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Great, now what did I do? (w/pictures)

nattieleather

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It's good that you got to the problem and will be able to fix it and you were not stranded someplace in the process. It's also good that you are going to check all the other wheels to make sure the problem isn't going to repeat itself. I good word to anyone who buys a MV. #1 thing to do is check all lubrications and performs a PMCS on your vehicle before you start driving it as you don't know what the person before you did or didn't do. That includes anything purcahsed off of GSA or GLA. Don't assume that the GI or the maintance guy before you did his or her job.
 

Retiredwarhorses

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I can't tell from the pic, but I would make sure your guy used new multi star washer and spindle nuts...even with no oil, that spindle and bearings are monsters, but it clearly looks like some forgot to add fluid, if you had a leak...you would have known it, you would have 80/90 GO slung all over the inside of the rim and other places....assuming you are doing post and pre run inspections.
having been a flight engineer for 10yrs in the Army, I learned a valuable lesson that I use to this day and pass on to all my customers and friends of MV's....treat the vehicle like an aircraft you are flying in...pre and post flight inspection...I cannot tell you the number of things I have found while adhering to this philosophy. I do a full undercarriage "wipe down" after a long day out...what that meant in the military was if you were wiping it down, you were touching it, if your touching it, your looking at it, plus by alway doing this you can check nuts, bolts, leaky seals, things that don't look the same way they did on the last wipe down....from experience....I Red X'd to helicopters in a 1/2period we were supposed to fly in one day, the pilot said "someone up there don't want us to fly to today" so we called it a night...one issue was a major crack in the transmission support blocks....I found this visually, the other air craft was the tail rotor drive shaft bearings were shot, each one would have resulted in a Class A catostrophic accident....but all averted by doing the same mind numbing "wipe down"
 

Retiredwarhorses

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Im looking at the Pic again....that Nut has backed off considerably, and had there once been GO in the HUB, you would see some remants...that is BONE dry. You may need to actually cut that spindle nut off with a Cutting wheel...I dont see a Star washer on it.
Oh, and you might ask, how would have I known this was happening? part of my Post Flight inspection is to actually touch my 4 Geared hubs to get a sense of Temp as to compare...same on Diffs.again, thats just my routine....served me well and prevented some serious incidents over the years.
 
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vitamink

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Yeah i'm pretty sure there was either no gear oil in the hub, or there was a bad seal and it all leaked out in the grass, where it wasn't seen pooling, and then driven away. When i removed the various covers the inside was filled with metal powder. You can't really tell from the picture, but the seal is buggered up pretty bad so the knuckle itself is rubbish now (sorry i've been watching british "top gear" all day). Your advice is absolutely spot on with the "wipe down". This is my first MV and i'm at a disadvantage that this is the only Hmmwv i've driven and i've never driven a new one to compare it to. On most fords i can tell when something is off immediately. I went to a local base and talked to a hmmwv mechanic. Once i get this thing back together he's going to drive it for a bit and track down any issues before they're problems. Once i have a control group to work from then i know what's normal and what isn't.

As a side note i have a friend that makes furniture and art out of industrial sized gears and what not... I think i'll have him make me something out of the remnants of my geared hub as a reminder.
 

doghead

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Crack on...
 

hummer4x4guy

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I second the spindle nut..if the tire assembly wobbles when its off the ground you most likely have an issue inside the geared hub. Remove the four bolts on the back (after ya drain the oil)
 

86humv

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If not mentioned by someone else....check all the other hubs, if they are dry, then they might be toast also.
 

doghead

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The last 2 posts, why don't you guys actually read the thread through, before posting?
 

Retiredwarhorses

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I still say if, if the hub had leaked, you would have Gear oil all over the inside if the, plus, even if the spindle seal was toast, there would still be Gear oil in the lower sump of the Hub. I rebuild these hubs weekly and customer come in with this seal quite trashed, usually due to the spindle seal mating surface is bad due to rust, pitting or most commonly a groove has formed in the seal contact area....when you took the rim off the truck, was there any sign of gear oil on the inside of the rim?
 

Retiredwarhorses

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You know, lookin at that pick,close up....2things strike me, one is it does look like the spindle nut is the older one tab type....second is, does anyone see the bearing? Or did it greand and fall out when the steering arm cover removed....I would assume so....
 

vitamink

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It was pretty much one big solid brittle mass. I think the majority of the bearing is that curved flat piece you see laying where the ball joint mounts. The rest of it turned into metal powder...seriously it felt like flour.

New hub assembly on the way!
 

DSO_351

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The spindle nut has been revised or improved over the years. 1st had four side slots for the star washer tabs. 2nd had eight side slots. 3rd (H1) had a internal hex capscrew turned 90 degrees to apply tension.
 

vitamink

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My geared hub package hasn't arrived yet. As soon as it does, i'll put it on. It doesn't look like it'll be too hard to connect it to the suspension arms, i'm a little worried about where the universal joint connects though as i haven't messed with any MV's before.

I did order an Airlift bumper that i'm excited about...don't have any brackets for it and i can't seem to find any...so it looks great on my garage floor. I hope to find a Rhino tire carrier for it...incase my garage floor ever gets a flat.
 

doghead

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Did you check the other hubs yet?
 

vitamink

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I checked the TM's as best i could, and i see how to repair the geared hub assembly, but not how to install/remove it from the upper and lower arms. Any tips?
 

Retiredwarhorses

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Disconnect the tie rod, unbolt ball joints and its off...if you take the 4. 3/4in bolts off the control arm that the tie rod attaches to on the geared gun, you will save a rod end...most of the time the rubber boot gets destroyed removing ball joints and tie rod ends...it will swing out of way. But to be honest...your heard hub casing is fine, you could just rebuild the hub without taking it off....new bearings,races, spindle etc....
 
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