My dad has a 97 ranger xlt 2 wheel drive, today he was showing me this part, he took it off the drive shaft. Its a round real heavy duty ring with rubber on the inside. He took it off because it was no longer attached so it was just moving around on the drive shaft making alot of noise. So i was curious what it is, what purpose it serves? It looks like some kind of a dust boot but the thing that im worried about is the size of the metal its really heavy duty. Thanks all

 

by the way its a stick shift if that has anything to do with it? he said it was up around the front of the truck not towards the rear.

 

pics would be helpful. but if this "thing" is on the driveshaft, is large, round and has rubber on the inside, sure sounds like something that is needed.

 

look like that?

 

i know exactly what he is talking about but i cant remember why its there..

 

 

It's used to balance the driveline. It's kind of important...

 

ditto. mine broke off a long time ago, and called a few shops to get a new slip shaft end of the driveshaft , and they all said they remove it anyways.

 

Yea, you don't really need it. If your worried about it then get another one but a lot of people on here just takes there off and don't put it back on. They don't have any problems.

 

just glue a kitten to the drive shaft

 

Thanks all!!

 

I dont think mine even has one, at least ive never noticed it when I've been under there