Around 35 miles from home today the rear end of my F150 started to judder at low speed (traffic, junctions, etc). To get through the judder, I gave it some power every time and it smoothed out. Once I got above 15mph, it didn't feel too bad and the highway didn't feel any different. Got home to find that the bracket from the Center Support Bearing on the driveshaft had snapped (corroded) on one side. This pushed the shaft down and off-centre towards the petrol tank, thankfully only rubbing on the heatshield and not having got to the plastic tank just yet.

What are the chances that this may have bent the driveshaft or at the very least damaged any bearings? Or is the chance pretty much nil and all I need is a new bracket?

Was the judder likely to have just been the shaft scrapping along the heatshield? Or was that a sign of one of the bearings having also failed?

 

I had this happen on the 04 I had. In my case the support bracket let go completely when I was starting up from a stop sign, so I was only doing 10-15 mph at the most when it happened. It beat the crap out of the gas tank shield, but didn't reach the tank.

I couldn't find a replacement bracket or a bearing assembly so I wound up buying a remanufactured driveshaft.

 

if it were me. I'd take it out and get the thickest sheet metal i could cut. or even bar if you can bend it. Match the circumference bend drill holes and maybe even dish it so the broken mount couldn't slip out.. and bolt it back up with the new creation over the top. Until a factory mount could be located.

 

I fixed one with some 1" wide steel on a friend's late '70s Dent like that, rusted through. Fix worked until he bought a new bearing and bracket.

I'd for sure get some fix in place as that's gonna drop the driveshaft any time now.