Hi there,

My '98 Ranger 3.0 4x4 has developed a strange noise. It makes a scraping sound like dragging a metal bar down the road. It happens intermittently by itself, and flares up when hitting bumps.

I replaced the front brake pads but that didn't do anything.

Today while poking around while it was on the ground, I noticed that the passenger side front half shaft spins smoothly when I turn it by hand. The driver side one doesn't turn by hand. There's a little bit of play but a distinct stopping point that prevents it from rotating. When I wiggle it around it makes a somewhat similar noise to what I hear while driving.

Any ideas?
Thanks!