Remove front driveshaft on AWD Mountaineer | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Remove front driveshaft on AWD Mountaineer

cbrock

Member
Joined
February 12, 2006
Messages
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City, State
Athens, GA
Year, Model & Trim Level
05 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6MT
I believe I have a bad transfer case causing a thumping noise when in motion. Is it safe to completely remove the front drive shaft and only rely on RWD from here on out? Or at least until I can afford a new xfer case. One local shop tells me that removing the front shaft will throw an error code and screw up the transmission but that is contrary to what I've read on here. I don't need the AWD since I live in GA where it snows once every 5 years, and no way I'm getting on the roads with other nutjobs in those conditions!!

If it is safe to remove, how do I go about doing so? I wasn't able to find any instructions by searching.

Any help is greatly appreciated in advance!!

-Chris
 



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My t-case went out on my 02 mounty and I removed the front drive shaft to see if it was the T- case. I drove it like this for 2 weeks no problems here.
 






Yah, I thought I had a bad viscous coupling so i disconeccted mine aswell, I didnt seem to have any problems. theres like 6 small bolts that connect it to the transfer case( i recomend a universal socket joint and some extention) and starbit or something to take off the universal joint on the front diff.
 






there are about 6-8 8mm bolts on the transfer case end and you will need a t30 torx bit to disconnect the u joint from the front diff. there are four bolts there.
 






But will this throw a code or kill the tranny? I bet it would help the MPG on mine.
STU
 






But will this throw a code or kill the tranny? I bet it would help the MPG on mine.
STU

Your transmission will not have a clue that the front shaft is missing. I drove my '04 with the front shaft OFF the vehicle for quite awhile, no trouble code generated, no problems.

But, it strikes me that IF you are experiencing some problem within the transfer case, how will front shaft removal change anything in it? Everything in the AWD design turns ALL the TIME, so unless the noise is originating AT, or FORWARD of, the viscous clutch powering the front shaft, it seems doubtful conditions will change with the shaft removed.

If you go ahead, the transfer case end MUST be disconnected first, according to Ford Shop Manual, to avoid damaging the seal boot within the coupling, which consists of a funky-looking C-V joint. The shaft is connected to it by 6 bolts which are loc-tited in place at the factory; I broke 2 sockets loosening them. The front end of the shaft needs a Torx key to remove the 4 screws fastening the straps which secure the standard-type U-joint there.

I hate those Torx jobbies, so replaced mine with Grade 8 Socket Head Cap Screws- they are 1/4-inch 28 thread bolts, good old standard non-metric! The transf. case end ARE metric, I forget the size, but I replaced them with SHCS screws also. imp
 






Thanks for the clarification fellas. I'm going to try and undertake this over the weekend and hopefully I don't screw anything up hah.

Also, does anyone know if there is a (harmonic?) balancer attached to the front driveshaft somehow? Friend and I were pressing in new upper and lower ball joints last weekend and couldn't figure out what some of the components were up front :/
 






i took minb e out had no prob except if u dont put ur emergency brake on it will roll away
 






Is the transfer case sealed still with the drive shaft removed?
 






Will the transfer case leak fluid with the drive shaft out?
 






I was driving with out a front drive shaft and didn't have any problems.. but mine is 4x4 not AWD
 






It is still sealed after the shaft is removed, and no it will not leak. (unless you have other issues that would cause it to leak)
 






Did you notice any 1st gear problems? I removed my front driveshaft and my 1st gear doesn't respond well wondering if it was normal? drives fine after 1st.
 






Your transmission should shift the same as it did with the front shaft installed. Mine was out when I bought the truck and shifted absolutely fine. Sounds like something else is wrong.... maybe VC is slipping?
 












new question on an old thread, I damaged my front left axle splines at the hub, if I remove the front axle, will I be able to drive the truck normally on the street without the front left tire jumping the axle on takeoff? and someone said that it is necessary to set the parking brake if it is removed, is this correct? because my parking brake hasn't worked for a while now
 






How would you "jump the axle" if it is missing? It should drive normally without the axle. If you are that worried about it, disconnect the front driveshaft.

The parking brake has nothing to do with it.
 






How would you "jump the axle" if it is missing? It should drive normally without the axle. If you are that worried about it, disconnect the front driveshaft.

The parking brake has nothing to do with it.

My wheel is currently jumping the axle at the hub. That is why I want to disconnect the front driveline. It started when the wrong size spare got put on it and drove for 12 miles
 






Worth disconnecting front drive shaft if hub/Bearing is about to fail?

cwol97401, I think I may have the same issue as you have (or hopefully had, I know the last posts to this thread are a few months old)

It seems my front hub(s) and possibly CV joints are bad, have been for about the last 3k making bearing, growling, humming sound under acceleration, and now an increasingly worse jumping sensation.

Odd thing is, once I get to 30 and I set the cruise control, it quiets down but isnt silent, however the awful clunking stops once cruise control is set.

I need to wait 1 week until I will be able to replace my hubs/CV Joints, but right now I am hearing sounds which are really worrying me about potential bearing failure being imminent. I only drive around town and less than 10miles per day as of lately, so I really dont want to break down and I am trying to figure out if there is anything I could do to decrease wear to my front driveline.

I see I would need t30 star bit for i believe 6 bolts to remove u joint from t case, I am trying to see if there is anything other than this that I could do to disable my front end from receiving power with just the basic tools I carry, preferably after work here in the parking lot I would like to attempt it- I heard about the "BWM" Brown wire mod, I dont want to do anything too drastic but I am wondering, does anyone know if there is a fuse I could pull, or some other way around removing those star bits that wouldnt take too long or be too difficult to accomplish, with temps out there in the teens? thanks
 



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Also, wanted to mention I did make a post describing more of the bearing/hub issues I have had and why I am feeling this is very serious- 6 months ago I actually had my rear wheel snap off at the axle due to a previous bearing failure. Post is somewhat lengthy but here it is:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3382292#post3382292

I greatly appreciate any imput
 






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