LOUD bang/pound from under drivers side...Gilbert AZ

[Brando]

01 Explorer sport 4x4 86K. Over the last few weeks i had a several incidents where i thought i was having a balance issues with a wheel...heard a loud "shimmy" and the truck wold start to shake a bit, i would slow down to a stop and it would go away. Reality was i felt different that a balance thing, i had eveything checked..all good. Then yesterday it did it again in a parking lot, same shake, not as bad, but a bit of metalic sound from underneath the drivers side. I stopped and it went away...i decided to get to the dealership...two blocks later it bef\gins again worse..loud BANG,pause,BANG,pause BANG i hit the brakes and came to a stop on the road. ( the BANG sounds like a 3 pound sledge hitting a solid piece of metal).

I started to creep forward and heard the bang again, a couple of feet, BANG again. I get off the main street and put it in reverse..same sound same timing. I start forward again and put it in neutral and coast a couple feet..same Bang, same timing.

NOW i stop, open the door lean over and peer under the truck and slowly let of the brake and creep forward BANG..i can see the rear drive shaft turning slowly and as it reaches a point , IT and the unit it is coimg out of( i think this is a transfer case , looks alluminum) seem to "load up" and rise up a bit, then BANG and the release a bit down.

WHAT is happening?
Anyone have a recommendation for a shop in the east Valley( Gilbert Chandler Mesa Arizona?)
Thanks !

 

[smiley1]

Thats what it sounded like when my front drive shaft went bad. LOL. I described it in the exact same way you did. Sounds just like a sledge hammer hitting the underside. Good luck.

 

[mrboyle]

Sounds like you have a u-joint or the CV in the front driveline frozen.

 

[performancenut]

I'd bet a paycheck on the universal joint from your description.

 

[Brando]

Thanks for the replies folks, going to have it towed in the a.m. to a local shop that specializes in driveline stuff. Going to see what they say...We shall see who is correct! Maybe a number of days...in your opinion, which is the best case "prediction"?

 

[gijoecam]

I've got my money on a u-joint or transfer case issue. Any drivetrain shop worth their money should be able to troubleshoot it in a matter of minutes.

-Joe

 

[Brando]

Got it up on a rack today, its the front driveline.
New part from ford 682.00, used and guaranteed good from a local yard...100 bucks...1 hour of labor 80 bucks.
Pickup the part omarrow.
Fingers crossed the part i found is right.

 

[smiley1]

Got it up on a rack today, its the front driveline.
New part from ford 682.00, used and guaranteed good from a local yard...100 bucks...1 hour of labor 80 bucks.
Pickup the part omarrow.
Fingers crossed the part i found is right.

WOOHOO! I win! lol.

You might want to try an online source for that front drive shaft. I suggest you get a new one or you will be replacing it sooner than later again... not that its that hard to replace.

 

[Brando]

WOOHOO! I win! lol.

You might want to try an online source for that front drive shaft. I suggest you get a new one or you will be replacing it sooner than later again... not that its that hard to replace.

Hopefully you ARE the winner, and replacing it does solve the problem...fingers crossed.
I think may be selling off the 01 and looking for a newer vehicle.
That said...
Any suggestions to find one online?

 

[Brando]

New/rebuilt front driveline online?

Seems the CV on the used unit is about shot as well, its going back, any suggestions for finding a new or rebuild online?

 

[exploded99]

Try rockauto.com, just put explorer front driveshaft in google, and you will get a bunch of hits to look at.