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Anyone else have problems getting their Milemarker hubs to lock in? Only thing I can figure is the bushing the outer axle stub rides on is worn out to the point where it lets the axle droop and hub inards won't align and lock in? I switched back to the stock full time flanges for now. Any other ideas? Thanks in advance.
...and here's the cure when you get a new part. I had the same problem. You need to pack the trucks hub FULL of grease so that you have a splined axle stub sticking out of a FULLY packed hub. That will provide the lube so that the hub won't eat it's 'bushing' again. Someone will post the direct line and who to contact a MM for replacement parts.
I have always read that you dont want to pack the hubs, just enough to cover everything but not packed...
The wear I have seen here is due to engaging the hubs and then, even though they may not be perfectly lined up, the operator gets in and gives it some throttle, more than just idling in 1st gear and as the axle accelerates, if not properly seated in the hub yet, strips away the edge splines...keep doing this until the hub splines are so weak, they are just gone...
brute4c
really? I've always heard/read to pack them full. And after seeing mine inside, I"m inclined to go that route. The ones on the FSJ Cherokee were just lubed, and had more wear. Because they weren't packed? hard to say. But I bet they could have used a little extra cushioning. Or mabye not.
jury hung for now.
I think Brute4c might be correct on this one. Don't know for sure, but the MileMarker hubs look just like the old Dualmatic hubs that I have on my Willys Pickup. If they are the same design internally, even though you can twist them to the "engaged" position, they may not actually be engaged. I always twist them in, then put the truck in 4WD and move forward slowly until I hear them "click" into engagement. After a while, you get to know the "feel" of the hub when you twist it whether it actually engaged or not. Good Luck.
No. When I say 'completely pack the hubs,' I mean the hub on the truck, NOT the lockout assembly itself. If you pack the lockout, it won't work as the grease won't compress to allow internal parts to move. Trust me, I replaced the same part in two hubs within a couple of hundred miles from new and now haven't had a problem whatsoever in a few thousand miles. The hub on the truck that surrounds the big nuts on the spindle...THAT is what you are to pack. Pack it so there is only the axle stub sticking out of a hub full of grease. Then, just lightly grease the Mile Marker Lockout assembly and bolt it on. I actually had some grease squeeze out where the MM lockout seats against the hub. If you drive the truck alot, this is how to successfully keep the MM lockout alive. I've been on the trail with the lockout off trying to line up the splines and the studs to manually engage it then reassemble it to get out of where I was.
I believe that the MM instructions are a little vague as they instruct a person to not overfill the 'hub' with grease referring to their part, NOT the hub/spindle on the truck. AND, as always...when you get to a point where you've just locked in the hubs, rock the truck or go easy for little to let them engage. People strip splines or break parts by turning them to the locked in position and then just dumping the clutch. THAT is a hub (MM, that is) breaker.
The problem with the misalignment is from a steel bushing that hold the axle shaft centered in the lockout. Without the truck's hub being packed full of grease (and we're not supposed to over grease the lockout itself) this bushing wears to the point where it will not center the axle in splines anymore and most of time it will not find that center to enable it to then engage on it's own. The packed hub completely alleviates this problem by always having grease to lube that bushing.
Great post Spicer, thanks for clearing that up!!
Gee, I'm glad I was wrong because I learned something new!!
brute4c
Jon, I'm boxing up that starter this weekend...you'll see it next week man!
No sweat but thanks!! Raymond is loking forward to its arrival...I told him he gets to put it in the shop for me and he got all excited...gotta love it!!
With 3 to 4 inches of snow coming down every couple days, it would be cool to be able to drive the truck...if it werent broken and if I wasn't either!!
brute4c
Thanks for all the input guys. I'll replace the bushings the axle rides on and grease per Spicers tip. Just picked up amarried GM 4 speed and 205 at a swap meet for $175 so got my work cut out for me for a while....later Ed J.
Ed, I used some of that slick red color grease and asked a buddy of mine (who is really anal about things) to pack the hub for me while I was doing something else. He packed each hub completely full using a popsicle stick! He a sick dude, but has his uses now and then. I've also considered putting a grease fitting on the outside of the hub so periodicly more grease could be easily pumped in.