Rear Drive shaft question

[jremington59]

Does anyone know if these rear drive shafts are interchangeable between the 1997 and 2000 5.0 AWD?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

If both are AWD with same drive train (5.0), then yes.

 

[jremington59]

If both are AWD with same drive train (5.0), then yes.

Thanks. I got this funky vibration/shaking thing going on. The front end appears good and it happens when I have pressure on the drive train while accelerating. I don't feel much of anything with play but I thought I'd swap the shafts and see if it changes.

 

[SoNic67]

The front shaft has a CV joint that is more often failing than anything else. Dorman has a replacement kit for it.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Well you can pull the rear shaft and take a quick test drive with just the front installed to see if the vibration is still present. Same goes for dropping the front and testing with just the rear in place. Should narrow down the issue very quickly.

When removed bad u-joints become pretty apparant by either being difficult to move or completely floppy. So between test drives and inspections should have your answer if its truly driveshaft related.

 

[jremington59]

With both front tires off the ground, when you spin the tires should the front shaft turn?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

The AWL is basically a limited slip differential between the front and back drive shafts. With the transmission in neutral you can turn the front shaft slowly and firmly with the rear locked in place, so in theory the front axle could turn when you spin the front wheels. However, the front axle itself is open. Turning one wheel normally will cause the opposite side wheel to turn the other direction with the drive shaft immobile. I suppose if you turned both front wheels the same direction at the same time with the trans in neutral that you would see the front drive shaft turning while the rears were on the ground.

 

[jremington59]

Thx RomeovilleIL.

Does anyone recall if the 4 u joint end bolts of the front shaft are a T-40?

 

[SoNic67]

Hmm... I just did mine a month ago, but I don't remember the exact size, I have a whole set.

 

[rb142]

I think they were T30, if I remember right.

 

[jremington59]

They are T30. I tried it with the safety one but it snapped pretty quick so I had to run and buy a good one for tomorrow. The six 8 mm on the back loosened easy but the four front's are pretty rusted. I wonder if Ford used those T30's to torment people, lol.

 

[SoNic67]

I thought so too, but... that's not enough space there for a socket head, because of the curvature. Use plenty of PB Blaster.
Mine was rusted also, it was a bear to take out the U-joint from shaft.

 

[albi1cnobi1]

Thanks. I got this funky vibration/shaking thing going on. The front end appears good and it happens when I have pressure on the drive train while accelerating. I don't feel much of anything with play but I thought I'd swap the shafts and see if it changes.

Just a quick bit of info. In my experience with drive shafts and u-joints vibration under load usually means a bad u-joint. In all my years of driving(30+) I have never had this issue without the associated loose/sloppy feel in the u-joint when you grab and try to move it around...until the last time. I had the same issue you're talking about, vibration under load. I crawled under the truck, grabbed the u-joint and tried to move/shake it around. But no dice, tight as a drum. Now I was thinking oh great, I must have messed up my drive shaft. Then I decided that u-joints are cheaper than a new drive shaft so I thought I would try that first. I picked up new joints and when I pulled the drive shaft I was surprised to find that the rear joint was good in 3 of the cup/bearings, but 1 of them was dry and had basically no needle bearings left. I replaced both joints and no more vibration! So to sum up this long rambling story, don't discount the u-joints just because they may not "feel" bad.

 

[jremington59]

I think I may be in the same boat. I pulled the front shaft and drove it and it's no different. The backs feel tight but by hand I guess you can't put a thousand pounds of pressure on them, lol.... What's under the rubber boot in the back shaft?

Just a quick bit of info. In my experience with drive shafts and u-joints vibration under load usually means a bad u-joint. In all my years of driving(30+) I have never had this issue without the associated loose/sloppy feel in the u-joint when you grab and try to move it around...until the last time. I had the same issue you're talking about, vibration under load. I crawled under the truck, grabbed the u-joint and tried to move/shake it around. But no dice, tight as a drum. Now I was thinking oh great, I must have messed up my drive shaft. Then I decided that u-joints are cheaper than a new drive shaft so I thought I would try that first. I picked up new joints and when I pulled the drive shaft I was surprised to find that the rear joint was good in 3 of the cup/bearings, but 1 of them was dry and had basically no needle bearings left. I replaced both joints and no more vibration! So to sum up this long rambling story, don't discount the u-joints just because they may not "feel" bad.

 

[01STrunner]

It's where the driveshaft moves closer and further away from the transfer case to accommodate the differential moving relative to the rest of the truck when the suspension moves up and down. Same idea as a slip joint, I just forget the actual name of what we have.

 

[jremington59]

I tried to remove the rear drive shaft this afternoon but the bolts weren't moving. I decided it might be best to spray them and let it set overnight. Doesn't look like much fun if you broke them off.

 

[jremington59]

It's where the driveshaft moves closer and further away from the transfer case to accommodate the differential moving relative to the rest of the truck when the suspension moves up and down. Same idea as a slip joint, I just forget the actual name of what we have.

Can you unfasten one of the connectors on the slip joint and separate the drive shaft or is it better to remove the entire shaft. I noticed one of the caps on the tranny end u joint is deteriorated but the axle end looks fine so I was just going to do the tranny end for now.

 

[Explorer0204]

Can you unfasten one of the connectors on the slip joint and separate the drive shaft or is it better to remove the entire shaft. I noticed one of the caps on the tranny end u joint is deteriorated but the axle end looks fine so I was just going to do the tranny end for now.

You can but make sure to line it up how it came out... Or it will vibrate like a *******.

Don't ask me how I know..

 

[jremington59]

I'll let you know after I get these damn bolts out. I can't find a socket that fits them right, lol.

 

[albi1cnobi1]

They are "star or spline" bolts. Kind of like a reverse torx bolt.