Ford SuperDuty locking hubs...

[WrenchMonkey]

Short version: Can I test-drive my truck with the locking hubs removed, and the axleshaft supported just by the unibearing?


Long version: I'm trying to track down a humming vibration in the front (Dana50) of my 2000 F250.

It sounds like a wheel bearing, hums from 20-30mph, but goes away after 3-4 miles. :confused:

But one wheel bearing is less than a year old, and the other has been replaced since the hum started, with no change. Pads, rotors, and tires have also been changed.

I'm beginning to suspect the locking hub. It's splined on the inside to accept the axle shaft, and splined on the outside to fit the unibearing ass'y, with a small roller bearing between the inner and outer halves. I think that bearing is the only thing left that rotates with the wheel, that I haven't replaced.

If I throw the 4x4 switch in the dash, so the axle shaft and the wheel will spin at about the same speed, the noise seems to go away. But it's sort of intermittant, so it's hard to say for sure. I took the one hub apart, greased it with Mobile 1, and I guess it got a little better for that first trip, but then started up again. Like I said, it's intermittant, so it's hard to say.

Before I throw more parts at it, I'd like to drive it around the block (or to work and back) with the hubs removed to check it that way.

There's another roller bearing on the inside of the unibearing that clearly is there to support the axleshaft, but I'm not if it's enough to drive on.


Anybody know?

Thanks!

Robert