Turning front wheels by hand

Hi all,

I had the truck jacked up with the front wheels off the ground today. The front wheels were at full droop.

I noticed if I try to turn the wheel by hand it gets really hard to turn at one point in the rotation, and then it becomes easier until I rotate it all the way around back to that point.

Is that normal? The CV axle rotates smoothly when it’s not installed in the knuckle. It seems like only once I have everything bolted together it actually becomes hard to turn like that.

Also I noticed if I raise the lower control arm up a bit with a jack, the rotation becomes increasingly smooth. So it’s only hard to rotate when the wheel is at full droop.

As far as driving, I haven’t noticed any issue.

 

Are they aftermarket CV axles? The aftermarket ones will bind more frequently at full droop compared to OEM axles

 

They’re OEM. Both my old OEM ones I just took off and my new OEM ones I just put on do the same thing

 

Damn that sucks, I'm at a loss then

I'm still going to think it's an issue with the CV just because the issue goes away when you jack up the control arm from full droop and it gets better.

In my experience binding at full droop is almost always a condition of the CV joint

 

Tell me about the lower control arm bushings? Are they OEM or have you replaced them? Whiteline bushings?

 

The lower control arm bushings are OEM. LCAs are OEM. UCAs are SPC. The shocks are fox 2.5 I believe part 883-02-023_1393. When I install the shocks I have to use a pry bar to lower the upper control arm a little bit. I am still running the stock sway bar and end links.

I did minimize or mostly remove the CV binding by installing limit straps.

I’m still wondering if maybe I chose my parts wrong, or maybe I have a bad bearing or something?

I really don’t want to break the brand new CV joints as the OEM CVs aren’t cheap.

 

Next time that you reinstall the shocks, try using the bottle-jack method to lower the upper and lower control arms. I just described that method 5 minutes ago in a previous post.

 

Are the brakes dragging? Pull the pads and rotate the wheel.

 

This. Could have a high spot in the rotors, or a slightly stuck caliper.

 

Sticky caliper

 

Good idea! Actually when I first start driving on a lot of days, my brakes do drag/stick and it’s really annoying.

To my surprise, I pulled the pads and the issue remains. It’s a slight binding with the limit straps (I can turn the rotor by the studs with my hands with the wheel off, but it’s tough). Without the limit straps, I can rotate the wheel through the binding, but I can’t rotate the rotor by the studs with the wheel off.

 

Ok, checked again today. I know 100% sure:
- front differential turns buttery smooth on its own (I can turn it by hand when the CV is out)
- wheel bearing and rotor turns buttery smooth on its own (I can spin the rotor with one or two fingers when the CV is out)
- CV turns well until I reinstall the front shock and the axle nut (checked again after installing both)
- If I shorten the limit straps a little bit, the CV spins well at its full (albeit limited) droop

I’m thinking the angles and length created by my new CV and UCA are just a little bit too extreme for what my stock CV can handle smoothly at full droop. I checked and my shock is actually a fox 2.5 not 2.0.

Just wanted to confirm, is it normal to be able to turn the wheel by hand pretty easily? Even to be able to turn the rotor when the wheel is off?

 

I could turn my front wheels with no binding @ full droop. Haven’t tryed that with the extended Kings. There is some consistent resistance from the brake pads. Yes sounds like your CV is binding at full droop.

 

If you ever have your front end jacked up, please let me know.

I just tightened my limit straps a little more and it’s rotating smooth, so I won’t worry too much.