Hubs frozen locked and low speed growl ... Help. :(

[Motomike777]

I'm a new powerstroke owner, it's an 03, 4x4 CC 7.3L with 6spd manual and shift on the fly turn nob 4x4.

I really poured over this truck before purchasing but managed not to check if I could lock/unlock the hubs (I did check it went in and out of 4x4 and 4low properly but as the weather was lousy and threatening to snow so I just left them locked, which is how they were initially). When I tried to unlock them after weather cleared I couldn't turn them by hand, but it was dark out and I thought maybe they were just "faux" manual hubs or something. However, I changed my oil today and looked closer and they definitely look like manual hubs, however I literally can't turn them AT ALL, I even have an old pipe wrench that fits very nicely in the gaps and all I could do was start twisting the plastic bar that is supposed to turn the hub. This hub doesn't have the traditional arrows for lock and unlock that I'm used to seeing so I can't even tell which way they should turn, but I tried both and couldn't budge them a bit.

In addition to this, I've noticed a light growl at very low speeds, when the truck is more or less idling and not under accel or decel pressure. It goes away promptly if I accelerate It's similar to the sound I remember hearing around the same speed on my brother's old 78 chevy 3/4 ton and maybe is just how big trucks sound, but I'm not used to it and not sure if it indicates possible dry transfer case or something

So questions

1. I'm thinking I clearly need new manual hubs. Does anyone have a diagram of the hub assembly and know if I need any special tools and about how long it takes? I'm mechanically competent but need to know if I'm looking at needing a press or custom tool or something.

2. Is there an aftermarket hub that is better/more reliable/cheaper?

3. Is the light growl typical when idling along in these beasts?

[dieseldan2005]

There is 1 retainer ring and the whole assy slides out. You just have to get a needle nose pliers and push the 2 tabs together. WARN brand makes decent replacement hubs. They will be manual hubs only with no auto feature. I have installed a few of those sets. There is a light growl in 4x4 on these trucks. Even my 2012 has that sound when my hubs are locked in.

[05_PSD_Erik]

Originally Posted by dieseldan2005

There is 1 retainer ring and the whole assy slides out. You just have to get a needle nose pliers and push the 2 tabs together. WARN brand makes decent replacement hubs. They will be manual hubs only with no auto feature. I have installed a few of those sets. There is a light growl in 4x4 on these trucks. Even my 2012 has that sound when my hubs are locked in.

X2 on the slight growl noise. My 08 and dad's 2011 do this also.

As far as the hubs being frozen, my 08 would not go into 4x4 everytime I hit the dash switch. It was from lack of use. I lubed them up and made a point to 'work' them weekly (in and out of 4hi for a bit in the yard) and they work good now. Also, those are not traditional free/lock hubs. They have Auto and Lock positions, I would try removing the assemly and lubing everything good and see what happens!

[RAMKILLER97]

Spin the hubs counter clockwise to unlock and clockwise to lock. I have Mile Marker hubs in my truck paid 150 bucks for them and would recommend to anyone and I want to say the stock replacements were like 400. And again you lose your auto feature but I personally don't mind, I can be confident that I am in 4 wheel drive when I go out and lock them.
You can pull your hubs off and try to lube them up, there is a nice writeup somewhere on here about it. I just don't like the cheap plastic construction of them.

[Motomike777]

Thanks for the great responses guys, and the comfort on both the growling and disassembly. Given that I'm hoping this truck is a 300K plus investment, I'd rather have new reliable full manual hubs than any form of auto hub even if I could get mine working again.

I like full manual hubs because then I can use 4 Low as a 2 Low crawl along gear also. I did this to my old explorer and it was surprisingly handy and the confidence of full lock when you want it is nice too. I'll look into the WARN and Mile Marker options this week.

Question on the aftermarket hubs, did you guys have to do an adapter or was it a straight fit?

[RAMKILLER97]

Straight fit. Nice and simple. It was the easiest project I have done to my truck.

[dieseldan2005]

Yep straight fit. No mods necessary. Also you could try and take the hubs out and stand them upright, spray a penetrating oil on the plastic face. It will soak in and sometimes help. I used JB 80 and it helped loosen them up a little, but they got hard to turn not too long after.