Broken front differential?!

[JChrisMarion]

Since I just got done typing for the last 15 minutes and a pop up cleared this box, I have to start over and will make it very short since I am pissed. My 97 EB AWD X now has front axel woes. It started off with a light thump at times, I have been through every way to figure it out but couldnt. Sounded like a ball joint at first when it would only do it under a load or torque condition. Four new ball joints tossed that theory out. Then one day I was outside and she pulled into the driveway, turning left, and I heard clunk, clunk, clunk. AH HA! Cv joint right, wrong. Decided to replace both sides, might as well with 124k miles. So as the saga continues, one day we are making a turn and BAM (followed my screeching noise and clicks) the driver side hub broke in half. Yay right, what luck I have lately. Hoping and praying this was the problem. Had to be right, wrong. Replaced both hubs due to one broken and the other with the same mileage, could happen again.

With no luck, I decide to take it to a buddies shop a few towns over. Put it on the lift since its AWD, and pop into gear. All three wheels turn except the driver front. No noise either. Take both hands and nudge it forward and it will rotate exactly on the dot 360* and end with a clunk. Make it spin faster and faster by hand it the clunk is very loud, along with that side of the axle going up forcing the suspension to move up also. A good picture of this is the commercials with the cars going over the humps from a side view. To show how well the suspension works. But this being in the air flotating.

My guess is that the driver side spider has to be broke or the carrier bearing shot. Makes no since. I cant even accelerate from a stop, I have to tap the gas to start a roll and granny it up to speed. When its cold ( not outside ) after sitting all night, its horrible. I am embarrassed by the noise, but once it warms up after 30 minutes of driving the clunk really isnt bad. But 30 minutes is a long time. I manage an Advance Auto parts, so I found a used front axle through a source we have LKQ. Awesome place by the way. For $250 shipped I can get a 3.73 Axle with 86k miles, 12 month/12k miles warranty. Problem being a wedding I am having to pay for is taking all my money, so I have to save this too. Untill then, what do you guys think this could be and how the hell did it happen? I havent heard of this being a routine thing on Explorers. Many people told me it was u-joints, mounts, torsion bar popping, etc. I called BS because I new it couldnt be. Believe me when I say I am **** retentive on maintenance and cleanliness. I get made fun of, but hey my cars always work and look new. Untill now.

I searched and searched with now success. I know I could pull the front shaft, but then transfer case issues will arise. Which I dont want. But I have to drive this daily untill then. How long untill this thing erupts into catasrophic failure while riding down the road? I have owned many awd's and currently have two right now. I love them all, but not right now. No real way around putting off this repair for a week or two.

 

[CDW6212R]

Hello, and I agree that it is likely the front carrier.

Pull the front drive shaft if you are not going to fix it immediately. You can drive it without that with no harm to the AWD case. FYI, absolutely never leave it parked on an incline. The park pawls of the trans do not lock to the rear shaft. The AWD TC will allow slow turning of the front and rear, the truck will creep down hill. Always use the parking brake firmly.

You should pull the front differential out and look at it, and plan to rebuild or replace it. You have the odd 95-97 vacuum disconnect unit, the carrier is the same but that housing and right axle is unique to those 95-97 4WD models. Good luck,

Edit, sorry for that above, I forgot that that is only for 4WD V6 models back then.

 

[JChrisMarion]

Question, why would my front axle have a vacuum disconnect if its awd? I am not an axle guru, but I thought that most axles that have that feature are those that have a locking differential to engage four wheel drive?

I wonder why the bearing just went out? Yes I am going to replace it, probably order the axle tomorrow. Before I do, can I get some information on wether or not a 96-99 axle will work, or do I need to ask for a specifac axle? As I was under the impression that they were all identical front axels to 99. Second gen-X's that is.

 

[IZwack]

You're front axle doesnt have vacuum disconnects .. the last year of the vacuum axles was in '96.

 

[410Fortune]

no 5.0 trucks ever had the vacuum disco

I would remove the pass side cv and see if the problem still exists? I would remove the froont d shaft and see if it still exists?


Sounds kinda like an ABS sensor is actually hitting the rotor, or something similar? if it is indeed inside the diff (I am sure it is since you have gone through the hubs and cv's) and its the pass side only I would plan to replace or rebuild the entire center section...however $250 is about double what I would pay for a gen II 3.73 open center section around here...

 

[gijoecam]

Troubleshooting the front diff is easy: With the wheels off the ground, truck in park, spin one front wheel (the driveshaft should not spin). If the other does not spin, the diff is toasted for sure. If it does spin, but the clunk remains, you have either an issue with the front axle shaft, or the halfshaft on that side.

Pulling the front shaft won't pin it down, or make the noise go away IMHO. The problem is somewhere beyond that. My bet is that it's either an axle shaft bearing, or a bad CV joint.

And yes, no 5.0 or AWD Explorer ever had a vacuum disconnect on the front axle. That (tragedy) was reserved for the 95 and 96 V-6s.

-Joe

 

[cculter]

I had a very similar problem in my girlfriends 96 5.0. The problem ended up being the AWD transfer case. When you stepped on the gas it would make a loud popping sound. I pulled the front drive shaft and the noise went away. I think you should try that first, it is the easiest test to do. And don't forget about putting you parking brake on you explorer WILL roll away.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes I'm sorry about my remark above about the vacuum disconnect diff, that's a V6 4WD thing back then.

With you having new axles up front, that only leaves the front drive shaft, front carrier itself, or the AWD TC. Usually a front driveshaft CV joint is easily felt to be bad when it is removed. If the issue is in the front carrier than you should be able to feel something by freely spinning the front axles with the drive shaft disconnected.
Try what Joe suggested first, then pull the driveshaft. Regards,

 

[JChrisMarion]

Not being sarcastic here, but in the first paragraph I stated I had it off the ground on a lift and the left front tire did not spin with the car running and in drive. When I made it spin by hand it clunked in the differential and the entire left side of the axle went UP towards the engine, along with the entire left front suspension. I know its not the drive shaft or the u joint. And its not the passenger side of the vehicle.

Granted a entire center section of the differential might be cheaper, but I do not know what damage may be done to the inside of the axle housing. I dont have the time to take it apart and investigate when its my daily driver. If I had two daily's, yes that would be awesome. But it would be simple to drop the front axel and toss in another with new seals and fluid. I have found some a bit cheaper, but then when you add the freight shipping on top of the price your at the same or higher than I am qouted. There are none locally to me, maybe to some of you since awd's and 4x4's are a must with snow. Florida those are just play toy's or a luxury. Unless you own a farm.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes I would assume that it being the carrier or something in the housing, that swapping it entirely would be best. It's still best to know before buying the part though.

You have enough miles that it would be decent maintenance to do the housing whole. But you would like to know that it isn't the driveshaft CV joint, or the AWD. Each of those, including the front housing, can cost $250 or more. Pull the driveshaft and see if you can narrow it to one of the three.

FYI, use a very high quality tool for the u-joint bolts, I broke my first cheap T30 on it on my first attempt. Good luck,

 

[IZwack]

Okay.. hmm

I'm thinking that this HAS to be the front differential as everyone is suggesting BUT the following is a little weird:

When I made it spin by hand it clunked in the differential and the entire left side of the axle went UP towards the engine, along with the entire left front suspension.

I know the CV has been replaced so what this leads me to believe is that this problem is two fold:

Initially the front differential went wack -- hence the "snap crackle and pop"-ing (just add milk and you'll have a nice breakfast) during a turn and the cracked hub. Because the front differential had issues, it is somehow killing the CV joints. I know you replaced the front CVs already but that axle, which is the problem, has also killed the recently replaced driver's side CV. Heck, If you were able to crack a hub in half, then you MUSt be straining that CV pretty well.

Sooo where does this leave us.. well looks like you'll have to replace both the front differential housing and at least one front CV joint -- probably the driver's side but I'd be cautious and if $ allows it, I'd replace both sides.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, but still you want to know that nothing else is involved. There are a bunch of members on this forum who have gone replacing parts, and ended up guessing wrong. We try to narrow it down before spending more money etc. At a Ford dealer they go replacing parts with new parts. They guess on new parts with customer's money.

 

[JChrisMarion]

Correct, replacing the cv joints is not a problem. They would be free. I have already un bolted the front driveshaft, it still does the same thing. I did this before putting it up into the air for a speed test.

 

[CDW6212R]

Okay good then, if you still have the symptom with no front shaft in it, then concentrate on the carrier. You shouldn't find a bad carrier, and shaft, and AWD transfer case at the same time.

Check around here for several people who have been selling 95-01 parts. Surely someone has a 4WD with the carrier left. Your key is to find one with the same gears and reasonable mileage. What gears do you need, do you know what the axle code is from the door jamb VIN tag?

 

[JChrisMarion]

I already have a source for a front axle, even better with 71k miles with 3.73 ratio out of a 99 EB AWD . Rear end collision, $240 Shipped.

Cant beat that. No tearing apart, just put in new axle seals. Remove POS and install new axle and fluid.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's a good find. I replaced all three seals in my 99 truck because two were leaking. The total for them from Ford was $50, and my left one is leaking again. It is rare to get a bad Ford seal, but I'll buy another one shortly.

Hopefully your pinion seal does not leak, that was no fun to do, I took out the whole thing to do that, and change fluid.