Warn locking hub damage: How bad and next steps?

[RJ'sTJ]

Heya all! Brand new, first time TJ owner here. Flat towed home and it's possible the prior owner had not unlocked a front hub / and that I did not double check...

It's a pretty solid looking rig otherwise - but this needs sorting now before any trails!

It's a Dana 44 / 19 Spline front which had(!) Warn manual locking hubs.

Looks like the stub shaft and hub / housing are both toast - damaged circlip grooves and the Hub is flared out - and the nut looks like it's backed way off. I'm not familiar with this set up - was planning to learn in a less catastrophic manner but here we are!

Can anyone offer any insights on next steps? is it even safe to drive or tow? I have not managed to find a cross section or exploded view of this set up that shows this nut.

Thanks all!

 

[Wildman]

@mrblaine can you help him out?

 

[Weasellee]

May as well add a photo of this “solid looking rig”

 

[Weasellee]

@Andy-WhiteTJ Any help here?

 

[Wildman]

They look like a 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern hub? And you can get new stub shafts if those can't be cleaned up.

https://www.partsmike.com/products/dana-44-5x5-5-bearing-hub

https://www.partsmike.com/products/...-ton-ford-dana-44?_pos=1&_sid=20b4673ab&_ss=r

You'll need to verify the length on your stub shafts

I've got Yukon hubs on my HP44

https://www.partsmike.com/products/...e-locking-hub-set?_pos=4&_sid=bd18f04ff&_ss=r

 

[Wildman]

Do you know what Dana 44 front axle it is?

Waggy?
Ford Hp44?

Or custom?

 

[RJ'sTJ]

Hey all - thanks for such detailed and rapid support!

@Wildman, awesome - thanks for those store links. For the specifics - all I got from the prior owner was that it's a high pinion Dana 44.

This (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000182DYC?tag=wranglerorg-20) on Amazon looks to be the manual locking hub kit - so have got this on order - but does seem like the Hub and Axle are toast- the Hub is significantly flared at the open face and the Axle circlip channel is washed out - looks like both had a pretty catastrophic time. Possibly the threaded Spindle is damaged too - but that's not clean and exposed enough for me to see clearly yet.

@Weasellee - attached pic. This is the arrival at home pic... without a locking hub... so it left the building on what I had thought was the smoothest possible first time flat towing...

Pic 2 here was taking a look deeper and there's some good sized metal flakes - then I tapped the Nut with a driver and... it was not on any of those threads at all.

Glad I cleared a garage space for it as it's already making itself known at home!

 

[Wildman]

That is the same axle that I have in my TJ. I narrowed mine to Waggy width but still the same axle. I used to run the Warn locking hubs but like that the Yukon hub default to locked if they break.

It does look like your stub shaft is shot. The hub might be OK but for the cost I'd just replace it.

Nice looking TJ BTW. Looks like the WB is stretched a little too.

Got any more details.

Here's mine.

 

[sab]

I'm no help, as I have no experience with locking hubs on a TJ, but welcome to a great forum! That photo of your rig has an odd optical illusion going on that makes the rear tires look bigger than the front!

 

[CMBD]

I'm no help, as I have no experience with locking hubs on a TJ, but welcome to a great forum! That photo of your rig has an odd optical illusion going on that makes the rear tires look bigger than the front!

View attachment 663506

I was just thinking the same thing

 

[RJ'sTJ]

All good - and yes good spot - the wheelbase is stretched to 100". Thanks for the help, all.

Build details - all that I have, here:

Drivetrain

• 4.0L 16 with 161k miles
• AX15 5-speed manual transmission
• NP231 transfer case
• Cylinder head rebuilt in 2022 at ~156k miles
• Cooling system refreshed at ~158k miles (new radiator, water pump)

Axles

Full axle build completed in 2022. Both axles were rebuilt inside and out (bearings, ball joints, brakes/rotors, etc.). Only ~4k miles since.

• High-Pinion Dana 44 front axle, trussed, chromoly outer shafts, Detroit locker,
  4.56 gears
• Ford 9" rear end with disk brake conversion (functioning parking brake), full chromoly shafts, ARB air locker, 4.56 gears
• Fully trussed front and rear with heavy-duty diff covers
• Redneck Ram ported steering box + 7x1.5 hydro-assist ram, both brand new <4 months old

Suspension & Chassis

• Radius long arm front
• 4-link long arm rear
• RuffStuff DOM control arms with heavy-duty heim joints
• Antirock sway bars front and rear
• 100" wheelbase (stretched), 82" tire-to-tire width
• 6" lift shocks on 4" lift (Bilstein 5100s, MetalCloak dual-rate springs)
• Reinforced "frenched" frame front and rear
• DirtyLife Roadkill 17x9 beadlock wheels
• 37" Cooper STT Pro tires

 

[Hopper]

Hey all - thanks for such detailed and rapid support!

@Wildman, awesome - thanks for those store links. For the specifics - all I got from the prior owner was that it's a high pinion Dana 44.

This (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000182DYC?tag=wranglerorg-20) on Amazon looks to be the manual locking hub kit - so have got this on order - but does seem like the Hub and Axle are toast- the Hub is significantly flared at the open face and the Axle circlip channel is washed out - looks like both had a pretty catastrophic time. Possibly the threaded Spindle is damaged too - but that's not clean and exposed enough for me to see clearly yet.

@Weasellee - attached pic. This is the arrival at home pic... without a locking hub... so it left the building on what I had thought was the smoothest possible first time flat towing...

Pic 2 here was taking a look deeper and there's some good sized metal flakes - then I tapped the Nut with a driver and... it was not on any of those threads at all.

Glad I cleared a garage space for it as it's already making itself known at home!

View attachment 663448

View attachment 663450

Best color Jeep in my opinion

 

[lBasket]

Best color Jeep in my opinion

Where's the yellow am I missing it??

 

[Hopper]

Where's the yellow am I missing it??

Obviously

 

[k1n3k]

Hmm... Maybe my jeep needs to be sitting on 37s and long arms...

Damn, you people are bad influences

 

[lBasket]

Hmm... Maybe my jeep needs to be sitting on 37s and long arms...

Damn, you people are bad influences

 

[Moglocker]

View attachment 663587

Is that Jerry b?

 

[lBasket]

Is that Jerry b?

It is!

 

[macleanflood]

4.56 and 37s?

-Mac

 

[Moglocker]

It is!

I thought he was on short arms?