found on road dead!

[BLOODBANE]

Got to agree with the too much case movement. Whether you think the mounts are good or not, its not suppose to shake around like that (could be part of your problem with U-Joints as well). I also agree that it looks like the yoke took most of the beating on that one. Best way to is to fix everything, starting with the rear output seals clear to the pinion seal (why take the chance).
Easiest way to do U-Joints is to make sure you have a good vise and make sure those rollers are ALL in place. Take your time till you get the knack for it. They are really not that hard. After install, make sure they rotate with absolutely no binding. A little stiff is O.K. but if there is any rough spots, or the snap rings won't seat, take it apart and start over (I learned years ago at a buddies shop I use to work at part time).

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Heres my senario one or both of the c clips holding the rear bearing caps on the driveshaft came out. The driveshaft fell off the rear U joint and as it flopped around it bent the output shaft in the transfer case and then snapped the front flange and just fell into the ditch. If you drop a driveline that is probably the better of the two options. If the driveline falls off the front U joint and gets a good bite on the pavement it can flip the truck especially at 70 plus MPH. Once I set the clips I allways take a brass drift and tap both ways on the u joint to push the bearing caps up tight to the clips. Check the tranny/transfer and engine mounts also it was doing alot of stuff it shouldnt have in that split second.

 

[Alamantro]

Re: found on road dead

Smashed my Jeep.. tie rod failure... ball joint was shattered..

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If the driveline falls off the front U joint and gets a good bite on the pavement it can flip the truck especially at 70 plus MPH.

They had a really neat Mythbusters episode on that, it took very ideal conditions to get the car to do that. Once it did... it looked very bad.

 

[Scrambler82]

Got to agree with the too much case movement. Whether you think the mounts are good or not, its not suppose to shake around like that (could be part of your problem with U-Joints as well). I also agree that it looks like the yoke took most of the beating on that one. Best way to is to fix everything, starting with the rear output seals clear to the pinion seal (why take the chance).
Easiest way to do U-Joints is to make sure you have a good vise and make sure those rollers are ALL in place.

I thought so, the trans mount is the least looked at and may have added to the situation.

Heres my senario one or both of the c clips holding the rear bearing caps on the driveshaft came out. The driveshaft fell off the rear U joint and as it flopped around it bent the output shaft in the transfer case and then snapped the front flange and just fell into the ditch. If the driveline falls off the front U joint and gets a good bite on the pavement it can flip the truck especially at 70 plus MPH.

I was thinking this too but the Video show flanges not clips. but if the rear failed wouldn’t it flip around and drag under the truck. If the rear failed first, did the front flange break for the shaft flipping around under the truck ?
Do we need the driveshaft to determine the failure.

The front Flange broke, why and how… a lot of force needed, the rear just shows the side caps missing like the shaft may have been twisted off.
The trans movement (maybe bad mount) could have added to a T/C end failure but it is so broken it is like it had to hit by a BIG hammer.
Actually you were luck the gas tank didn’t get fractured and a spark set off the gas…

Get another shaft, see if the T/C is in working order and drive it around to see just how much damage took place.

Too many possible thing that could have gone wrong, next time double check everything, do not do work on the vehicle in a hurry, never take a short cut.
You got out of this one without being hurt so get it fixed.

I have always used a vise or press to replace u-joints without an incident and always checked the spring clips and cap placement, someone told me that when using a vise the ends of the drive shaft move and need to be checked; wonder if they move enough to crack the yoke.

Find the driveshaft, just for grins , have a or two and take some picture so we all can see the carnage.

 

[trader007]

thanks for all the input guys!

i found the drive shaft this morning on the interstate. it is in fact completely in tact.

at the rear, the ujoint just slipped out of the shaft ears. i have no idea if thats what started the problem or not, but i figured if it did just fall off the back then it would have just dragged on the ground....

if you guys listen on the video, volume up, you can hear the t-case is hosed. it sounds like rocks. i dont see any way it can be ok. it doesnt even engage when i put it in drive or reverse, i have to hit the gas a few times then it catches and turns the output shaft.

another hint i can give, there was severe vibration right before failure. i was coming to the top of a hill, and as soon as i let off the gas i got massive vibration. about 2 seconds later KABOOM!. i knew right away i lost the driveshaft, i could feel i ran over something and i didnt hear anything dragging.

dad found a good used t-case and drive shaft for $175. seems too cheap to me, but i think im willing to try it.

 

[trader007]

oh i should add. dad gave me a loner car to drive this week (THANK YOU dad), a nice little 3 series beemer. so what happens when i went to look for that drive shaft this morning? the radiator fan started vibrating and shattered all the fins completely off as i tried to merge into traffic. no kidding guys!

i thought i just ran over something, or at least i hoped, but 10 min later and halfway to work the motor is overheating. i limped it home (55 min to go 5 miles, i stopped 3 times and sat), and now i have to figure out how to fix this pile today so i can get to work the rest of the week.

just a weekend from hell and its not over yet today's problems can be blamed on the high of -4.... so i guess i cant bitch too much.

 

[PanamaExpat]

If it makes yo feel any better the wife and I took her Galant to the beach house this weekend and it decided to drop the lower right side ball joint and drop the car onto the tire. Fortunately she was going about 5 miles an hour on the dirt road. Just think if it had come apart when we were cruising along about 70 on the main highway.

The car had to get a nice ride home on the back of a truck and was very unceremoniously dumped in front of the garage. I need to fix it as it is blocking access to my B4000. Found the lower control arm assembly today for $80 which is about $50 more than RockAuto sells them for. After that we spent about 4 hours driving around looking for a pickle fork with no luck. Can't believe I don't already own one. Anyhow tomorrow is another day. I think I know a place clear on the other side of the city that might have one for sale. Have to spend $30 in fuel to buy a $15 tool.

So if you are wondering how I separated TREs and Ball joints before... I got out the BFH and would back the castle nut off a couple turns then smack the crap out of it. Unfortunately on the Galant the axle is in the way and I can't get a good shot at it.

 

[DRanger024]

I replace lower ball joints in my '02 in a similar manner. Put the floor jack under the control arm and beat the old joint out with the BFH. Put the castle nut from the old joint on the stud of the new one, put the nut/stud on the floor jack and get some pressure on it, hit the control arm with a MFH because the big one isn't necessary. Voila! Takes me about 15 minutes per side. Had to do it twice now because I couldn't afford quality joints the first time. The second set I splurged on and they have been good to me for a couple years and counting.

Back on subject though, OP your t-case is facked. I could tell as soon as you put it in gear and got it spinning. I've ran mine without the shaft just like that and it was smooth as a baby's bottom. My truck has 209,xxx miles on it with quite a bit of towing on the M5OD-R1 trans so I doubt the mount is in good shape. Those t-cases are a dime a dozen at junk yards so they can be had super cheap. Find one in a yard from a truck that was rolled or has light front end damage.

 

[trader007]

update- it couldnt be much worse!

truck finally made it to dads shop (hes been a mechanic 40+ years). he removed the t-case and found that the transmission is cracked too! i just put a new one in last year- it had 30K miles on it. it was smooth as silk, and now its facked.

he cant even tell what happened. best he can figure is when we replaced the tranny we should have replaced the t-case too, because it seems that when that locked up it took the tranny out as well.

so freakin sad. the kicker is that tranny with only 30k miles on it only cost $600. i have a feeling im not finding one in that good of shape again for anywhere near that price.

carparts.com here i come. oh god my poor truck. any other vehicle and i wouldnt even consider fixing it....

quick question- from what i remember, any 5r55e tranny should work, reguardless of year. i found a 2007 5r55e in canada for $810 shipped. only has 18k miles on it.... anyone know if it will work for sure? is there a better way to tell? the used one i bought before was an 01 5r55e and it worked just fine.

 

[adsm08]

What trans and where are you at?

 

[trader007]

1999 4x4 4.0L xlt extended cab

transmission 5r55e w/ overdrive

i just found one in peroria, il for $700 fully rebuilt. very close to just pullin that trigger... free shipping.... almost seems too cheap...

 

[trader007]

everything is on order.

used driveshaft, rebuilt tcase, rebuilt tranny and a new main seal for the engine while were at it.

should take care of everything being replaced at least once on that truck, besides the engine itself and the rear end diff/axel. and after this incident, i plan on getting the rear end rebuilt soon. very soon.

 

[trader007]

Update:

Rebuilt tranny, used tcase and driveshaft installed. working pretty well.

had trouble with 1st gear holding too long, then it would go to 2nd and immediately 3rd. weird because it should skip 2nd unless i stand on the throttle.

which made me think about my trottle position sensor. it had 227k miles on it. my motor wasnt quite running right either, which it does every so often.

new tps installed, and a world of difference. motor runs crazy good, its like an electric motor. and the tranny is starting to shift right... it seems to be getting better anyway. ill know after another day or so of driving i think...


conclusion on the problem, i think the tranny itself locked up. it was cracked, and the t case was actually ok after we got it out of there. the tranny was a used one with supposedly 30k miles on it, but i remember it felt just the same when i drove as my original one with 160k miles on it. that 2nd tranny either had high miles on it, or it was in a wreck and partially broke when i got it. i put maybe 40k on it, and the fluid always looked great no leaks.

in any case, im back up and running for $1000 in parts. it truly does feel like a whole different truck, there is absolutely no hesitation, so lag and nothing clunks or moves when i hit the gas. it feels like a brand new car when i drive it... so weird...