Help!! Grinding noise from front driveshaft!!

[imq707s]

I have a 97' Mountaineer with 130,000 miles on it. It's AWD with the 5.0 V8.

I've had this bad grinding noise coming from what I though was the CV-joint on the front drive shaft. Over the last few days it's been getting louder and louder. When I'm at a complete stop and I let the truck creep forward really slow, it sounds like a cracking-popping, bearing grinding noise. But as soon as I get going over 5mph, the noise goes away.

I took the old drive shaft off and drove the truck slowly down my street down to see if the noise was gone....Yep!....the noise is gone.

So I was sure that the CV-joint was going bad so I bought a new front drive shaft assembly today for $210. I installed the new drive shaft assembly with the new U-joint and CV-joint. After the new drive shaft assembly was installed, I took the truck for another drive......the noise is back!! I really doubt that the new drive shaft is bad. Could there be something wrong with the transfer case?? Why would the noise be gone with the drive shaft removed, but it comes back with the new drive shaft?

I'm afraid to drive the truck until I get the problem fixed, the noise sounds horrible.

Any ideas?

 

[EMG7895]

Must be in the front axle, check your diff oil for shavings and the cv shafts.

 

[imq707s]

If it was the front diff or the front CV shafts, wouldn't the noise still be there with the front driveshaft removed....since the front diff is still spinning even though the front driveshaft is disconnected? Just wondering.

Thanks for the help

 

[EMG7895]

I musta missed that you were awd Doh! I dont know much about second gens but mabe it could be something that only happens when force is being applied to the diff by the driveshaft. Does it do it when coasting to a stop?

 

[imq707s]

It seems like it only does it when you are coming to a stop, or starting to roll from a stop. I doesn't sound like it does it if you put it in neutral while rolling to a stop.

You are right....it seems like it's only making the noise when there is some force on the driveshaft from the tranny being in drive.

 

[Kstamand1]

Mercury Mountaineer Noise with front drive shaft

First off welcome to the club. I waisted 110.00 today when I was told by 3 shops that my front CV joint was bad. I bought the part and a shop put it on for me. I drove out and the noise was still there. Brought it back in put it on the hoist and took off the front drive shaft from the front pig to the transfer case. The part where it mounts to the transfer case has a case which holds ball bearings which ride on the shaft. Mine was all chewed up and that was where the noise was coming from. So this is probably your problem too. That is why when you removed the shaft the noise went away and then when you put it back on it came back. When it is off if it were the front pig it would make the noise whether the shaft is on or off. So I believe it is the Shaft bearings. I hope this helps.

 

[Willard]

ummm....i hate to break it to ya, but maybe you should check the dates on threads before you start posting