Can you look under your Explorer?????

[va2explorer]

2002--2010 EX, Need a little help plz, can someone be kind enough to go outside and look under your Explorer and see which way the rear drive shaft faces. Is it the smooth end of the shaft that goes towards the rear differential, or is it the rippled end of the shaft that goes towards the rear diff. One end of the shaft is smooth after the slip joint, and the other end has ripples or ridges after the slip joint. I took it out to replace u-joints, and now I have forgotten which way it goes back in. I got to be at work at 11:30AM today, and would hate to install it wrong. Thanks, CD

 

[Bobmbx]

Its worse than you think. The way you described it, it seems you didn't mark the alignment of the shaft to the tranny and the differential. This is important because the drive train is balanced, like tires, at the factory.

I just looked at mine. Both ends of my drive shaft look the same. Sorry.

 

[va2explorer]

thanx Bobmbx. I did mark the shaft flanges, at the transfer case flange and the pinion flange, however the marks I made look very similar, and at this point I just second guessing myself. I think the ripples go to the front.