Left front axle/hub causing problems

[Bulletproof7.3]

OK first i posted this in a different thread and got zero replies. Now its under the 7.3 aftermarket to get some attention and possibly help. so i thought that i had a ball joint going out and had already ordered those ... So i got under the truck and looked around and the u joint where the front shaft connects for the lock out, (guessing thats just called front axle shaft) was wobbling around and making all kinds of noise. I have recently replaced front wheel bearings and seals in the front hub. So why would this shaft and u joint just be rattling around?

Here is a picture of the shaft and wheel bearing and hub.

 

[Bulletproof7.3]

the needle bearing is good and greased the shaft looks good also.

 

[Tonka350]

mine did the same thing and I THINK the culprit is a combo of the axle seals and the u joint....mine did it doing 65 mph down the road it sounded like a jackhammer under my truck....HONESTLY I never use the 4x4 barely and just pulled the shafts out....it's on my "To Fix List"...along with my IDM, and GEM

Chad

 

[Bulletproof7.3]

Yeah my u joint is good and its a brand new axle seal.. no clue whats going on.

 

[Tree Trimmer]

manual lockouts or auto?

did you replace the u-joints or otherwise have the axel shaft out of the axel?

put the wheel bearing assembly back on, with the four nuts just snug, the three washers and snap ring. put the lockout on. grab the u-joint and move it up and down. does it feel like its moving right there are that little needle bearing or and the end of the little stub shaft where the lock out is.

im also looking at your wheel bearing assembly and not seeing the yellow o-ring.

answer those and we will go a little farther if we need to.

also, if you would post a better picture of where that little needle bearing rides on the axel shaft. the shiny part, if you would be so kind.

 

[Bulletproof7.3]

Ok im not sure if i have the little yellow o ring or not. I have the truck back together and parked but i did every step prior to the o ring and yes it still has play in it.

Could that o ring cause it to move ?

Sorry its together sittin in the rain. Or i would take a picture for you. I bought a new needle bearing thinking thats what it was but it looked fine and still worked properly

 

[Tree Trimmer]

its not a "little yellow o ring". its thin, yes, but to use your pic, it goes right here, ( see arrow drawn on your pic) the arrow is pointing at the groove there.

yes i get that there is still play in it, but like i asked, where does it feel like the play is? pay attention next time you jiggle it.

if you took the axel shaft out of the axel, there is a special tool for putting it back in. YOU NEED TO USE IT.it does two things.

first, it drives that big a$$ seal on the end of the axel shaft. i mean its stupid easy to put on. if you did not use the tool for that seal, you probably messed with it for a while before it went back on.

second. it sets the depth of how far you can drive the axel shaft back in the axel, and where the new seal seats inside, thus where the u-joint is. if you just wing it, its either in to far, or not far enough. either way, it will DRASTICALLY reduce the life of the little needle bearing, AND the lock out. picture a straight line being drawn between both of the ball joints. that u-joint needs to be dead center in that line, or when you turn the wheels it will force the axel shaft off center in the needle bearing and lock out.

i asked for the picure of the axel shaft, cuz your pic didnt show me what i wanted to see. where that little needle bearing rides on that axel shaft, if it is in any way wore down, not the same diameter as the rest of the shaft between there and the splines on the end, you need a new shaft, or there will always be play, and decrease the lift of the needle bearing, seal, and lockout.

i know these things, because i bought two new wheel bearing assemblies $5-600 x2, two new axel shaft $225 x2, 3 new seals $65 x3, and 2 orings $5 x2, not to mention the down time, and cussing and swearing at my truck, all in 3k miles, before i got it right. i have friends at my local ford dealer. they loan me special tools. i just happened to ask one day if there was a special tool or something i was missing/doin wrong. they handed me the tool, and havent had a problem since. 45k and ticking.

also, you need to put your own grease inside that needle bearing. it comes packed with enough to not rust, thats it. every time you do brakes, take that wheel bearing assembly off, it takes like 2 mins to get it off, and repack that needle bearing. you will thank me, trust me. it will be starting to get dry. also dissassemble the lockout, if possible. i have manual ones, so mine are easy.

also, you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to put those three washers on, that go right behind the c-clip? i think there is two fiber washers and a steel. the round fiber washer, has a bevel cut on one side. if you look at the axel shaft, there is a bevel on it, those two go together, bevel to bevel. then the steel, then the fiber again, then the c-clip.

its also my experience, that when you do wheel bearings, you also do lock outs. i have manual lock outs. there cheap. but think about it. your wheel bearings have xx,xxx miles on them. so you change them. your lockouts also have xx,xxx miles on them. your lockouts are what holds the other end of that stub axel shaft. there is also a bearing inside the lockout. if your new on one side, but wore on the other....... i put new ones on, and saved the old ones for spares.

 

[Bulletproof7.3]

its not a "little yellow o ring". its thin, yes, but to use your pic, it goes right here, ( see arrow drawn on your pic) the arrow is pointing at the groove there.

yes i get that there is still play in it, but like i asked, where does it feel like the play is? pay attention next time you jiggle it.

if you took the axel shaft out of the axel, there is a special tool for putting it back in. YOU NEED TO USE IT.it does two things.

first, it drives that big a$$ seal on the end of the axel shaft. i mean its stupid easy to put on. if you did not use the tool for that seal, you probably messed with it for a while before it went back on.

second. it sets the depth of how far you can drive the axel shaft back in the axel, and where the new seal seats inside, thus where the u-joint is. if you just wing it, its either in to far, or not far enough. either way, it will DRASTICALLY reduce the life of the little needle bearing, AND the lock out. picture a straight line being drawn between both of the ball joints. that u-joint needs to be dead center in that line, or when you turn the wheels it will force the axel shaft off center in the needle bearing and lock out.

i asked for the picure of the axel shaft, cuz your pic didnt show me what i wanted to see. where that little needle bearing rides on that axel shaft, if it is in any way wore down, not the same diameter as the rest of the shaft between there and the splines on the end, you need a new shaft, or there will always be play, and decrease the lift of the needle bearing, seal, and lockout.

also, you need to put your own grease inside that needle bearing. it comes packed with enough to not rust, thats it. every time you do brakes, take that wheel bearing assembly off, it takes like 2 mins to get it off, and repack that needle bearing. you will thank me, trust me. it will be starting to get dry. also dissassemble the lockout, if possible. i have manual ones, so mine are easy.

also, you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to put those three washers on, that go right behind the c-clip? i think there is two fiber washers and a steel. the round fiber washer, has a bevel cut on one side. if you look at the axel shaft, there is a bevel on it, those two go together, bevel to bevel. then the steel, then the fiber again, then the c-clip.

its also my experience, that when you do wheel bearings, you also do lock outs. i have manual lock outs. there cheap. but think about it. your wheel bearings have xx,xxx miles on them. so you change them. your lockouts also have xx,xxx miles on them. your lockouts are what holds the other end of that stub axel shaft. there is also a bearing inside the lockout. if your new on one side, but wore on the other....... i put new ones on, and saved the old ones for spares.

I know what the O ring is. Like you i have had this truck tore apart more times and put back together than most people do having the truck their whole life. I do have a good idea of what im doing with a wrench... Im just trying to find someone like yourself who has had this problem. I would get you a picture if i could but right now i cant.

The whole thing wiggles from the u joint out.

Lock outs are brand new warn hubs. Manual. Thanks For ALL of your help!!

 

[JLDickmon]

I think you're looking for the problem on the wrong side of the bearing.. your Warn lockouts.. when you remove them, is there two plastic washers, a wave washer, and a snap ring in there?

 

[Bulletproof7.3]

I think you're looking for the problem on the wrong side of the bearing.. your Warn lockouts.. when you remove them, is there two plastic washers, a wave washer, and a snap ring in there?

yes sir there is.