98 Ranger XLT Locking Hubs

[Ned Flanders]

i picked up this Ranger about a year ago and can't quite figure out what to do about these locking hubs. Stock, this model came with the vacuum hubs but I don't think they're working correctly, because when I bought it, it already had the locking hubs on there. If the vacuum system is bad, can you still get away with just having the locking hubs? I think so but the issue I'm having is a rattling sound on the driver's side now.

And I don't know what's causing it. It's fairly loud. Don't I need a different cv axle to fit the locking hub correctly? I think what's happening is there's a gap between the inside of the locking hub and the outside of the axle. And there's the c-shaped rings you have to use those hooks to set in the axle too.

What am I missing here? Amateur mechanic trying to just restore this truck a bit and then likely re-sell it. It's too nice and I don't want to turn it into a work truck.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

Yes, 1998-2000 Ranger 4x4s came with PVH(Pulse Vacuum Hubs) that would/should lock the front axles to the hubs when vacuum was present
But, didn't work that well after a few years and vacuum leaks, lol

There is only one maker of Manual hubs to replace the PVH hubs, AVM, a Brazilian company, that makes A LOT of the manual locking hubs for many car makers
They were sold in the US as Mile Marker and Rugged Ridge and then as AVM brand, but they were all made by AVM

Article here on converting PVH to manual hubs: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/1998-2000-ford-ranger-manual-locking-hubs/

Yours has been converted but pictures in the article should help you, as you will need to pull off the one that is making a noise to find out why its making the noise.

Automatic or manual hubs work the same way
The axle shaft has splines
The hub has splines
Picture of that here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/images/avm_hubs/wheelhub.JPG

To Lock a wheel a Gear slides in between the axle splines and hub splines so the two are locked together via that gear
To unLock the gear is pulled back out so hub and axle are no longer connected

The "clicking/ticking" noise may be the gear is not being pulled back far enough
You will need to have a look

 

[RonD]

Just as a "heads up" most 4x4s have an OPEN front differential

OPEN differential means the easiest axle to turn, left or right, will get ALL THE POWER
This is what happens when most vehicles get stuck, only 1 wheel spins the other just sits there(laughing)
That's an OPEN differential

In the case of locking front hubs, if one hub will not lock, then no 4WD, as the unLocked hub's axle will get all the power as its the easiest to turn, and that can also make the "clicking/ticking" noise

 

[Ned Flanders]

i picked up this Ranger about a year ago and can't quite figure out what to do about these locking hubs. Stock, this model came with the vacuum hubs but I don't think they're working correctly, because when I bought it, it already had the locking hubs on there. If the vacuum system is bad, can you still get away with just having the locking hubs? I think so but the issue I'm having is a rattling sound on the driver's side now.

And I don't know what's causing it. It's fairly loud. Don't I need a different cv axle to fit the locking hub correctly? I think what's happening is there's a gap between the inside of the locking hub and the outside of the axle. And there's the c-shaped rings you have to use those hooks to set in the axle too.

What am I missing here? Amateur mechanic trying to just restore this truck a bit and then likely re-sell it. It's too nice and I don't want to turn it into a work truck.

Ok. This will explain more.

Welcome to TRS

Yes, 1998-2000 Ranger 4x4s came with PVH(Pulse Vacuum Hubs) that would/should lock the front axles to the hubs when vacuum was present
But, didn't work that well after a few years and vacuum leaks, lol

There is only one maker of Manual hubs to replace the PVH hubs, AVM, a Brazilian company, that makes A LOT of the manual locking hubs for many car makers
They were sold in the US as Mile Marker and Rugged Ridge and then as AVM brand, but they were all made by AVM

Article here on converting PVH to manual hubs: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/1998-2000-ford-ranger-manual-locking-hubs/

Yours has been converted but pictures in the article should help you, as you will need to pull off the one that is making a noise to find out why its making the noise.

Automatic or manual hubs work the same way
The axle shaft has splines
The hub has splines
Picture of that here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/images/avm_hubs/wheelhub.JPG

To Lock a wheel a Gear slides in between the axle splines and hub splines so the two are locked together via that gear
To unLock the gear is pulled back out so hub and axle are no longer connected

The "clicking/ticking" noise may be the gear is not being pulled back far enough
You will need to have a look

I had replaced the old Rugged Ridge set with new ones, as the long plastic teeth had broken off. Now it seems the new set has also suffered the same fate.

Will comment further below.

 

[Ned Flanders]

i picked up this Ranger about a year ago and can't quite figure out what to do about these locking hubs. Stock, this model came with the vacuum hubs but I don't think they're working correctly, because when I bought it, it already had the locking hubs on there. If the vacuum system is bad, can you still get away with just having the locking hubs? I think so but the issue I'm having is a rattling sound on the driver's side now.

And I don't know what's causing it. It's fairly loud. Don't I need a different cv axle to fit the locking hub correctly? I think what's happening is there's a gap between the inside of the locking hub and the outside of the axle. And there's the c-shaped rings you have to use those hooks to set in the axle too.

What am I missing here? Amateur mechanic trying to just restore this truck a bit and then likely re-sell it. It's too nice and I don't want to turn it into a work truck.

Here are pictures from today.

The new driver side's locking hub teeth have broken off and got minced to pieces...yet the passenger side one was still in tact, yet popped right off while I was getting going to remove pass. side wheel.

I can't add video for some reason but both axles are wiggling back and forth about an 1/8" or so inside the rest of the wheel. Even with the locking hubs installed.

I'll have to replace the driver's side one. I don't trust trying to epoxy those teeth back on to try and save it, unless y'all think it would work?

Not sure what to do next.
I remember the C clip that goes inside the axle's groove and prevents it from slipping out and through the wheel, but is there a second ring I'm missing?

Or is the axle I have somehow too long?

 

[4.0blue98]

I installed AVM manual hubs in my 98. I have this in my hubs.

Ford F87Z-3B457-AA - RING - RETAINING

Is this the C-clip you're talking about?

 

[00t444e]

Just as a "heads up" most 4x4s have an OPEN front differential

OPEN differential means the easiest axle to turn, left or right, will get ALL THE POWER
This is what happens when most vehicles get stuck, only 1 wheel spins the other just sits there(laughing)
That's an OPEN differential

An open differential always sends the same amount of torque to both sides. Whichever side takes less torque to spin will spin first and the other side even if it's not spinning is still getting the same amount of torque.

 

[Ned Flanders]

Just as a "heads up" most 4x4s have an OPEN front differential

OPEN differential means the easiest axle to turn, left or right, will get ALL THE POWER
This is what happens when most vehicles get stuck, only 1 wheel spins the other just sits there(laughing)
That's an OPEN differential

In the case of locking front hubs, if one hub will not lock, then no 4WD, as the unLocked hub's axle will get all the power as its the easiest to turn, and that can also make the "clicking/ticking" noise

Appreciated. As long as that particular clicking noise is supposed to happen and is OK, I'm fine. But if by that noise you mean that the locking hubs are breaking as a result of the torque sent to only one wheel, I need another solution.

 

[Ned Flanders]

I installed AVM manual hubs in my 98. I have this in my hubs.

Retaining ring

Is this the C-clip you're talking about?

nice one lol. link don't work

 

[RonD]

There should be no noise

1998-2011 Rangers got a new front drive shaft setup
A propeller joint instead of a u-joint on the transfer case end of the front driveshaft
When it wears out it will make a tick, tick, tick noise but from under drivers door area, not at a wheel

 

[Ned Flanders]

There should be no noise

1998-2011 Rangers got a new front drive shaft setup
A propeller joint instead of a u-joint on the transfer case end of the front driveshaft
When it wears out it will make a tick, tick, tick noise but from under drivers door area, not at a wheel

roger that. I'm almost certain this time it's from the wheel

 

[Ned Flanders]

I installed AVM manual hubs in my 98. I have this in my hubs.

Retaining ring

Is this the C-clip you're talking about?

By C - clip, I mean a piece of metal shaped like the letter C, not a complete circle, which I would call a ring. Does your 98 have two pieces? One C-shaped piece and another ring shaped piece?

 

[4.0blue98]

[/QUOTE]

nice one lol. link don't work

Fixed it above. It did work yesterday when I posted it, odd.

By C - clip, I mean a piece of metal shaped like the letter C, not a complete circle, which I would call a ring. Does your 98 have two pieces? One C-shaped piece and another ring shaped piece?

This is the clip in my 98. It actually is some plastic ring with a metal ring inside and is a C-clip of sorts. Hold the half shaft end very tight in the hub/bearing assembly. Had to replace them when I did the Wheel Bearing assemblies a while back. Didn't have to mess with them when I did the manual hub swap but I think they should be in there. I don't recall any traditional C-clip in there. A while back I think someone posted about possibly doing a PVH conversion by using later parts or parts from an Explorer that had the full time lock at the hubs. Maybe someone did that to yours??? You had to use the correct hub/wheel bearing assemblies and halfshafts for it to work IIRC.

 

[4.0blue98]

Those rings were like 15$ each last time I bought them... inflation.

I don't think there's room for the axle shaft to come out of the bearing assembly but if this ring isn't there it'll move a bit in and out and I think this could chew up those replacement hubs.

 

[Manscout]

If the plastic insides of your locking hubs are breaking, they will keep breaking until you replace your CV axle. I have a write-up somewhere on the site about it, but that is the issue. Once the joints go bad, they overstress the hubs ability to keep them in place, and they break.