CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Locking hubs, help?

Obseen

Registered Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Posts
32
Reaction score
0
Location
Brazoria County
I've never had to mess with manual locking hubs before, and I think I blew my passenger side out. My troubleshooting for this is, Locking the hub and turning the driveshaft and it just spins, on the drivers side, I can lock the hub and turn the shaft and it it's locking in and the joints are moving. So on that note, I'm about to go take out the hubs and make sure the fuse in them isn't blown, however like I mentioned, I've never messed with manual hubs or the removal of them, should it just be the allen screws and the hub just pop out? Does the tire or anything need removed? or can I do it all with everything assembled up front still? Thanks in advance.
 
I've never had to mess with manual locking hubs before, and I think I blew my passenger side out. My troubleshooting for this is, Locking the hub and turning the driveshaft and it just spins, on the drivers side, I can lock the hub and turn the shaft and it it's locking in and the joints are moving. So on that note, I'm about to go take out the hubs and make sure the fuse in them isn't blown, however like I mentioned, I've never messed with manual hubs or the removal of them, should it just be the allen screws and the hub just pop out? Does the tire or anything need removed? or can I do it all with everything assembled up front still? Thanks in advance.

Unless you put hub fuses in they are not there. You say you have not had them apart I would say there is no fuses. They are easy to take apart. Start by removing the 6 allen head screws from the cover and see if you can see any broken parts. After that there is a snap ring around the outer portion of the wheel hub that hold the lock inside. Remove it and then use 2 of the allen screws as handles and pull the lock out. It should slide right out. Once it is out you can see what broke.

Dik
 
Unless you put hub fuses in they are not there. You say you have not had them apart I would say there is no fuses. They are easy to take apart. Start by removing the 6 allen head screws from the cover and see if you can see any broken parts. After that there is a snap ring around the outer portion of the wheel hub that hold the lock inside. Remove it and then use 2 of the allen screws as handles and pull the lock out. It should slide right out. Once it is out you can see what broke.

Dik


I just went and pulled out the allen screws and it's not just sliding out, do I need to beat it out or what?
 
I just went and pulled out the allen screws and it's not just sliding out, do I need to beat it out or what?

The allen screws only hold the cover on. It might be stuck try tapping it around the edge where it seals to the wheel hub. The oring sticks sometimes.

Dik
 
They aren't the originals, they are superwinch, I bought the blazer the way it is and trying to rework everything cause they ghetto rigged everything up.

l_ac6110557e8c4499af2764624f456ab5.jpg
 
also while I have ya'll here, The rear pass side brake line.. it's just hanging there from the drum, the reservoir is full, and it's not plugged anywhere that I can find, which would I would think be leaking fluid all over the place, which it's not.. Any thoughts?
 
Seeing that size tire on a 10 bolt I am sure you broke the hub or a stub shaft. What were you doing when it let go?

Dik

Here's the thing, I was about a mile from my house, broke a rear u-joint, locked the front hubs, drove home in front wheel drive at like 2mph, parked it, changed the ujoints out the next morning, then I started hearing a squeak almost from the front and so I'm now troubleshooting what I broke.
 
also while I have ya'll here, The rear pass side brake line.. it's just hanging there from the drum, the reservoir is full, and it's not plugged anywhere that I can find, which would I would think be leaking fluid all over the place, which it's not.. Any thoughts?

I think the block on the crossmember that all of the brake lines go into can trip and prevent a total loss of braking. Don't quote me on that. Does your parking brake light come on when you step on the brakes?

Either way you should fix it before you drive it.

On your hub issue did you lock both hubs in? If not the unlocked hub will always allow the shaft to turn if your diff is an open diff. Kinda like electricity it will always take the path of least resistance.

Dik
 
Here's the thing, I was about a mile from my house, broke a rear u-joint, locked the front hubs, drove home in front wheel drive at like 2mph, parked it, changed the ujoints out the next morning, then I started hearing a squeak almost from the front and so I'm now troubleshooting what I broke.

A squeek would not lead me to a hub problem other than maybe a wheel bearing issue. Does it stop when you push on the brakes or if you turn the wheel left and right?

If you had a hub issue it would be a clicking noise or you would have heard a loud POP or something when it let go. They are not necessarily weak so when they go it can be loud.

I have twisted driveshafts and popped Ujoints that were loud but never lost a hub. I run a 60 though so that might be the difference.

For your rear brakes are you sure when the joint let go you did not take out the brake line? A shaft flailing around back there can do some damage.

Just a thought.

Dik
 
A squeek would not lead me to a hub problem other than maybe a wheel bearing issue. Does it stop when you push on the brakes or if you turn the wheel left and right?

If you had a hub issue it would be a clicking noise or you would have heard a loud POP or something when it let go. They are not necessarily weak so when they go it can be loud.

I have twisted driveshafts and popped Ujoints that were loud but never lost a hub. I run a 60 though so that might be the difference.

For your rear brakes are you sure when the joint let go you did not take out the brake line? A shaft flailing around back there can do some damage.

Just a thought.

Dik


Nope been driving it for about a month with the brake line like that.. Hasn't been an issue, the truck still stops fine, I think i'm just running it on front brakes is all..
 
Nope been driving it for about a month with the brake line like that.. Hasn't been an issue, the truck still stops fine, I think i'm just running it on front brakes is all..

I would not recommend driving it until it is fixed. If you are on front brakes only with that large of a tire and wheel combo I would suspect the squeek to be your front brakes telling you they are shot.

Dik
 
I would not recommend driving it until it is fixed. If you are on front brakes only with that large of a tire and wheel combo I would suspect the squeek to be your front brakes telling you they are shot.

Dik

Yeah I thought about that too as I was writing that I've been only using front brakes for the last month, and no telling how long before I got the blazer it's been like that..
 
ok, got the front of the hub off, went ahead and put the front up on jackstands, I assume the rotor and hub assembly shouldn't be able to wobble back and forth no? How do I get the rest of the rotor off?
 
Sounds like wheel bearings are shot or the spindle nuts backed off...

So you have the front of the hub off...

- Next remove the rolled in snap ring around the inside of the hub at the very front. You probably need to get rags and wipe everything out to see it. Take a screw driver and you'll be able to pry it up and out, it's easiest to do if you find the edge of it.

- Next use two of the allen head bolts that held the hub cover on and screw them back in, you can now use these as handles to pull the internal part of the hub out. It might be stuck and the tolerances are pretty tight so just work at it but don't forget the bolts are pretty soft so don't go nuts or you'll bend/break them. There is also a small snap ring on the end of the axle shaft that needs to come off.

- Next you'll see the spindle nuts... there is a spindle nut/washer/spindle nut sandwiched in there. It takes a special socket you can get at the parts store for about $20... take the outer spindle nut off then slide out the washer then take the inner spindle nut off... at this point the hub/rotor is free and can be pulled off. It might be stuck but just tap it with a block of wood or a rubber mallet.

There are two wheel bearings in the hub and they might fall out so be heads up.

Also it's a good idea to put a clean towel down somewhere away from where you're working and as you pull stuff out set it on the towel... it'll make it easier to assemble since it'll all be in order. If you have a helping hand some pictures are great too.
 
Sounds like wheel bearings are shot or the spindle nuts backed off...

So you have the front of the hub off...

- Next remove the rolled in snap ring around the inside of the hub at the very front. You probably need to get rags and wipe everything out to see it. Take a screw driver and you'll be able to pry it up and out, it's easiest to do if you find the edge of it.

- Next use two of the allen head bolts that held the hub cover on and screw them back in, you can now use these as handles to pull the internal part of the hub out. It might be stuck and the tolerances are pretty tight so just work at it but don't forget the bolts are pretty soft so don't go nuts or you'll bend/break them. There is also a small snap ring on the end of the axle shaft that needs to come off.

- Next you'll see the spindle nuts... there is a spindle nut/washer/spindle nut sandwiched in there. It takes a special socket you can get at the parts store for about $20... take the outer spindle nut off then slide out the washer then take the inner spindle nut off... at this point the hub/rotor is free and can be pulled off. It might be stuck but just tap it with a block of wood or a rubber mallet.

There are two wheel bearings in the hub and they might fall out so be heads up.

Also it's a good idea to put a clean towel down somewhere away from where you're working and as you pull stuff out set it on the towel... it'll make it easier to assemble since it'll all be in order. If you have a helping hand some pictures are great too.

There's a ton of either A. Mud, or B. Old grease inside the hub, if it's grease, do they need to be packed prior to re installation?
 
Top Bottom