Should I replace missing front drive shaft?

[koda2000]

A common theme here is a torn boot. Any CV joint is gonna fail real quick once the grease flies out.

Bill

true but, unless you catch the boot on something (or it's old and brittle) why would the boots fail? especially on a new/rebuilt shaft. it's not like there's any torsional stress on the boot.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Why do the boots fail on a relatively new shaft or a rebuild? The boot was clamped down in the wrong place leading to overstretch while flexing (I think this is most common failure), or with a slight twist to it, or the metal tab on the clamp has a burr that cuts and catches on the boot as it rotates causing a tear.

 

[sulaco83]

My boot was torn when I removed it... so there is a chance then that the problem is still not with my transfer case and that I somehow got a badly put together shaft or screwed up the installation. This is driving me nuts

 

[rollinstone]

About 45,000-50,000 miles ago I had a torn boot replaced and had the front drive shaft rebuilt since the spline and gears coming out of the transfer case were gritty and worn. About 200 miles after the new boot and rebuilt shaft were installed I noticed the new boot had slipped off exposing the spline/gears again. The shop sent the shaft out for another rebuild, reinstalled everything and there's never been a problem since and I have 162,000 on it.

That said, it seems to me that there has always been a grinding/creaking noise coming from underneath...assuming the shaft because while I was waiting for the rebuild I drove around w/o the shaft and things were quiet under there.

As I said, never had a problem, but wish I could get rid of that grinding/creaking noise. Don't hear it going down the interstate, but coming to stops and pulling into the garage...yuk!

The front diff is fine, topped off, no leaks...replaced both front wheel bearings a while back, plus the short shafts.

 

[imp]

About 45,000-50,000 miles ago I had a torn boot replaced and had the front drive shaft rebuilt since the spline and gears coming out of the transfer case were gritty and worn. About 200 miles after the new boot and rebuilt shaft were installed I noticed the new boot had slipped off exposing the spline/gears again. The shop sent the shaft out for another rebuild, reinstalled everything and there's never been a problem since and I have 162,000 on it.

That said, it seems to me that there has always been a grinding/creaking noise coming from underneath...assuming the shaft because while I was waiting for the rebuild I drove around w/o the shaft and things were quiet under there.

As I said, never had a problem, but wish I could get rid of that grinding/creaking noise. Don't hear it going down the interstate, but coming to stops and pulling into the garage...yuk!

The front diff is fine, topped off, no leaks...replaced both front wheel bearings a while back, plus the short shafts.

Is this an AWD? Noise was gone with D'shaft removed, thus very little torque was being transmitted by the wheels driving the C-Vs in the axles, driving the front diff........How about brake noise as a possibility? imp

 

[bigcrunch]

All this over the undesirable 4404, get rid of it. 4406 conversion can cost around $500 if you shop around for the right parts and do it yourself.

 

[rollinstone]

Is this an AWD? Noise was gone with D'shaft removed, thus very little torque was being transmitted by the wheels driving the C-Vs in the axles, driving the front diff........How about brake noise as a possibility? imp

Yes...it's AWD. Quite sure it's not brake noise...pads only have a couple thousand miles on them and recently turned the rotors.

It's definitely a grinding/creaking noise that I attribute to the front shaft. When the shaft was removed it was very quiet under there. Driving slowing down my street with the driver's door open, me leaning out a little the creaking comes directly from under the passenger compartment, not from the wheels/brakes.

I notice on the U-joint end of the shaft there's ONE grease fitting to which I gave a shot of grease...no help.

 

[delexploder]

How ya making out?