4x4 axle play

[Kleetus]

Got a question. Just how much play is considered normal in the front end drive shafts and hubs? running strait ahead everything seems to run pretty true. But turn the wheel hard left or right, and man the shaft from the differential moves around... a lot. 1/8 inch maybe? Both sides seem to be equal, I have 41k on the truck, have had it in 4x4 a few times, but never really needed it for serious pulling.

I can see both the hub, spider and axle shaft move around. Is that normal? (I say no, but Ford's surprised me before...)

Comments?

 

[groundhawg]

It's going to move some because the u-joint starts to lope the shaft when turning. The same reason the wheels will pull/jerk/turn on their own when turning hard while locked in. The shafts want to be straight, that's where they work best. When turning, the u-joint causes the outer shaft to speed up and slow down trying to keep at the same speed as the inner. Put this together with a hard surface, stuff starts to bind up a bit.

The movement should be in the inner shaft though. The inner floats in the splines in the diff, the outer stub has a lock ring to secure it.

It sounds normal, especially if you were trying this on a hard surface. If you see more movement from the outer shaft compared to the hub assembly, then there could be some problems.

 

[bushpilot]

the front axles are pressed in...theyre on splined shafts, AT the inner & Outter axle ends...
they have to travel "some" to compensate for angles and turning.

the axles are held in by the steering knuckles (if i remember the proper assembly order)

 

[Kleetus]

I had the front end up on jack stands while I was unscrewing my front brakes... I was concerned what may have been cooked when that one brake went up in smoke. Rotors survived nicely, pads are fine, but the caliper piston boots are toast. Anyway, I was free turning the axles with the hub locked in to get at the grease zerk, and that's then I noticed things moving around. I just couldn't believe that much movement was okay.

Bush I can appreciate the things binding up, but to see it moving around with no load seems strange.

 

[DaveBen]

the front axles are pressed in...theyre on splined shafts,

The front axles are NOT pressed in Bush. They slide in and out on the splines.

Dave

 

[bushpilot]

The front axles are NOT pressed in Bush. They slide in and out on the splines.

Dave

your right dave...
i should have said..."slid" in...as in LOOSE