noise in front driveline

[1096xj]

Ok so it makes a growling noise and you can feel it too. Its hard to hear or feel unless your accelerating. If I get up to speed and then let off for a second and then give it gas to keep a steady speed it almost goes away. If i take the front drive shaft out and drive it the sound and felling are gone so it is in the front driveline. It could be the transfer case or anything in the front. Has anyone else had this. Does anyone know for sure what would happen if i left the front driveline out and drove it till i can figure out what it is. Sorry this is so long. Its a 97 awd with the 5.0

[1096xj]

Nobody???

[shorod]

You may want to search the Ford Explorer forum for similar information. The Explorer forum is a bit more active than the Mountaineer forum. Keep in mind that cross-posting isn't a recommended practice, therefore please try the "Search this forum" tool first.

-Rod

[1096xj]

Thanks, i have done searches on both and not much luck. I wish i could find someone that knows about these viscous coupling transfer cases

[wynnstuff]

I have same '97 MERC. I have had this noise/grind for 3 years now. At first is was only at 70 MPH and now it happens at 35 on up. I have changed a list of parts to find it. The only thing left is some steering linkage and the half shafts. Had the trany rebuilt with tow converter installed still same noise. If you'd like I will relay the results of further work as 'I WILL' find the bad part! SW

[1096xj]

wynnstuff, thanks for your reply. I have found the problem with the help of a friend. We took off the half shafts and found both were in bad shape but the noise was still there. It was better but still there. We took out the front diff and opened it up and found nothing. We were pretty confused by then and all this took much more then it sounds. My friend finally took out the new front drive shaft and found that when i had run it for about ten mile with it too long I had destroyed the cv joint at the transfer case end. I bought a cv for it from cv restoration and when we put it in...all is quiet now. If you need any half shafts or driveline parts cv restoration is the place to go. They even have a shaft to replace the front driveshaft with one that has a slip yoke and regular u-joints