1995 Ford Ranger 4x4 U-Joint Replace | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1995 Ford Ranger 4x4 U-Joint Replace

Frazil

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Joined
October 26, 2020
Messages
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City, State
Soldotna, Alaska
Year, Model & Trim Level
1998 Ford Explorer XLT
The U-joint (not sure if that is proper name) on my 1995 Ford Ranger, in the four-wheel-drive section seems to have gone bad. The one I’m talking about is a U-joint that goes from a shaft from the pumpkin towards the left side of the vehicle as you’re looking at the front of the vehicle. It’s almost near the center of the vehicle. I have questions about this.

1. Can you change the U joint in place, without removing the wheel and the hub and all that?

2. For those with experience about these, is it usually just a u-joint that really needs replaced, or does the shaft that surrounds it (holding it) usually break too? How would I know if it’s more than just the U-joint while looking at it? I am curious what part I likely need to get.

3. is this actually called a U-joint, or is it called something else.

4. if this u-joint goes bad, does this produce a sloppy feeling in the steering wheel? I jacked up both sides and tried to look at the tire rods, and they don’t look like they’re loose at all. Yet my steering seems loose, and the u-joint definitely is really bad.

Please advise. Thank You.
 



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Your title says 98 and your post says 95, which is it? Those two years have different front axles...
 






Your title says 98 and your post says 95, which is it? Those two years have different front axles...

A 1995. Sorry. I was posting about an Explorer as well.
 






it is indeed a U joint
This is known as the "stub shaft" on the passenger side of the TTB front differential
The stub shaft is retained in the diff with a c clip, so you cannot remove the shaft from the diff without dropping the diff off of the beam.
Some have had good luck replacing that U joint in the truck
There is not much room to work in there, but I have seen this joint replaced in the truck on these forums

Others will remove the entire beam and drop the diff to get to the C clip so that the stub shaft can be worked on outside of the truck
 






Check this out:


maybe possible in the truck with one of those



I saw it on "trucks" or one of those shows last week and now I must have one
 






To your four questions, 410fortune answered 1 and 3, on number 2, it’s possible but very unlikely you broke the axle shaft itself, unless you’re running giant tires and doing hard off-roading.
On number 4, it should not cause any looseness in steering. That would be the steering gearbox or tie rod ends.
Maybe describe in detail why you think that ujoint is bad in the first place. Is it just the loose steer
 






The u-joint flips around loose when grabbing and moving or rotating the shaft. Very clearly an issue.

So I can replace it in place then? As it is cold here in Alaska, I will have to get to work cleaning the garage out so can replace it.
 






Yes with the CORRECT TOOLS you MIGHT be able to replace it in place, not much room to work in there.
The tool I posted is your best chance
First jack the truck way up, get under there, clean the area and see what you are dealing with........
 






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