D50 weeping locking hub

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D50 weeping locking hub

BigBrother-84
This post was updated on .
Hi Gentlemen!

From birth to 2013, Big Brother had kind of "grey" (and always dirty) steel wheels.


In 2013, I painted the truck charcoal, with black wheels.


For the 2020 resto, I decided to offer Big Bro a bran new 1984 two-tone costume with nice 1984 white steel shoes.

As some of you already know, after couple of quiet years, Big Bro has got back to the road more seriously this 2023 summer.  This made me notice that:
A) I have to clean these nice white wheels really often!
B) The passenger locking hub seems to weep...

Looking closer to pictures before 2013, it is possible that this was already there, but picts I have aren't that clear.

I noticed that the passenger locking hub isn't perfectly tight, a bit slack if I try to rotate it.  The driver side one is really stiff.
I suspect that the driver's hub is more recent (lever is still red red instead of sun burned "pink").


Anyway, I now have these thin grease lines around the passenger wheel.



Looking at the parts diagram, it doesn't seem to have any gasket or seal there.


Any advice?

Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.
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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

Gary Lewis
Administrator
Jeff - I'm pretty sure that there's an o-ring around the hub that's not shown in that illustration.  And I'd bet that it is leaking, which is why you are slinging grease.

I'd pull the hub off and inspect the o-ring and its recess in the hub.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

BigBrother-84
Ok, so there’s probably a seal there (which sounds logical).

Going to take a look, but maybe not before the trip (I prefer not to risk to break something, a rust retaining bolt or who knows).

This is my temporary solution:




This will also help to confirm beyond any doubt that this is the source of these grease drips.
Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.
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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

Gary Lewis
Administrator
I think that will work nicely.  And it'll prove where the leak is - or isn't.  
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

grumpin
In reply to this post by BigBrother-84
Another thing in my opinion, is to service it as per the factory manual.

Those hubs aren't load bearing and don't require a bunch of grease.

The auto hubs on my Bronco call for submerging the hub in ATF and letting it drip before install.

Folks will complain that those auto hubs don't work when it's cold and they pack them with wheel bearing grease!
Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona
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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

BigBrother-84
You're right Dane, these manual Locking Hubs are harder to switch during winter.

Before I bought Big Bro from my wife's father, they broke something in the front locks, pulling a boat trailer out from the water, after a moose hunting week.
That year, the river level was very low, the trailer was in the mud, and they didn't see it was stuck on a hidden stump.
Set up in 4WD-Low, instead of spinning, Big Bro hurt himself...

The garage guys probably "submerged" the front hubs with grease when they serviced them.
Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.
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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
Winter lubrication often means '00' grease.
The preferred lube for snowblowers and other winter equipment.

The hubs don't see constant rotation.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

351FUN
In reply to this post by BigBrother-84
That reminds me, I need to get new hubs at some point too.  One of them got smashed pretty good and I'm not even sure it still engages.  I haven't seen mud or even a proper dirt road since I moved last July though, so it's not urgent.
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Re: D50 weeping locking hub

AmericanSavage
In reply to this post by BigBrother-84
I think Gary is correct.  I did my front end u joints early in the summer or late spring, the o ring is on the locking part of the hub that is removed.

Here it is noted at TK for a Warn cap/manual:

1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)