HELP! Driveshaft probs!

[mrladylover]

I have a '97 Limited Explorer with the 5.0 V8. The front Driveshaft (NOT DRIVE AXILE!!!!) went bad. Its right at the CV Joint where the ball bearings are at. Well mine is missing the rubber boot the goes around it and it has been clicking very loudly! Well I bought a used one from a salvage yard and they tell me they got it off of another '97 5.0 Explorer but when I got it to my house and took the old one off my car and compared the two the one from the salvage yard is to long by about a quarter inch to an inch! How is that possible if its off the same make and model of car? Did they change the size of drive shaft in the middle years of production or does Limited have anything to do with it? Four door or Two door matter? Automatic or Manual matter? Im just stumpped on this one! lol Can anyone help?

Here are some pics of what it looks like (NOTE: This is not an actual picture of the driveshaft, just one like it):

 

[mrladylover]

No one knows???

 

[410Fortune]

OKay well its not all that possible, the 5.0L 96-01 AWD model Explorer/Mountaineer should all use the same length D shaft.

However there MIGHT be some play in your trans and engine mounts that allowed this to occur? (meaning the drivetrain actually moved forward a bit?)

Now have you taken the new shaft and laid it side by side with your bad one? Are they the same length or is one longer?

A driveline shop shouldnt charge you more then $100 to shorten and rebuild/rebalance that thing worst case scenario.

This is odd.

You could TRY loosening the transmission mount a bit and jacking up the trans, this might move the T case up just enough to slip the D shaft in there?

But first I would confirm the old one and new one are different lengths, then try for another at the junk yard you got it from if possible.

 

[rizzjc]

Driveshaft is specific, as far as I know, to the 5.0L AWD in '97. The CV joint does compress some, so if you are talking about 1/4" then I would think it is the right one, just extended a bit. When I did the transfer case, I just removed the CV end from the TC, and was about to push it in enough for the "globe" to clear the TC mount, and then stretch it back out when I put it back in. Be sure to tighten to bolts in a start pattern, evenly, and torque then all the same, being sure that the spacing between the CV and the TC flange is the same all the way around.

 

[410Fortune]

Ah good to know!
Thanks rizzjc

Let us know if you are able to compress the CV enough to get it installed.

 

[mrladylover]

Hey, thanks for the response. I have put them side by side and the one from the junk yard is longer and its longer from weld to weld. So it wouldnt matter about how far the shaft is in the globe. Im begining to wonder if the junk yard tried to pull a fast one on me? Hmm... oh well. Im just getting a new one re-built for me. I know someone that works for an auto parts company and she can get a completely brand new one re-built for me for about 130$. Not to bad. lol Thanks for all the help. I still think its weird that one is longer. lol

In between the two arrows is where its longer at. Weird huh?

 

[ExplorerDMB]

there are two different length driveshafts for the front. You may have gotten the wrong one.

-Drew