at a junk yard for cheap, or ebay, CL parting out, etc. Or put a wanted ad here in the classified section, surely someone has a pair.

 

[dyeager535]

I don't recall ever hearing any that tried to lock up. The failure mode universally seems to be that they don't lock.

You've looked in the hub and don't see any obvious problems apparently. What you are describing really doesn't sound like a locking hub issue. Hitting the brakes/slowing down should have no bearing on how they operate that I can foresee.

You mention heat, but how are you determining the hubs are abnormally warm? A temp measured there has to be somewhat variable based on brake usage, bearing setup, and ambient temps.

With the truck stopped, can you rotate the front shaft by hand to ensure the hubs are unlocked? Both axleshafts spin freely?

I would agree that finding a set of manual lockers isn't a bad thing in general, but last time I had mine apart I put one together wrong, and just like the auto hubs, figured out it didn't work only when I needed it. Easy fix, but still a failure, even though caused by me. I like the old school stock Spicers (yellow knobs) but that's me. They've worked good for me for over 10 years, and who knows how long before that. Really not much to go wrong with them.

 

[Blue85]

My dad's old truck had some that would not completely disengage sometimes. Made a racket like the wheel bearings were chewed up. Sometimes engaging 4x4, then disengaging would shut them up eventually. Probably looked like an idiot backing up hundreds of feet. You could take the hub off and spin something (can't remember) to get it fully disengaged, then try your luck again the next time you used 4x4. Eventually they were almost self-engaging - just enough to make noise. Ended up driving across like 4 states with plastic bags duct-taped over the hub holes. Never fixed them, that rig got manuals.

 

[blazinzuk]

I took my auto hubs apart to see what was wrong and I figured that it was just a poor design. I didn't have problems like you but mine would engage then as soon as I stopped or backed up they would disengage. I found nothing worn or broken.

We are moving the next couple of weeks if I find em I will send you my old ones. I do not remember if I tossed them or not shoot me a pm in a week and a half I should have figured out if I do have them by then

 

[Redfred]

I took my auto hubs apart to see what was wrong and I figured that it was just a poor design. I didn't have problems like you but mine would engage then as soon as I stopped or backed up they would disengage. I found nothing worn or broken.

We are moving the next couple of weeks if I find em I will send you my old ones. I do not remember if I tossed them or not shoot me a pm in a week and a half I should have figured out if I do have them by then

Thanks for the offer and I appreciate all the input from you guys. I couldn't hold off on new hubs as long as I wanted since they seemed to be getting worse so I bought some Warn standards at Napa for $95. I really wanted the autos to work but it just wasn't happening. At the end, I had to drive in 4wd to the parts store because they wouldn't do right in 2wd. I did find that the wheel bearings were loose but the hubs still were done. If I hit the gas in reverse in 4wd, there was a gosh awful pop at the front left wheel. The hub wouldn't fully engage. At that point I just said screw it and went to Napa. It took all of 15 minutes to swap them out. Prolly 5 if I had to do it again. Pretty straight forward.