Does anyone else have their K20 Spicer hubs freeze up?

[roger0080]

About every 15 months, my K20 Spicer lockout hubs refuse to operate smoothly. All winter the truck sat parked with the hubs locked in. Now when I go to unlock them, the right side refuses to unlock (even after driving it around the yard a bit). Last time, I carefully sealed up everything, lubricated, greased the insides, even sealed the hub bolts thinking water & rain would leak in causing the minor rust in the hub gears.

One year it was November in the rain, got hung up, and only one hub would lock in and the other wouldn't turn and I think I cleaned them up that spring. I don't get it.

I figure it must be a common problem 'cause in pictures of others trucks, you can see where owners have taken pliers etc to the blue buttons and magled them, just like my right side one

Any cures?

[special-K]

They need regular service,clean/lube.Don`t pack grease in the lock-out mechanism.I use oil after I clean.I keep channel-locks handy.

[Sweet72]

This has been a problem since they were new. I remember a K20 my neighbor had bought new in '72 and the hub locks were chewed up from having to use pliers almost within a year. He cleaned and lubed them often and cussed at 'em all the time.

[roger0080]

Well Sunday I pulled it into the shed for a quick take apart, lube and put it together and when I got the hub off, I see the roll pin broke at the blue hole, bummer. I didn't even abuse the hub when it was frozen. Fortuneatley, I had a donner axle. Only 1 out of the 2 blue plastic hub was usable.

I have a real corrosion problem in mine. When I took the hub apart, I could see condenstation on the gears. This has been going on since I got the truck. When I first ever took the hubs apart when I got it (all the seals were leaking on the hubs) and sealed them all up so they don't leak, I seem to get this rusting/corrosion on the gears going on inside.

When I was borrowing from the donnor axle, with leaking hub gaskets/seals and all, the inside was pristine other than all greased up, just like mine use to be.

I don't use the paper gaskets to seal the hubs, but silicone RTV. Can it be sealed too well as to not "breathe" and let the air in & out????

As for the freezing or locking of the blue hub dial, I always was thought it was due to the finer slot teeth sticking to the outer hub gear, but after a closer look, I wonder if 99% of the trouble is with the blue hub dial, the roll pin, and the slotted cage that turns on the roll pin. I think this is what Longhornman was saying to lube with oil? When It is lubed with oil it turns nicely, but when the lube goes it gets cocked, dry and hard to turn is my guess, and this is the part to clean on a regular basis.

Should the gear parts be smothered with wheel bearing grease normally and just lube the blue hub dial part? Is there any overhaul manuals that cover these hubs? Should I use the paper gaskets?? I just can't get over the condensation in the hub!

TIA
-Roger

[special-K]

Using RTV is how I`ve always done it,no problem there.Is it both sides that get the condensation?Could it be getting hot,then cooling causing condensation?It`s meant to be sealed.On the broken blue dial,you can re-drill new holes in a new location around the dial.The marks won`t line up,you`ll have to remember the locations or feel it get tighter(locking)or looser(free).I don`t really grease the l/o mechanism at all,just oil.Maybe you need to "dress" the splines a little when you clean them next.I wish I could come by and help.The factory service manual covers hub service.