Half locked front end

[grngoat]

How much damage, if any, have I done to my front end. Had to lock the hubs the other morning and didn't unlock one side. I drove approximately 25 miles, speeds up to 55 mph. Loud thumping noise is what caught my attention. Unlocked the hub and all rode well.

Thanks, Lee

 

[scrapdaddy]

I did that one time back in the eighties, It was 27 miles, from home to work and I don't remember any problems.

 

[PabloCruise]

Check the front drive-shaft - is it loose? The bolts at the flange can loosen, or the pinion nut holding the flange on can loosen.

If you heard thumping from spinning the front drive-train, it is worth checking out. How is bearing in t-case for front?

 

[nuclearbeef]

I once left both hubs locked in on my '79 IH Scout after needing to lock them on the last day of duck season. (end of January).

It took until mid summer for the u-joint on the front drive shaft to break, sending the drive shaft crashing to the highway at 60 or 70 mph.
It was the front u-joint too!

Lucky the surface was smooth and it didn't catch on anything before I came to a stop. I would have hated to see my x-fer case pole-vaulted through my floorboard.

Before everyone is too hard on me for not noticing the funny noises or the horrible steering, I was only about 17. I remember wondering why it would jump and bounce in a tight turn at low speed.

 

[Megadoomer]

I drove my last work truck (f250) about 90 miles from the desert to san Diego with the hubs locked. Nothing happened just noisy on turns. I could have done a testimonial video for ford in that thing, because I beat the *beep* out of it and it never failed me. It is still in use by one of the other offices.