I pulled my wheel today to check the wear on my brake pads and I noticed that the drive shaft has a significant amount of play in it. I have attached a video so you can see what I am talking about.

I have had other 4x4's (Toyota, Chevy,) but none have ever had slop like this in the drive shaft.
Is this normal for Ford trucks or is there something wrong here.

Thanks for your input.



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Bump... Anyone?

Would someone be willing to check yours and see if it's the same? Just need to grab the front drive shaft and see if it has the play in it.

Thanks.

 

Video wouldnt play for me said it was private... but looks like your talking bout the CV shaft...

 

Hum? I thought it was open for anyone to view. I'll check it out.

Yes, the CV shaft from the front Diff to the wheel. If I grab that shaft I can turn it back and forth at the wheel. No up and down play (like a bad u-joint) it turns inside the hub, maybe 20 degrees of play? I think it may be normal for a Ford but just want to make sure. On my other vehicals I was never able to turn the shaft at all so I want to make sure.

 

I just fixed the video. Didn't realize it was set to private. Hopefully evryone can see it now.

Thanks,
.

.

 

this is with the tire off correct?

If so is it about the ammount of play you have when you jack your rearend up and try to turn your rear tires?

 

Tire on tire off doesn't matter, it does the same thing. In the video the tire is off though. I went to the other side that had the tire on and it was on the ground and I had the same amount of play.
The play appears to be inside the wheel hub?


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Im not sure then I know your gonna have a little bit of play i the differntial but with the tire on and on the ground you shouldnt be able to turn it or i wouldnt thank, unless its something in the newer style 4x4 system i know hte older style TTB and Solid axle you cant do that...

 

Hey, graphite, just thought I would chime since I had my wheel off to address my IWE/hub and or lower balljoint issues. I have the same play in mine as in your video, not sure if that is normal or not, but I'm thinking that it is, I seem to recall it always doing that.

 

All of our trucks do it man so dont worry. I think its just because the hubs are not locked in 4wd. Mine does it too. But the part you are refering to is called a Half Shaft or CV Shaft

 

Mine does the same thing; I am thinking that is part of what I here clicking on when switching into 4wd (when it works!). I think that goes into what is called the actuator on the hub. That part will break long before the shaft; I broke one just by slowly hopping a curb at a bad angle.

Are your other trucks manual or electronic switching?

 

Yea man your fine. Thats perfectly normal. Your truck locks the hubs when your truck is shut off so its not going to rotate freely. However, when you start your truck, they will unlock and rotate freely. I tried to turn mine on my 04 and they do the same thing, they have a little play.

 

Cool, thanks for the inputs guys. I thought it may be normal but like I said every other truck I have owned did not do that so I wanted to make sure.

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