Yukon Gear Hardcore Locking Hub Set For Dana 60 / 35 Spline. 99-04 Ford

A 1999-2004 Ford F-250 or F-350 Super Duty with a Dana 60 front axle that has been built up with 35-spline outer shafts and aftermarket unit bearings needs a lockout made for that combination. The factory AUTO/LOCK hubs are a common failure on these trucks, and they are no help once the stubs have changed. The Yukon Gear & Axle Hardcore locking hub set YHC70002 gives you two all-steel, manual-only hubs sized for 35-spline stubs on the Super Duty unit bearing front end.

What the locking hub does on a Super Duty Dana 60

The 1999-2004 Super Duty does not use the old spindle-nut and tapered-bearing hub. The wheel hub is a unit bearing bolted to the knuckle, and the outer axle stub runs through its center, held by a washer and snap ring. The lockout bolts into the face of that unit bearing. When the Hardcore hub is set to LOCK, its spring pushes a splined driver and coupler over the 35-spline stub and into the hub splines so the front axle drives the wheel. In FREE the cam spacer holds the driver out and the wheel turns on its bearing. There is no AUTO mode and no vacuum to leak. You turn the dial 1/3 turn and it is locked. Yukon builds it with chromoly internals and designs it to default to the locked position and hold under high torque.

Symptoms that bring Super Duty owners here

• Factory hubs pull in LOCK but not in AUTO, or quit working in AUTO completely
• Grinding or ratcheting from one front wheel under load
• A hub that drops out of engagement on a hard pull after a 35-spline axle upgrade
• Cracked or loose OE hub dials and caps
• Front driveshaft still turning in 2WD with hubs released

How to confirm before you buy

If the truck pulls with the factory dials in LOCK, the transfer case and front differential are doing their job and the problem is the hub mechanism. Our 1999-2004 Super Duty auto locking hub guide explains why AUTO fails first. Then put the front tires in the air and check the stub axle and unit bearing for play. Yukon notes that a worn spindle-to-axle bearing can keep a lockout from engaging and releasing properly, and a new hub will not fix that.

Fitment

Yukon's application chart lists YHC70002 for 35-spline Dana 60 fronts on 1999-2004 Ford Super Duty with aftermarket unit bearings. Pull a hub cap and count the outer stub splines before you order. Super Duty trucks that still have 30-spline stubs take the YHC70004 30-spline Super Duty set, and Yukon also makes a single 35-spline 99-04 Ford hub if you only need one side. Some first-generation Super Duty trucks use a Dana 50 front axle instead of a Dana 60, so confirm the axle tag too. Send us the year, VIN and spline count if you want us to check it.

Install notes

• Park on level ground with the parking brake set and the transfer case in 2WD or neutral before removing the factory hubs.
• On a unit bearing you should see the axle stub, the inner part of the bearing, the washer and the snap ring. Yukon requires the OEM washer and snap ring in all unit bearing installs, so get them if they are missing.
• Skip the spring retainer used on older spindle-nut axles. On a unit bearing the coil spring sits inside the outer hub.
• Clean and deburr the hub splines, use high pressure grease on every part, and torque the bezel bolts to 22 in-lbs with Loctite 242.
• Check that the driver has less than 0.200 in of float before closing it up.

Fresh hub seals keep water out of the new lockouts, so the Super Duty front hub seal kit is worth adding. For gear and bearing work on the same axle, see the 99-16 Super Duty Dana 60 front master install kit and our manual locking hubs buyers guide.

Does YHC70002 fit a stock 1999-2004 Super Duty?

Yukon lists it for 35-spline Dana 60 fronts on 1999-2004 Super Duty with aftermarket unit bearings. If your stubs are 30-spline, use YHC70004 instead.

Do these hubs have an AUTO setting?

No. The Hardcore hub is a manual FREE/LOCK hub that switches with a 1/3 turn of the bezel. It does not use vacuum.

Do I reuse the factory washer and snap ring?

Yes. Yukon says the OEM washer and snap ring are required for all unit bearing installs. Replace them if they are missing or damaged.

Will it fit a Super Duty with a Dana 50?

This set is listed for Dana 60 fronts only. Check the axle tag before ordering, since some first-generation Super Duty trucks have a Dana 50.

How do I test the hubs after install?

Lift the front tires, set LOCK and turn a tire: the driveshaft should turn. Set FREE and spin it: the driveshaft should not move and there should be no ratcheting.

What maintenance do they need?

Yukon says to take apart, clean and re-grease the hubs any time they are submerged in water or mud.