FordExcursions.com Forums
neilc88
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• Cleveland, OH, USA |
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• Registered on 8/13/2003 |
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• 53 posts |
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 Posted:9/22/2003 16:14 |
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I've done some mild water crossing with the X. Mild to me is 6"-18" deep. Are there vents on the differentials in which water could enter during these crossings? I saw a magazine article about running hoses from the vents to prevent this situation. Any suggestions?
Also, I recently went out and had to use plyers to rotate the front hubs from "Auto" to "Lock." Should any lubricatant like WD-40 be used to keep the hubs free?  |
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Texas4x4
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• Tyler, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 7/25/2003 |
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• 289 posts |
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Posted:9/22/2003 16:26 |
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I can't speak for the X but the diffs MUST be vented somehow, likely through a valve somewhere on the pumpkin, Best to get under a take a look. Definitely need hoses if they're not there and run them to the highest point in the engine compartment.
I have a 2WD X so dunno about the hubs. If I had to use pliers to turn the locks on my Jeep then I would be worried and would tear them down.
Can after-market hubs be had for these behemoths?
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Kevin Curry
Staff Writer: www.ROCKCRAWLER.com
[email protected]
http://www.texas4x4.com
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Weatherlite
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• Mountain Home AFB, ID, USA |
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• Registered on 10/21/2002 |
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• 133 posts |
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Posted:9/24/2003 13:12 |
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The hub issue has been brought up before. Yes, there are aftermarket hubs for our X's. As far as the sticking, the fix was to regularly rotate the hubs once in a while to keep em lubed. Once they're stuck like yours I THINK you had to take em apart to lube em back up again...then it was just the maintenance turning. Do a quick search and you should find the thread.
Mikie |
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E. Long
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• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
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• Atlanta, GA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
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• 2,229 posts |
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Posted:9/29/2003 23:00 |
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| Quote: | I've done some mild water crossing with the X. Mild to me is 6"-18" deep. Are there vents on the differentials in which water could enter during these crossings? I saw a magazine article about running hoses from the vents to prevent this situation. Any suggestions?
Also, I recently went out and had to use plyers to rotate the front hubs from "Auto" to "Lock." Should any lubricatant like WD-40 be used to keep the hubs free? |
Unless Ford has done something magical with these hubs, you should always take apart your hubs to re-grease (and let any excess water out) if they've been submerged.
If you are needing to rotate the front hubs with a set of pliers and can't do it by hand, this is a good sign that you need to regrease them. WD-40 will not penetrate into the internal areas of the hub that needs to be lubricated. You will need to use grease.
Hubs are not terribly difficult to disassemble and reassemble. There is usually one very annoying and sometimes painful c-clip that your hands/pliers usually slips off of during disassembly that causes you to skin a knuckle or two. It's been a few years since I've disassembled a hub, but the main seal you're concerned with keeping intact and not crushing is the outside seal that the hub tightens against. While I don't remember torque specs, you don't want to pinch your cheeks while tightening the hub screws/bolts back into place.
Wow, this was a pretty long post for being very non-specific...hopefully it helps. 
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
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Dave Sullivan
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• Kitchener, XX, Canada |
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• Registered on 2/27/2003 |
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• 199 posts |
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Posted:1/5/2004 18:26 |
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The hubs are probably the most disgusting thing ford could have done to the EX.
I"ve had mine apart. I wont go into the sad story I ran into at the dealership when i discovered mine had siezed to the point where I could not even turn them with pliers.
Long story short, Yes, take them apart. Its fairly simple. Don't toast the seal. Dont use grease. use a light lubricant after washing the old crap off. (inside the hub and its splines) I ended up using wd-40 to loosen up the plastic excuse ford used for a turning handle. I sprayed around the outside crack to loosen them up and then worked a bit of light grease around the crack while turning the hub. This is just to keep the water and crap out.
It has been workable since but not great and my vacum leaks in cold weather, so its going to get a bit more attention this summer. I've given up on ford service.
Dave
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Boar-Ral
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• Edmonton, XX, Canada |
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• Registered on 8/20/2003 |
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• 56 posts |
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Posted:2/27/2004 15:42 |
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| Quote: | | Unless Ford has done something magical with these hubs, you should always take apart your hubs to re-grease (and let any excess water out) if they've been submerged. |
This is exactly correct. That is what Ford states in the manual. |
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