Anyone repaired auto hubs??

[Ken Naw]

My daughter has a 93 that started making a grinding noise in the right front wheel area. A mechainic removed something that disabled the hub to try to isolate the hub or the universal. The noise went away, making one think the hub was the culprit. Mechanic wants HUGE dollars to replace both axles, and hubs. Manual hubs are available but she wants to retain the automatic hubs. I see kits online for repairing hubs. Has any one done this and what is your experience?
Thanks.

[gorudorf]

I have a 1991 ford explore my automatic just went out they are very easy to replace. You just remove the tire once that is done the hud will come off with the tire there will be a snap ring on the axsle which u will see once you wipe the grease from the axsle,It's holding the rest of the parts on the spidle just remove snap ring and the rest will just pull right off just make sure you put it back together the same way u took it off most chilton book show u detail describtion on how to replace it would think it will be alot cheaper if u do it your self.

[Ken Naw]

Originally Posted by gorudorf

I have a 1991 ford explore my automatic just went out they are very easy to replace. You just remove the tire once that is done the hud will come off with the tire there will be a snap ring on the axsle which u will see once you wipe the grease from the axsle,It's holding the rest of the parts on the spidle just remove snap ring and the rest will just pull right off just make sure you put it back together the same way u took it off most chilton book show u detail describtion on how to replace it would think it will be alot cheaper if u do it your self.

Where did you get your parts???? I am having trouble finding new ones. My resort is a scrap yard. There I am unsure of the condition of the parts....

[Ken Naw]

What exactly fails on these hubs??? I want to know what to inspect if I get replacements from the junk yard.

[Escorts4ever]

Ken: As long as the universal joints are good in the front axles there is no reason to replace the axles. If there is a question of the u-joint then by all means replace it. There are two things that tear out the auto hub units, one is engaging them when the rear wheels are spinning and the front ones are not turning or engaging them under motion more than 5 mph. These are things that you will not find in the owners manual. The other thing is a siezed universal joint. When you turn the wheel the axle will turn slightly even though you have not put it in 4wd. When the axle turns it tries to engage the hubs. Now for the hub itself. There is an acuator on the spindle that has three little tabs sticking up on it. The original ones were plastic and the new design is metal. Improper engagement shears off these tabs and it only takes one tab gone to give you grief. I can not find a picture of it anywhere or I would send it to you. I am not sure if this acuator is available seperatly but I know that it comes with a new hub assembly. Last I knew from my ford parts selling days these hubs kits were 329.00 each side. And most of the time it was just the acuator that was no good. But whatever you do make sure the universal joint is in good shape so you do not ruin your new hub set when you figure out what you are going to do. I went to manual hubs and ended the "auto lock" nightmare. If you decide to go to manual you will need to change the wheel bearing nuts as well and you should be able to do the whole thing for a lot less than one auto lock hub. Give the manual thing a lot of thought.

[gorudorf]

Most part store usally stock them or can order them and yes they are a bit expensive. Yes manual are the best if you can interchange, they told me i couldn't because i had push button 4 wheel drive.

[Escorts4ever]

My Bronco II and my Explorer are both push button with manual hubs. The hubs have to be locked in to work thats all. You can leave the huns in all the time if you want and as long as all 4 wheels are doing the same speed you can engage 4wd at any speed. You do have to change the wheel bearing nuts over though.

[bratt]

there is a guy on ebay that sells them at pretty cheap prices and sometimes you get a discount if you send in your broken autohubs

i got mine cheap and i broke mine a couple times

[Ken Naw]

Originally Posted by bratt

there is a guy on ebay that sells them at pretty cheap prices and sometimes you get a discount if you send in your broken autohubs

i got mine cheap and i broke mine a couple times

What were the symptoms when you broke your hubs?? I'm not sure the hub is bad, it could be the universal, as suggested above by Escorts4ever. Everything is quiet and 4x4 appears to engage and disengage, but the other day I heard a whirling sound as if the gears in the transfer case were spinning. Backing up made the noise go away.

Also, do you know who on eBay???

Thanks.

Ken

[brattzzzzz]

well i was just on ebay cuz my brother broke my auto engage cam for my hub while changing a rotor

but the last time when i broke a hub only 1 axle was locking so the truck would lock up one hub cuz the other hub was ripped up and the car would pull very hard to the right. the left hub locked and the right hub was ripped.

i changed it out and it worked great but now i have to fix the cam thanks 2 my brother

[brattzzzzz]

i just saw 1 hub on ebay for 75 bucks