Drive Shaft Slack?
 

I have about a 1/4 turn slack in my driveshaft setup is this normal? or should it be tight and have no slack when i try to turn it by hand?

so when the truck is on the ground, parking brake on, and shafts bolted up...you have 1/4 turn of slack? you have something horribly wrong with the differential. There should only be about 1/4" if that of slack turn. unless your u-joints are messed up...completely messed up to cause that much turn.

Do you have the ability to record a vid and post it up?

it will have slack, your fine, no need to worry.

Ujoint is wobble up and down, it will do it some while turning but you just watch the joint itself.


every 8.8 is setup a little different, and every 8.8 is going to wear differently. this will cause the shaft to turn more or less.

also same with the transmission.

Shane just got OWNED^^^






lol

^^It happens from time to time, me gettin' owned. lol.


but a freaking 1/4 turn of the shaft??!!!?!??? That ain't right at all. Can't imagine the type of carnage which will occur to the pinion or the ring since he's a manual.

Like i can hear slack even build up as i drive. like if i let off at 60 mph and then step on the gas i can here it remove slack it kinda makes a ping noise which is everything hitting as the tension removes. i actually had my rear end replaced recently. And the same slack is in the front driveline so i have slack in my transfers case im assuming. its probably not a 1/4 a turner maybe a little more than an 1/8. but either way parking brake set and in neutral i have this slack and i can hear it hit when i shift sometimes and its too low or off kinda.

its probably the slip yoke binding up.

see now the truth comes out that is might not be a 1/4 turn LOL

I didnt intend to own anyone, shane might be right. But most times its fine, mine turns well over a 1/4 turn but my setup is different than most.

this is all depending on the backlash setting and axle shaft wear in the 8.8

I know of several 8.8s that have a ton of play in them yet work jsut fine.

if your Ujoints are fine I would not worry about it.

Yeah everything looks good and Well thanks for the help. I have heard other mention slack here and there so i am glad to know it could be normal.

Another question..

I just changed my brakes.. and now i can here this like rubbing like something is touch but its not constant.. as the spins its like its touching then not then touching then not. Got any ideas?

did you torque the caliper bracket to spec? what about lock tite? use any?

i just kinda tightened it up really didnt check torque specs or use lock tight..

why?!?

they are notorious for loosening up. they need to be torqued to 87ft/lbs the large bolts going into the spindle.

AND locktighted. They like to walk out...i lost one driving down the road because I didn't use locktite, and i had them properly torqued. I'm talking about the caliper mounting bracket...mounts to the knuckle/spindle and the caliper mounts to it.

Okay yeah i will go that for sure.

Also could it be a warped rotor being it hits only in a certain spot in rotation? But i just checked and i can kinda wobble the caliper with my hand is that normal?

yep that is the bracket i am talking about too. i never had it happen on my stock suspension but it did happen on my current setup, not fun

it will rock some, just make sure the bolts are all tight. mine still did what you talk about from time to time after i replaced the brakes and i had it all right too.

Yeah i lost my first set of bolts already so yeah im going to take it all apart today and worst case scenario I will buy a new rotor..

Otherwise I am sure it will go away as the brakes wear down..

Even though I have heard of Rangers having brake and ABS problems??

My truck has the same slack feeling as you describe, and today the rear universal joint started squeaking. Now it's going in on Monday to have a new one put in.

I was under the truck with the shop foreman (he seemed to know his sh1t and drives a 90 ranger) and he said that play in the 8.8 is normal. Showed me the difference between driveshaft play and rear end play. He said the aluminum driveshafts seem to cause more rear end/universal joint problems.

Also Ford requires the entire rear driveshaft to be replaced on some rangers for warranty work. Not sure if mine is in that category but will know Monday...

Let me know what you find out please

And I am glad to hear my truck is okay..

Ohh anyone with manuals ever have the truck lock out of first?

Like at a light you try to go into first and it wont let you?

That could be your slave cylinder going bad. If you shut it off, you can put it in 1st, then start the engine and drive normally? Bad slave. Try pumping the clutch pedal several times when it won't go into 1st.

all my rangers and explorers had 1/4 slake

No its like i kinda feel it isnt lining up sometims and i have to force it a little bit more than usual?

and i hear bad slaves in not uncommon??

Mine does the 1st gear thing I have a new clutch and slave. If you push it just right it will go in like butter other times it is hard. I just got used to it and it has been like that for a long time so I am not too worried. These Mazda transmissions new or old don't shift like butter like a New Venture trans. I wish Ford would use those instead.

back to the whole break deal, i had one of the slide blots fall and it let my caliper hit the rim sounded like a wheel bearing and it didn't touch all the time so that could be it.

It's a mazda trans thing....mine sometimes does it, but not that bad at all. I vote slave cyl or clutch master starting to go. I've gotten really good at dropping the trans and swapping all that crap out. lol.

Depending on your mileage it could be the syncros going out in your tranny, my dad's F350 grinds when you go from second to third every time. unless you double clutch it. try shifting into reverse then back into 1st.