Front end shake

[CowboyBuck]

Hi all. I have a 2000 Mountaineer AWD 5.0 with the front drive shaft off. (Was like that when I bought it). During this last week I notice a shake in the front end. Feel like the drivers side. It comes and goes and I noticed it come back when I hit a bump. Doesn't seem to be speed related. The weird thing is that it will be totally fine then show up then go away after a little while. I'm thinking wheel baring and going to check this weekend. Until then, any help or other possibilities of what it could be, will be much appreciated.

 

[poker4me007]

I'd jack it up and see if you can move your tire side to side or up and down , could have a bad tie rod or ball joint.

 

[CowboyBuck]

I will check that too. Thank you

 

[whitebread]

this may sound like an odd question, but have you had to turn the wheels without the engine running recently? I found out (by way of "death wobble") that our expy's are notorious for aerating the fluid if we have to do that... if so, just make sure your fluid level is topped off, and turn the wheels back and forth a few times (while it's running) and this should help eliminate the air in the system.

 

[CDW6212R]

Look everything over up front carefully. Check the front differential grease also, taking the drive shaft out doesn't stop the gears from rotating(or grease leaking out of the axle seals). Likely it just needed a new CV joint in the shaft, which is about $80 for a Dorman kit.

 

[toypaseo]

Aftermarket wheels?

 

[CowboyBuck]

Wheels are stock. I thought it might be a balance, but the shake is too intermittent. It will come at low or high speed then go away. Haven't found anything in common as to why or when it starts to shake. I'm going to check out everything you guys have suggested this weekend and post what I find. On another note, would it be a good thing to find a front drive shaft? Am I doing any damage or robbing my rig of power by not having one? Like I said before, the monty didn't have it when I bought it.

 

[CDW6212R]

My 98 Limited I bought with the old front shaft out, the PO kept it in the truck for seven years(it was stripped of the CV joint). Back then there wasn't a rebuild kit, and used shafts were not cheap, and new was $400ish. My front diff, was almost empty, and I swapped in a spare diff.

I'd go find a used one, any 98-01 AWD will do, and replace the joints of both ends. For the $100 in joints, the used shaft, it'd help for traction, and stop the danger of parking on hills. They will creep slowly in park without the front shaft, on enough of an incline.

 

[CowboyBuck]

I will keep an eye out for one. Rockauto has one for $264. That my be around the same price as getting a used one and rebuilding it.

 

[CDW6212R]

I will keep an eye out for one. Rockauto has one for $264. That my be around the same price as getting a used one and rebuilding it.

It takes a good while to replace the CV joint, and the front u-joint maybe 1/2 hour, with the right combination of tools. So is the time worth more than the replacement part, time is precious for sure.