!!!! I Need HELP!!!!!! This is a very challenging question!

[Mbrooks420]

Pull it and have a look see. It doesn't need to be jacked up. If you are parked on a slant it will slowly creep.

 

[joshuaj0214]

Buy removing the front DS you make the truck RWD. you can drive the truck like normal. I drove mine for 4 months like this until I found a replacement.

As I said before: THE TRUCK WILL NOT LOCK FULLY INTO PARK WITHOUT THE FRONT DS. IT WILL ROLL SLIGHTLY ON HILLS!

 

[Mbrooks420]

The dealer has them, as do most auto stores. I've driven mine for months with no front shaft. It won't roll very much. After 5 hours mine creeps a foot or 2, and I park on a pretty decent slope.

 

[joshuaj0214]

I was told by 2 Ford dealers that they were no longer available. I also tried through Napa and a few others with no luck.

 

[williams.cory]

I will pull it tomarrow to see what happens. I hope it is just this. If it is, I'll have to leave it like that for a while until i find a replacement.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Autozone and Advanced Auto could order them, and the local stealership knew enough to ask what length I needed and gave me prices. I'd see if a local shop could rebuild the shaft you have.

 

[joshuaj0214]

I finally bit the bullet and bought one when I came out of a store and found my front skid plate sitting on the hood of a lowered Honda!

 

[Turdle]

contact our forum vendor-
ericautopart

I think he has them also.

for the 97 model there are 3 possible lengths-
be sure to measure from weld to weld on the tube for the proper length.

 

[williams.cory]

I will be going around tomarrow and checking out my options. I have never had a vehicle over 200k on it and I thought I'd try this one because it was a good deal. It is certainly a lot of work keeping a high mileage vehicle that has had a neglectful owner going!

 

[williams.cory]

But other thing....it was fine until after I went puddle splashing Did it just descide to quit on me?

 

[williams.cory]

It has been getting worse everytime I drive it. It started out as a very small knock under hard acceleration. Now if i give it a little bit of gas it does lots and lots of clunks.

 

[Turdle]

here is my theory-
the cv joint on the rear of the drive shaft faces forward-like a cup.
This allows debris to get trapped in the rubber boot. Since the shaft is not mounted straight-the space between the drive shaft and rubber boot change with revolution.
Now, if a rock got in there-it would be forced into the rubber boot, causing a tear.
This will allow water and mud in there, which will wreak havoc with the bearings .

So, to say the problem arose after mudding makes perfect sense to me.

 

[williams.cory]

Thanks a lot for the reply jtsmith! That makes perfect sense to me. I will be checking it out first thing tomarrow.

 

[JoeMahma]

Mine did exactly the same thing. EXACTLY. It was the transfer case. I have a 97 Mounty with the BW 4404 case. I would bet $$$ your T.C. is shot.

 

[williams.cory]

Don't say that man! I can't afford a t-case. If it is the t-case then I'm just going to have to scrap my explorer. I really hope it isn't. I'm going to try a couple of things today to see what I come up with.

 

[ericautopart]

I've got the shafts and the transfer case. Call me and we'll work somthing out. 800-270-5224

JTsmith..thanks for the plug.

 

[Turdle]

Don't say that man! I can't afford a t-case. If it is the t-case then I'm just going to have to scrap my explorer. I really hope it isn't. I'm going to try a couple of things today to see what I come up with.

Oh no, we will not allow scrappage--lol

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227050

Your welcome.

 

[williams.cory]

is the front drive line suppost to turn at all? It doesn't turn a lot, but it does a little bit ( like mabye 1/50th an inch ). And can you push it side to side? I can push mine like 1/4 inch side to side.

 

[williams.cory]

Hey I figured the problem out. I am almost sure now that it is the fron drive shaft. That CV joint on the the side connecting to the TC is shot. I can move it.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The shaft is simple enough. It's a shame they cost so much though.