I Have a 2000 Ford Ranger 4.0 Ohv 4x4. The issue im having is that the cv joint on the front driveshaft that connects the front drive line to the transfer case keeps going bad. it first started about a year and a half ago when my truck started shake kind of like the tires where off balance and i could hear a rattling noise. it took me forever to diagnose it but i eventually came to the conclusion my front drive line cv joint was the problem. it was very loose and i could grab the drive line and move it around inside of the joint. so i ended up going to oreilly and buying a new cv joint and the specialty tool and replaced it myself. once i did my truck stopped shaking and the noise was gone. i was happy my truck was back to normal. Fast forward a couple months and im having the same issue. I was still baffled at what it could be cause surely it couldnt have gone bad so quickly. i was wrong apparently cause it did and it was causing me the same problems. this time i decided to buy a whole new front drive line with a new cv joint and u joint. i didnt want to try and replace the cv joint on the drive line again, it was a pain. Once again once i replaced it and everything was fixed the truck drove normal and no rattling noise. But yet again it went bad in the span of a couple of months and here i am today. I hardly drive the truck btw, i have a car i daily drive so the truck only gets a few thousand miles a year. So now obviously im thinking there is something causing this problem because i dont believe they would all go bad so quickly for nothing. My question is what could it be and has anyone had this happen to them before? Could my transfer case be bad, would that cause it? four wheel drive seems to work alright although i dont use it much. i have noticed the front drive line spins when driving in 2wd, is that normal? Im unsure so if anyone has any advice on what it could be that would be great?

 

Welcome to the forum

That is called the propeller joint, just FYI

And did you change the u-joint at the same time, front end of driveshaft, you have to do both at the same time

Yes propeller joint can fail again, although does seem way to soon

Try pulling the front drive shaft and running that way as long as possible, see if you hear or feel and binding in front axle or transfer case during that time

I am assuming your 2000 Ranger is stock height, hasn't been lifted?

 

The truck is basically stock other than some rims so the ride height is the same. And when i replaced just the propeller joint i also replaced the u joint. then when i replaced the whole drive line it came with another new u joint and propeller joint as well. it wont hurt anything to drive without the front drive line? i can try that but i still would like to figure out whats causing them to keep going bad?

 

I had the same issue going on, had two cardev ( ball bearing style joints that went bad on the transfercase side at seperate times of course!). You can pull your front driveshaft for the time being that won't hurt. The front driveshaft is just there to provide torque to the front wheels when you need it. The upper u joint ( cv joint ) with the ball bearings in it are very prone to abrasive wear from dirt. Anything thats ball bearing style bearings will wear down quickly with contamination. I noticed that ford used that simple flexible rubber seal to seal over the shaft to joint on the upper side. On my truck, i kept having that rubber boot tear, therefore dirt and salt and everything else was getting in at those ball bearings in the upper joint. I replaced my front driveshaft with a fully new one i bought on ebay and havent any issues yet!

 

Yes, you have a 4WD so running without front drive shaft is OK

In an AWD it is not OK

Yes, running without front drive shaft may give you a clue as to why the propeller joint is failing, a new noise or vibration

 

My own front CV propeller joint is clearly the second ++ or more install. It’s aftermarket label so I suspect some other measure is off. The rubber boot around the front shaft sits cupped, not proud. It’s not a funnel but an S shape, so I’m thinking the drive shaft is too long. This worm / propeller should allow for lateral movements but maybe there isn’t enough play and the simple rubber boot fails.

??? My boot was mechanically destroyed not naturally worn so I’m thinking the drive shaft is too long.

 

Has the driveshaft every modified any time in its life

 

Really would need a stock measure to find out. I destroyed the label finishing it regrettably.

the boot retainer was quite sophisticated. It wasn’t just a peel wrapper. It had notches do I suspect it was original but who knows.

I think the boot should sit naturally out ward not S cupped? Let me get it back in Friday and share pics.

 

Right