4wd help

[Josh99]

I posted this in another thread but figured Id start a new one for the topic. When I have the my dial in 2 hi, the truck is fine. I put it in 4 hi, it spins the rear tires wayyy more, kind of like the front is biting and holding the truck back. 4 lo is the same way, just slower. I have had that problem when I almost got stuck driving across a grass yard and almost getting stuck because the rears were spinning so much. I've always just figured that all the torque I have just turns em. I think I have concluded that I just need to get warns on the front and I hope thatll solve my 4wd problems.

[Josh99]

I need to get my truck back to 4wd

[GregsSD]

It sounds to me like you have mismatched gears in the axles.

If the rear axle gears were changed to a higher ratio such as 4.10's and the front gears are the stock 3.73's then it will do just as you are describing.

Changing the front hubs will not fix you problem. you need to have the gear ratios checked because they need to match front and rear.

[Josh99]

I'm 99% I have all stock gearing. Thing is the truck has been in 4wd before and been fine. I am wondering if I can take the factory hubs off and clean them out? I honestly dont know how a hub works.

[melmount]

if it locks it locks. Lock the hubs drive it a few feet. Jack up the front and see if the wheels spin. They should be locked to the axle.
does not sound like a locking hub issue. Sounds like gear ratios.

[bigcountrysg]

Originally Posted by melmount

if it locks it locks. Lock the hubs drive it a few feet. Jack up the front and see if the wheels spin. They should be locked to the axle.
does not sound like a locking hub issue. Sounds like gear ratios.

Your hubs are most likely not working. They are not locking in. Or one side is not locking in. Being you have an open differential in the front. If one hub is not locking in then you ain't gonna have 4wd.

This is what I would do. Manually lock your hubs in. If you have stock hubs they should be auto/locked. Meaning in one position they auto lock and the other is you turn them and lock them in.

You can clean them and lubericate them and reinstall them. But if it was me Warns would be installed.

[Josh99]

I cant even turn the driver side one with a pair of pliers and the passenger one is real hard. How do I clean them

[zpd307]

time for some new hubs...... once you get them off, you can try to spray in some lube from the outside around the turn dial and let them soak for a bit. then try to work them back and forth from unlocked to locked. worse case scenario is that you cant free them up and then, like i said, time for new hubs. go to guzzles site. he has a write up on cleaning and lubing the locking hubs.

[ZachBoyer]

Get new hubs. I had the same issue with my 95 after I snapped the internals. I got warn full turns. Couldn't of been happier

[Josh99]

I'll be getting warns next week from Raul. Today, my 4wd worked. I put it in neutral and it popped into 4 low. I put it in reverse to back up the hill and the whole truck shook real hard and the back tires spun/ hopped then I guess it engaged and I backed right up the hill.