What's making my locking hubs disintegrate?

A couple weeks ago I got the used Dynatrac HPD44 installed and everything seemed fine. About a week ago I started getting an occasional squeeling sound from the front right side. Over the week end I went wheeling and noticed the hub and spindle were extremely hot when I went to lock them in. Took it to a local shop and they said the hub mechanism of my WARN Premium Hub had disintegrated. They installed a new one and one day later I hear a squeel then a crunching sound! I haven't taken it back yet but I'm certain the hub went crunch again! Any ideas why? I hadn't even put it in 4wheel drive since the repairs.

Thanks

Sounds to me like your wheel bearings are either shot, too tight or both. A lock out hub won't make you're hub hot. Check the bearings, hopefully they didn't spin on the spindle.


Dan

If the inner and outer bearings are different, make sure the right ones went in the right spot.
Crunch

It could be wheel bearings, but it could also be something with the lockout hub contacting the spindle or the snap rings on the outer stub not being in the correct spot for correct fitment of the locking hub parts etc. I know there are different length spindles and different length stub shafts and since this is a custom axle, perhaps some of the parts don't match properly. I suggest taking everything apart and examining for interference. Jeff

Thanks for the replies. It was the wheel bearings. I just figured that since I took it in and said "I think my wheel bearings are going out" they would have properly checked them. I even asked about them after they fixed the hub and he said they were fine. Oh well. The new hub is alright, but the bearing is welded to the spindle. He said he had to cut the ball joints to get it off to send to the machine shop. This morning he said he would only charge me for the bearings(no labor), now that the spindles all jacked we'll see if he tries to charge me for that too.