Front drive shaft question

I need some advice. I blew my cv joint on the hwy. Replaced drivers side cv, both wheel bearings, and ball joints. Go for a ride and it starts humming at 30mph+. Took front drive shaft off and the noise is gone. Runs smoother than ever. Is this the drive shaft or the front dif? And if it's the drive shaft, can I fix it or do I replace it?
I have a 6 cylinder Eddie Bauer edition explorer as well, can I swap front drive shafts to see if that's the problem?

Could be the driveshaft. The front diff turns regardless of the driveshaft.

Take it to a driveshaft shop. They should be able to tell you if its bent. And if it is, they can retube it inexpensively.

wearman said:

I need some advice. I blew my cv joint on the hwy. Replaced drivers side cv, both wheel bearings, and ball joints. Go for a ride and it starts humming at 30mph+. Took front drive shaft off and the noise is gone. Runs smoother than ever. Is this the drive shaft or the front dif? And if it's the drive shaft, can I fix it or do I replace it?
I have a 6 cylinder Eddie Bauer edition explorer as well, can I swap front drive shafts to see if that's the problem?

Click to expand...

Sure, if one is available. But, did the hum occur while driving straight ahead, or only during around a curve? Driveshafts themselves generally cannot cause a hum, rather a lower-pitched grumbling sound. imp

Driving straight ahead. It's more like a whining/humming noise. It didn't do it before I replaced the cv joint.

And I didn't change the gear lube. It was low so I added about a quart.

How could it have bent? From the cv axle issue or something? When I firs put it on the dolly to get it home I didn't know one of the ds had to come off. So I pulled it initially and it didn't work quite so well as u know, but, could that have bent it? I'm pretty sure whatever is wrong with it is because of what we did. Pulled it with both shafts still on, but I just can't pinpoint what it is. But I figured since I removed the front one and the gears still turn anyway, that it basically pinpoints the front drive shaft.