WARN Preimum self-engagement?

[B_to_C]

I have a Dana 60 with 4.56's, a Lockright, 35 spline outers and Warn Premium hubs. Too make a long story short I'm just going to say "over the last couple of days" the driver's side hub has been locking ITSELF as I drive down the road...

Normally this wouldn't be such a problem, but with the lockright, the torque is converted to the front driveshaft. [Another long story...] but currently I am running 2 different gear ratios front and rear...which causes nice grinding / popping / horrible noises to come fronm my 205 when this happens.

SO,

What could cause this hub to be locking itself in?

-In the past 48 hours I have had to stop on a highway on-ramp, city street, and fast lane of the highway to unlock the hub before I continued driving because I felt if I didn't the whole drivetrain was going to drop out of the truck...

 

[nvrenuf]

Check to see if the locking hub dial is rubbing the end of the stub shaft. There has been quite a few people with this problem, usually the fix is installing D60 carrier bearing races on the inner wheel bearings (same bearing just different race) causing the bearing hub assembly to be pushed outward about an 1/8". I believe this fix is also discussed in the D60 Bible.

Edit: this problem was semi-common specifically with the 35 spline upgrade using Warn Premiums. Afaik, it's not an issue with 30 spline stuff or other 35 spline stub / hub combos.

 

[randy88k5]

Correct. Not a lot of clearance between warn premiums (not sure about other makes) and the 35 spline stubs, so they can engage themselves while driving. Which is exactly why I will probably be going 30 spl chromos when the need arises...

 

[B_to_C]

Would it be possible to make a small spacer ring to space the hub dial body away from the wheel hub? Just that 1/8" I would need to get it away from the end of the stub shaft? (this seems a lot simpler / easier then replacing bearing races)

 

[Hossbaby50]

Some guys have just ground down or trimmed off the end of the stub shaft a little bit to gain the necessary clearence between the hub dial and the stub shaft end.

Harley

 

[bdozeraz]

Had the same problem. Ground the shaft down to the snap ring groove and cut a new groove about 1/16" behind that. No more problem.

 

[miniwally]

Harley is right just take a bit off the end of the stub shaft.
It will probably only take 1/16" or less to clear.

This is a common problem. The 35 spline shafts are actually a D70 shaft but the dim. are so close to a D60 that they work. Also the hubs are a bit of a different deal since 35 spline stuff was not original to the D60 hubs.