2004 Explorer-Bad xfer case?

[89Rustang]

Hey all- I have a 2004 Ford Explorer Limited 4.6L that has a strange 'wobble' vibration on hwy. It clunks sometimes when going from Drive to reverse or when I let off the gas and it shifts. I assumed it was the U-Joints but when I crawled under it, I grabbed the front shaft and started twisting it and I could hear the gears in the case clunking a bit.

Should there be any play here? I am guessing no.....

Thanks,

 

[89Rustang]

Update: I had my wife sit in the truck while it was running and shift it from reverse to drive while parking brake was on and she had foot on brake....I could see the shafts moving but the rear seemed to move a lot and I could hear a clunk from the rear diff. How often do rear gears really go bad? The truck has 101k on it.

Thanks,

 

[sport97]

Hey all- I have a 2004 Ford Explorer Limited 4.6L that has a strange 'wobble' vibration on hwy. It clunks sometimes when going from Drive to reverse or when I let off the gas and it shifts. I assumed it was the U-Joints but when I crawled under it, I grabbed the front shaft and started twisting it and I could hear the gears in the case clunking a bit.

Should there be any play here? I am guessing no.....

Thanks,

I was under mine yesterday, although its a different motor and year, i had the same thing. It has some play and clunks when it shifts and i get off the gas and stuff. I think it might just be that way, i could be totally wrong though.

 

[89Rustang]

I am wondering if it is the chain in the xfer case. Strange how it seems the rearend also has play in it. I suppose it is possible both are in need of help.

 

[jrford]

what you may/should find is Rotational play, its sometime called gear lash. But there should be no up/down side to side play in any axles. In the transfer case there also should be some looseness, not much, couple of mm back and forth, but no up/down play.

 

[89Rustang]

That's about what I have. I don't see any up/down movement, but the rear seems to have excessive rotational play. Having a tough time pinning down the vibration source.

 

[89Rustang]

UPDATE: Vibration was caused by a "bent" rear drive shaft. Not sure how it got bent but the dealer said it could be from acceleration/torque. There were no marks on it that would indicate it hit something. I never tow with so I think it's somewhat strange that this would happen to a bone stock vehicle. I grabbed one from the JY for $75 and it fixed the issue.

 

[Curtis]

UPDATE: Vibration was caused by a "bent" rear drive shaft. Not sure how it got bent but the dealer said it could be from acceleration/torque. There were no marks on it that would indicate it hit something. I never tow with so I think it's somewhat strange that this would happen to a bone stock vehicle. I grabbed one from the JY for $75 and it fixed the issue.

Ahh... a happy ending... thanks for posting back!