Clicking noise when turning in 4x4

[tkremer]

I just put new lockout hubs on my f250 cause the 4wd was not working, after i installed them I took it for a test drive and the 4wd worked but when I made sharp left turns there would be a loud clicking/clunking noise, kinda sounded like it was in a bind. When I take it out of 4wd there is no noise. I am thinking u joints, but not really sure. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[KR69IDI]

I'm betting ujoints.

 

[69oiler]

yep it's the axle u-joints.

 

[Agnem]

Put the truck on jackstands and run it idling in 4X4. You should be able to verify visually and audibly where the sound originates. Just be sure to put it in reverse when your looking at it from the front. Just in case.

 

[SD70Ace]

Just be sure to put it in reverse when your looking at it from the front. Just in case.

Trial by fire,Mel?

 

[fsr7]

You can also just jack up the front of the truck, put the hubs in but leave the tcase in 2wd, crawl under there and turn the driveshaft back and forth by hand while watching each joint - it should be visually apparent which ones need replaced.

 

[tkremer]

I checked the joints out, i did not even need to jack it up, the u joints close to the wheel on both sides are loose so I guess that is the problem..now to get the driveaxles out is that hard to do? Does the wheel need to come off or can i just take hubs off, then the snap ring, then should it just pull out?

 

[fsr7]

Take the tire off, take the hub off, take the caliper off. Then you will need to take the outer wheel nut off (they have rental socket sets to do this at most auto parts stores if you don't have the wheel nut socket). Then there is a washer that sits between the two wheel nuts you will have to fish out with a couple of picks. Then back the inner wheel nut out, and pull the rotor - wheel bearing assembly off (try not to drop the outer bearing). Then there are 6 9/16 nuts that will become visible - they hold the spindle and dust shield on. Take the nuts off, hit the spindle back and fort with a hammer until it pops out, and the dust shield will come with it. Then the whole axle shaft will slide out. Change ujoint, put it back together in reverse order with lots of grease in the moving parts. It sounds bad, but shouldn't take you that long - maybe an hour or two if its your first time per side? I knock out a side in 25-45 minutes now, depending on how bad pounding whats left of the ujoint out is.

 

[subway]

fsr7 pretty well summed it fairly well except for the spindle part. i have never had one come out easy at all i have always had to resort to putting the nut back on the spindle and place a block in top of that to hit with a hammer. maybe others got it easier but the 5-6 knuckle u-joint jobs i have done have always needed some brute force.

i would also take care of the inner u-joint near the pumkin and maybe the axle bushings to while i was in there.

good luck

 

[69oiler]

you need ball joints? if you dont have zerks on your BJs they could be the originals. nows the time to replace them while you have it apart.

 

[Petes]

i would also take care of the inner u-joint near the pumkin and maybe the axle bushings to while i was in there.

good luck

Sorry to hijack, but Axel bushings?? What is it and where does it go? I'm just about finished doing the outer U-joints on my Dana 50 IFS. I put new needle bearings in the inboard side of the rotor assy/spindle, but it seems like there should be some sort of outer end support other than the hub locker (which doesn't have any real "bearing" surfaces. Is there supposed to be an outer axel bushing?

Pulling the axels was pretty easy. I suppose it helped that whoever had it apart last didn't torque the locknuts! Pressing out the U-joint cups (look original, ~240k mi) was a challenge. I think I used 11-1/2 tons of my 12 ton capacity press...

I already regret not changing the axel seal on the differential while I had the axel out. I coudn't see how to reach it/clean it without pulling the whole left traction beam off. I should probably have done lower balljoints, too, but really just want to get the truck rolling so I can ***** the engine (exhust chuff, possibly injested glowplugs, etc.) before putting too much more work into the chassi/drivetrain/interior.

 

[subway]

sorry i guess that was a little vague, i was talking about the pivot bushing that the is in the center. when that wears out it will never hold any good with the alignment. sounds like you have it covered otherwise. the lockout hub is what supports the other end of the stub shaft.

 

[fsr7]

I never had too many problems with the spindle, but go ahead and spray some pb on the top of the dust shield from the back side before you get started. Should help break the "seal" (rust) that holds the spindle in. I've got a pretty nice 4lb dead-blow hammer that I use too... you can get some good whacks on it without worrying about the threads... you can also bang a flathead screwdriver around in a circle at the base of the spindle to break it free.

 

[fsr7]

(Off topic)
Jred - you should throw a 44 front and some 37's on that Jeep of yours - you'll have swapping those ujoints out down to a science (don't ask me how I know... )

 

[subway]

(Off topic)
Jred - you should throw a 44 front and some 37's on that Jeep of yours - you'll have swapping those ujoints out down to a science (don't ask me how I know... )

got a set of scout 44s to swap in when the weather gets better, only got 35" tires though. i have blown through 3 rear axles and 2 fronts with my old 360 and 31" tires though i actaully usually blew the spiders or ring gears never a u-joint