front driveshaft, loose slip joint

[whisperer]

Hey, my 92 has front splines that are sloppy enough so I get a vibration when I put it in 4WD on the highway. (yes, snow and ice around here). Where can I get a good shaft for a reasonable price? Locally it's going to be 15 days out for a rebuilt and a rebuilt likely doesn't have a replaced slip joint anyway? The local machine shop want's way too much to install a new slip joint and UJ/CV joints.

Does anybody know someone with a good tight used one? What other years/models interchange, Explorer/Navaho, Ranger what years?

 

[IZwack]

The slip-joints should be fine. I mean unless you sat the driveshaft on a rock with the entire vehicle on it, it should be fine. It may need a regrease but it should be fine. As for the universal-joints, if you've never done universal-joints before, take a weekend and replace them yourself They are typically around ~$15 each - there are three total in the front driveshaft so you're looking at somewhere under $50. If you need help replacing them, there are 2-billion (at least, maybe even a trillion) of us Explorer/Ranger owners online

 

[whisperer]

The slip joint is sloppy. If I grab the front shaft around the slipjoint and push it up and down it moves more then I think is accectible. This makes it "whip" when at speed, impossible to ballance and all the grease in the world will not fix that. I have been a car tech for many years and know what I'm looking at. The UJ and CV joints are both OK but I will certainly change them if I have the driveshaft rebuilt.

Sure could use a good source for a front shaft from you Ranger Guru guys! I can buy a "rebuilt" shaft from a chain parts store for $205 but in my experience they normally don't replace the splined slip joint. They just grab one that's not too bad and install new UJ and CV joints and check the ballance. To me that's just a used shaft with new joints, that's worth about $60.

What will work for me is a original shaft with very little slop, or one that has the slip joint replaced. The later is a $500 shaft at the local machine shop. Heck, I can buy a parts truck for $500, and I'm sure not going to pay $250 a foot for a driveshaft!

 

[dkchrist]

check car-part.com and see if you can find a used one locally. I found one and had it shortened to fit in a 03 ranger. The slip spline was like new as well as the UJ's. I only payed $80 for a very good used shaft. Also to reaffirm what you said I talked to a driveline shop and the guy I talked to said that any side to side movement has a good chance of meaning the shaft is worn out

 

[whisperer]

dkchrist - Thanks for the tip about car-part.com. Hot line on the internet, very cool!