Front Drive Axle; General Information; Manual Locking Hubs; Removal & Installation - Ford Ranger Maintaince And Repair Manual

FRONT DRIVE AXLE

General Information

The front drive axle on the Ranger, Explorer and Mountaineer can be either the Dana 28 series, or the Dana 35
series. However, there are two versions of the Dana 35 and while both are an Independent Front Suspension
(IFS) axle, their differences are drastic.
The Mountaineer, 1995−99 Explorer and 1998−99 Rangers use a centrally mounted front differential with
unequal length upper and lower control arms and front axle halfshafts. Also, these axle assemblies do not use
hub−locks at the wheel ends. Instead, they use a vacuum operated disconnect system mounted to the axle
housing, which locks and unlocks the axles. See Vacuum Disconnect Axle Lock later in this section for
service procedures.
All other models use the twin I−beam style front axle assembly with either manual or automatic locking hubs
at the wheel ends.

Manual Locking Hubs

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
Exploded view of the manual locking hub assembly and related components
1. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts.
2. Raise and safely support the front of the vehicle.
3. Remove the lug nuts and wheel/tire assembly.
4. If equipped, remove the lug nut retainer washers from the wheel studs.
Some gentle tapping with a soft faced hammer may help to loosen the locking hub if it seems stuck.
FRONT DRIVE AXLE
Click to enlarge
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