• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Transfer case output shaft wobbly


Tedybear

New Member
Firefighter
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
1,094
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1994, 2001
Make / Model
1994 Ford Bronc
Engine Size
5.8v8
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Failing is easy. Everyone can do it.
Possible? Sure. Likely, no. Far more likely that the bearing itself is worn, not the case.

It is a big assumption to think that the bearing is spinning inside the case and has egged out the hole. You need to tear the t-case down and examine it before you know for sure, you may just need to replace that bearing.
We have it parked for the time being.

The 4405 seems to have an issue with the case according to some of the research I've done. However I'm always up for bearing replacement and such.

Main reason I'm not sold on it being the bearing itself. The flange at the shaft was clearly loose. Probably was giving the bearing and the case a heck of a workout. Now if a bearing goes 'bad' to the point it has play in it: The play should be present in both up/down and side to side play. The only play I can detect is the up/down play. I did my best to wrench the flange/shaft left to right..and it was rock solid. Up and down? Had about 1/8" of play still present. Much better sense I snugged down the retaining nut, but still to loose.

That's where the sticking point comes in. Bearing should be play in different directions, not just one axis. :dunno:

Any rate. Either on Sunday or Tuesday (weather permitting) I'll be hitting the local yard to see if I can find one with lower miles, and no bearing play on the input and output shafts.

It's $81 at Rockauto for a rebuild kit. It will be $95 for one from the yard. If I can get one with lower miles and the same ID's There's no real way of knowing the exact reason(s) or internal condition. So the yard one with lower miles might be a better option. Cost difference isn't to bad. (Although I'm pi&&ed at the yard. New price guide got released 2 weeks ago. $85 for a transfer case + $20 core. I call yesterday and they quoted me $95 + $30 core)

If I can't find one with matching ID's then I will drop ours and fully rebuild it, and cross my fingers the case does not have damage.

Should be for an interesting time.

S-
 
Last edited:


Tedybear

New Member
Firefighter
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
1,094
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1994, 2001
Make / Model
1994 Ford Bronc
Engine Size
5.8v8
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Failing is easy. Everyone can do it.
Just got back from the local U-Pull yard.

Found one in mint condition, same model but wrong subset. (not sure what the difference is? But ours is a CA and the others where different.)

So I went with one attached to an auto. (Same exact numbers) And the explorer only had 132,000 on the clock. Looks like it was pulled off the road due to rust. (big Surprise in NYS)

Removed it and almost took a bath in Mercon. It's in good shape, even has the vib damping rubber thingie on it.

Issue? I noted once it was removed, it has almost the same play that the one in ours has (ours has well over 230,000 on the clock) Couldn't move the flange L/R. As for U/D? About 1/16ish (almost 1/8") play up and down.

The rest in the yard that I was able to check had actually more play U/D then ours. I'm left to wonder if that could actually be normal. We checked 4 out of 5 (one was in a real bad spot for water....and with the light rain? I didn't feel like laying in a pool) This one was the best of the lot, except the one with the different set of ID numbers.

I declined the one year warranty. 30 days should be fine. I'm not one to beat the crap out of stuff. The fill and drain plugs seemed okay (The fill plug was darn near seized...but kicked free) Transfer case motor looks in fair shape. I have yet to pull the VSS and peek at the gear. I think I'll do that before the install.

It should be of interest, I pre-planned things out and the removal went fair. Just have to wonder why they used a 12 point 5/16" for the front drive shaft. That was a bugger.

We'll do the install on Tuesday AM. Hope it goes well. I pulled the rear transmission support and allowed the entire drive line to dangle down over a used junk tire. The tire caught the transfer case...Nice slow descent. We'll use the jack to remove and replace the current one. Tired of dealing with so much rust..

S-
 

Tedybear

New Member
Firefighter
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
1,094
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1994, 2001
Make / Model
1994 Ford Bronc
Engine Size
5.8v8
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Failing is easy. Everyone can do it.
Have a concern before I install the replacement case.

When I removed the case from the salvage yard explorer: It dumped about 2 quarts or so of ATF. The explorer it came out of had an automatic transmission. I am not sure if there should be a seal on the transmission output shaft, or why there should be so much fluid in the extension housing.

Should I attempt to replace the input seal on the transfer case? I do have one that should work, seems they used the same seal for the output and input shafts. I always wonder how much of a PITA replacement of these seals can be....

Perhaps I should ask what the odds are of the input shaft seal leaking on one of these. I suppose I can always do the install and monitor the fluid levels closely.

2nd question of course. It's been my understanding that there should be a gasket or paper seal between the two parts (the extension housings and the transfer case)

This gasket is very elusive. No one seems to carry it locally.

Suggestions would be fantastic...

S-
 

Shran

Junk Collector
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
4,703
Points
113
Location
Rapid City SD
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
The t-case is a sealed unit except for the breather and speedo gear/sensor hole... the ATF that you spilled was from the transmission, which is NOT sealed in the back. M5OD manuals are sealed front and back - there should be ZERO oil in the extension housing of those, if there is some, it indicates a leak.

The gasket honestly doesn't matter. Use RTV if you want. It's not holding anything in, and in fact if you look towards the bottom on the transmission you will see that there is a little "drain" there. So perhaps a small amount of RTV just to keep most of the dust out is OK but don't go nuts, it will be harder to take apart next time.

I have no clue why all the transfer cases you looked at have that much slop. Quite frankly I'm surprised you have a bad t-case at all, that seems to be the best constructed piece on a RBV of any year...I have dealt with a lot of them and only seen maybe one bad one ever.
 

Tedybear

New Member
Firefighter
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
1,094
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1994, 2001
Make / Model
1994 Ford Bronc
Engine Size
5.8v8
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Failing is easy. Everyone can do it.
Just put the salvage yard one into the ol' beast. Speedo now works fine (the old gear in the former one was rounded off badly) While there is up/down bearing slop, the old one does seem worse for wear.

One question that really threw us for a loop.

Upper mounting bolt next to the dowel pin: Keeping in mind ours is the same exact series and ID set.

That bolt is a slightly smaller diameter thread. We spent about an hour fighting with it. The rest of the bolts started, the dowel pin was drawn 'carefully' into being fully seated. (Yeah that thing is a bastage) But that last bolt? We had to leave it out. The bolt for the front driveshaft (the 5/16 12point head one) just almost fits. The threads/hole are just slightly larger.

We removed it back a few inches on the trans jack and tried all 5 bolts in that hole. It's clearly a smaller diameter. The other bolts won't even come close to threading into it. If it was stripped out then the bolt would at least start and then enter the hole before going "Weeee". Nope. This one bolt hole is currently 'vacant' as nothing threads into the bugger.

When we take the core back to the yard, I'll toss 'em a dollar and crawl back under the donation truck/suv. I normally toss bolts into my tool bag for spares. The one time I didn't? Was that one bolt. 4 out of 5 bolts and a wicked tight fitting dowel pin next to the empty bolt hole should be fine for now...Until I can figure out what in the heck they put into there.

S-
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top