96 Explorer, Possible Front Driveshaft Problem

[Luft]

1996 Explorer AWD 5.0 V8

So Ive had this project now for what seems like forever. And I finally got it running right. Now I'm just wrapping up a few odds and ends.

One of these odds, is whenever I bring it up to 60 I can feel it start to shake a little. I can feel it even worse if I bring it to 70 and let it engine break. You can feel it whenever you put the front axle under load.

So I went and got some of the basics done tire rotation, tire balance, and an alignment. And it helped a bit but the problem is definitely still there.

So I decided to take a peak up underneath to see if I could see anything. I also just had a gut instinct it could be the front driveshaft. (I had just replaced the front driveshaft and transfer case.)

While I was under there I noticed that the front driveshaft tends to shift up and down while in gear and spinning. I noticed that the u joint straps connecting the front driveshaft to the front axle, I noticed that I could see some daylight between the straps and the driveshaft.

I don't think thats normal but it could just be me being paranoid. The only other thought is that the front driveshaft could be bent. Which is a major bummer since I bought this driveshaft new and it took me a month to find it.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[funfool]

Without being there to see it, is hard to say.

That drive shaft should not jump up and down.
I dont know what you mean by daylight either .... it sounds just wrong.
But without being there is hard to say.

To me it sounds unsafe to drive it as it is. Fix the drive shaft or park it is what I think.
And it sounds like a great project, I have the 4.0, I luvs the sound of the 5.0 though.

 

[Luft]

Without being there to see it, is hard to say.

That drive shaft should not jump up and down.
I dont know what you mean by daylight either .... it sounds just wrong.
But without being there is hard to say.

To me it sounds unsafe to drive it as it is. Fix the drive shaft or park it is what I think.
And it sounds like a great project, I have the 4.0, I luvs the sound of the 5.0 though.

When I say daylight, I mean the u-joint straps aren't pressed all the way to the front driveshaft. Like its not a horrible gap but if shined a light on one side you can see it on the other.

And probably the only thing thats kept me from driving this thing into the lake is the sound of the 5.0

I think Im going to just see if I can't tighten them back down or possibly replace the straps.

 

[funfool]

There is a small tang on the saddle where the ujoints slide into.
It is there to help hold them in posistion and then the ubolts strap them tight ... make sure you are not sitting on top of them.
Would cause daylight