So I searched and couldn't find anything related to this. When driving 50 mph or more in 2wd drive with the hubs locked my truck pulls to the right. Unlocked it's straight as an arrow. Thoughts?

The only thing I can think of is related to my factory 4.88 front diff. When I was installing it I noticed it was impossible to spin one side gear by hand without the other turning, whereas on the diff I took out I could easily do this. It was almost like I had a locker or it was welded or something. Once in the truck and driving it seemed fine and would allow the wheels to turn at different speeds. Maybe I have a lsd in there? Would that cause the pulling?

TIA

 

No lsd, good chance something is wrong with the front diff. I hit a curb once snow drifting and it did the same thing to my front diff.

 

i was thinking one of your hubs is dragging, may need a replacement or rebuild

 

Hmm. I'm not sure how one of the hubs would drag and cause this. They turn and lock in easily enough.

87- can you describe what happened a bit more and how you fixed it. My diff doesn't make any noise at all, 4wd or not, and seems to be working fine.

 

honestly, i replaced my diff that following summer due to mud in my oil haha.
you said when you spun the diff only one side spun nicely correct?

 

pull the hub and inspect...

 

Well I need to rebuild the hubs anyway so that's a good place to start...

But on the diff both sides spun nice and easy, I just couldn't get the sides to spin independently like they should with an open diff. I figured it just needed some use to loosen up a bit, and it seems to work right on the truck.

 

Okay I haven't had a chance to dig into it yet but I have a little more info on symptoms.

Today I locked the hubs and noticed a sort of whirring noise as I got towards 30mph or more. If I shifted into 4wd the noise was only there when coasting, not while on the throttle (steady or accelerating)

Also, when it's very cold out, like 10 degrees (steamboat thurs...) and I have the hubs locked I'll get a groaning sound when first starting off and up to maybe 5 or 10mph. It almost sounds like driving on snow, and it goes away fairly quick as the truck warms up. Seems to be comIng from the passenger side.

Also today I noticed pulling to the right while on the gas in 4wd.

Studying up a bit this sounds like it could be a spindle bushing? Any other ideas?

 

ANYONE catch this?

 

What is 50mph with hubs locked a problem? I hear about people leaving their hubs locked all winter I would assume they regularly hit 70 with them locked in. If I'm driving over a pass at 10,000 ft plus at night I don't wanna get out in 50 mph wind at -5 degrees to lock my hubs in the middle of a blizzard, ya feel? rather get that done before I'm stuck

 

Okay, greased up the spindle bushings and hubs are fine. Still pulls slightly with hubs locked in 2wd and pulls harder in 4wd when on the gas. It's enough that when I let off the gas in 4wd the trucks lurches to the left a bit.

What's next? Could this be a suspension issue?

 

did you lube the spindle bushing with a spindle bushing lubricator (home-made) because mine did the EXACT same thing but at lower speeds.

did my spindle bushings...BINGO fixed the problem.

but at the same time, i also rebuilt my manual hubs and installed them...lol

 

I lubed the bushing with a needle fitting, and made sure both hubs locked in. I'm now thinking maybe the needle technique isn't so great - I didn't see grease make it all the way through to the inside of the spindle. I think I'll make the device and see how that does.

So you had exactly the same thing happen? Slight pull with hubs locked and then more pull when on the gas in 4wd? I'm noticing it now more at like 30mph. Not that it's getting worse but it does happen down there.

 

You may want to check your R&P for excessive wear, baseing that off of the sounds.

Is it a pull to the right or more of a grab?

 

How bout wheel bearings?

 

I don't really want to open up that diff at this point. Too much work for that. (IFS) It did turn smooth when I put it in, not that that necessarily means anything. It's definitely a pull to the right, and then sort of feels like grabbing back to the left when I let off the gas. The "humming" noise actually seems to go away when I hit about 40. I would think an r&p problem would just get louder and louder the faster I go.

As for the wheel bearings, there's no play at least. I'm not sure why that would only come into play when the hubs are locked though. Shouldn't I have a pull at all times if it's a wheel bearing?

 

More load on the whole assembly, even in 2H with the hubs engaged, the front will spin.

How about air pressure in the front tires?

Alignment out?

Front shocks worn?