94 bronco brakes are throwing a curveball

[thompl]

I started a front brake job on a 94 bronco and it looks like the auto-locking hub has to come off before the rotor can come off. so i took out all the auto locking hub guts carefully and now there's a huge axle nut. no problem except that there is a "woodruff" style key holding the nut from spinning on the axle shaft. now that key wont come out therefore the nut wont turn and I cant get the hub OR the rotor off! and now I feel like i'm missing something because I searched the forum and it seems like its relatively easy to change a rotor on a bronco. Is there a trick to it? does the axle nut have to come off? all help is greatly appreciated.

[buffs 78 ford]

Get a spanner socket and center up the groves over the key. Get a good magnent to pull the key out with..

[thompl]

I understand what your saying but the key won't come out at all just will not budge, tried magnet, tried pliers, tried picks, tried drilling the key out. it looks like someone did a brake job before and just shoved a "substitute" key in there that didn't quite fit right. my next idea is to torch cut the hub off and replace it with a new hub when its done. but that seems like an expensive way to do it I keep thinking, "there's gotta be an easier way"

[Blue79]

If you havent drilled out to much you may be able to drill a hole and put a self taping bolt in then attach a slide hammer and pull it.

[Ranger429]

While I don't know alot about the auto locking hubs I've never seen any type of keyway used. Are you sure it isn't just a locking tab that gets bent over like the older style hubs used? Can you take a picture and post it?

[Blue79]

After looking at my books I agree. What you are seeing is the fold over tab on the lock washer.
http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/content/how-to/en_US/0996b43f/80/a0/14/d2/f_mt_tps8.38.gif

[buffs 78 ford]

Is the a new style spring loaded single locking nut by any chance

[thompl]

After looking at my books I agree. What you are seeing is the fold over tab on the lock washer.
http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/content/how-to/en_US/0996b43f/80/a0/14/d2/f_mt_tps8.38.gif

so, does the fold over tab have to come off? or can i just turn the lock nut off?

[Ranger429]

Tap the fold over tab up and in with a screwdriver and then screw the nut off.

[littlezell]

it is a pain same set up that I had on my 90..then I went to manual hubs...when taking the auto hub out you dont really have to disassemble there is a o ring that holds the assmebly in place. its very easy to tear apart.. I got really good at pulling them since my 90 kept eating bearings...I wasnt doing anything wrong, I was just getting bad parts. I hope that this helps..



http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/851883/fullsize/dscn0848.jpg]


http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/851884/fullsize/dscn0849.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/851885/fullsize/dscn0850.jpg

[Allcruisen]

littlezell, I am pretty sure his is different then yours. I had the same on my '95 and its just the way Blue79 and Ranger explained.

thompl, Pull that tab towards the wall of the hub and then start unscrewing it the way described above.

If I am not mistaken the '93-'96 Auto hubs only have three mounting screws were as the earlier ones have five.


Thanks
AC
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[Steve83]

No foldover tabs in '80-96 4WD trucks. There are 3 ways the WB nuts are retained: self-locking (rare), 2 round 4-notch nuts & a perforated lock ring (common), or a small key in a serrated hex nut ('94-96 w/3-screw auto hub locks only).

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/173628/thumbnail/bearingnutadjustment.jpg (http://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/173628) . http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/173604/thumbnail/hubnutselflocking.jpg (http://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/173604) . http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/72049/thumbnail/b37.jpg (http://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/72049)

5-screw auto locks with 2 nuts were used as late as '95.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/881327/thumbnail/oj14rotorrhf.jpg (http://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/881327)