We got about 12" of new snow wednesday night, so yesterday I was running around a bit. I noticed that when the 4wd is engaged(automatic hubs) the truck was making kind of a clicking noise from the front end. Kind of a click ,click, click that stop when my foot on the throttle-or maybe I can't hear it over the engine. Can mostly hear it when rolling on the flats or down a hill or just push in the clutch. Clicking gets slower as the vehicle speed decreases. Sounds like somwthing in the hubs is'nt engaging fully. Only happens in 4wd. 4wd is working though. Anyone have any idea's? Any help would be great!

 

I would check the u-joints in the front driveshaft and axles good. That is what the noise you describe sounds like. They can click, bind or sometimes just sound awful. Hopes this helps.

Robbie.

 

You dont have automatic hubs! so they cannot click, The U-joints are likely shot though, or the front drive shaft has bad U-joint.

 

Sounds like the u-joints in the axles to me too. Maybe the front driveshaft but I'd look at the axles first.

John

 

Cool, thanks for the response. When I'm checking the u joints I'm twisting and turning them, looking for obvious play right? What about the axles? How would I go about that? Jack a wheel up, feel for play? Whats the technique?

 

Last time I checked My 02 has automatic hubs. And i have seen automatic hubs not work but I dont remember if they clicked or not. To check to make sure you hubs are ok put it in 4 wheel drive and jack up the front end and see if the front drive shaft turns. With the axle ujoints if the are bad you should see play in them or rust.

 

Could you take a picture of your automatic hubs? I'd like to see one, Personally I've never seen one on a 3/4 ton Dodge, maybe its aftermarket

The dodge 3/4 normally (I say this incase I'm wrong) has a ADD or automatic disconnecting diff. Drivers side axel goes into the side gears and on the pass side a collar slides back and forth locking the axel to the sidegears and to the wheel,

Autolocking hubs are crap and I've yet to see one, Ford/chev/dodge work properly for any length of time, usually most folks ditch em and instal manual hubs...and usually the auto hubs click and grind as they try to engage

 

Are you saying most people ditch the ADD huds and the autolockers or just the autolockers?

 

There were no factory automatic hubs on the '02 diesels.

There was a CAD in the early part of the year, like mine. Which has the "bump" cover on the passenger side of the axle. This engages the stub shaft to lock to the differential. This is a vacuum operated system.

The late '02s did not have the CAD.

It sounds like a u-joint to me as well. If it has a CAD, it is possible that it is not engaging fully. I know guys have gotten rid of the CAD with the use of a cable operated unit or when switching to a locking hub setup it can be done away with with the new inner axles.

Dave