Neemox

New to me! This is the before pic from when I was doing the no-cut ZUK mod. After pics still on the way...


Hey all, I just picked up a new to me 1987 runner. Limited rust that I'll be able to deal with, engine just got a new head gasket a few thousand miles ago. Lot's of interior carnage (pics to come) as PO decided to rip out the center console and really screw with some wiring harnesses. Going to have a fun time getting the rear window to work.

But more importantly, my truck can only do 3wd right now. When I first got it, I locked the hubs and found slight grinding noises form both sides. Didn't matter if I was in 4wd or not. So, did some research on here and on other sites, and rebuilt the hubs to make sure they were fully engaging. It didn't seem like I was actually getting them to lock on either side. Once I got in there, they weren't dry or nasty, plenty of relatively new grease. (Didn't take pics of that part, sorry). There is a fair portion of play in the spindle, (about 1/8" or more in all directions) so I may have to redo the spindle bushings at some point and that could be where part of the sound is coming from.

Ok, so after rebuilding the hubs (these are Warn's btw, not the stock aisins) I can now get the right side to lock in no problem (I watch the CV axle spin when I spin the tire either direction), but the right side still make a grinding sound, only when the hub is locked and I am turning left (no sound if the hub is unlocked) Not sure where I should be looking for that sound.

Further, the driver side hub is locking when I try and rotate the tire forward, but I can spin the tire in reverse without issue (makes clicking sounds in/near the Hub when I go backwards.) I can't for the life of me think what would enable a hub to lock in one direction but not the other. Any help?

Not that I think it is relevant to this problem, but perhaps. At some point, a PO went to town on the large 54mm nuts that hold the wheel bearings in on the driver side (the side that won't lock in reverse). They brutalized the lock washer in there, so it is pretty far out of true and looks like it was grinding on the inside of the free-locking hub body (would explain my left side noise), and they also decided to throw away the bearing washer that actually holds the outer bearing in, so right now, it is just the inner 54mm nut holding the bearing. I'm ordering parts to get that bearing washer and lock nut taken care of properly, but could those have anything to do with the hub only locking in one direction??

Grinding on the inside of the hub body, I'm guessing from the crappy lock washer...

Any advice is welcome, and thanks in advance.

atcfixer

iTrader: (1)

Even with bad wheel bearings I'd think the hubs should lock the cv axle to the center hub. Look for wear on the spines, I'd suspect that's where it would be slipping since you replaced the hubs already. They are pretty cheap, something like $50 for reman. Basically the manual hubs lock the tip of the cv axle to the rotation of the hub that the tire and rotor bolt to, only point it could wear/slip in my mind would be the spines on the cv axle and the internal guts of the actual lockers.

What kind of shape are your spindles (the part the wheel bearings ride on and the axle nut threads on)? I have a good spare set if you happen to discover problems with yours.

Neemox

My spindle bushings are probably shot on both sides (I think, there is a lot of play in there and I don't think there should be much at all?) I'd be very interested in new spindles!

I also was thinking it would have to be that the splines were rounded off in one direction or something. I went down to the part's store today just to look at the splines on a new CV, I couldn't see a big difference between what I have and what I would get on a new one, so maybe the problem is in the hub and not the CV. The hub gear looked pretty sound though, I pulled the gear out of the hub and put it onto the spline end, it seemed to mate pretty dang well.

later this week I'm going to crack ti open again and fix the missing/beat up parts for the wheel bearings, when I do, I'll play more with the locking hubs, maybe I'll switch the driver hub to the passenger side and see if I get the same problem. I'll report back...

atcfixer

iTrader: (1)

That's not a bad idea switching from one side to the other. Did you get the hubs with it or are they replacements since you got it? I have a spare set of oem aisin hubs for IFS pickup, 4runner, and T100 if you find them bad. Could use some fresh grease (turn dial is a little sitff), but it locked and released just fine on the truck (had to use 4x4 low range to load it with the starter lol). I was planning to throw them up on ebay and shoot for around $100 for the pair.

It shouldn't be too hard to find what is causing it to slip. FYI, the hubs, cv axles, and lockouts are all interchangeable from side to side and it seems most or all of the parts interchange 86-95 for the pickups.

I do have a set of spindles pulled too. Hubs were already sold. Shipping is kind of killer for them though since they are quite heavy.