Need Help! Transmission Extension house bushing keeps failing

[S.Klink]

Can Any one help? I have a 98 ranger, 2.5l, auto transmission, single cab (no carrier bearing). My problem is the transmission extension house bushing keeps failing causing alot of vibration and destroying the extension housing (just ruined my second one). The vibration will get louder with the wheel speed then suddenly stop, after hitting the brakes and coming close to a stop or a complete stop the problem will come back when I accelerate. The extension housings are hard to find so some help as to what is causing this would be great!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

There's got to be bearings that support the transmission shaft? You checked those?

 

[S.Klink]

When changing the extension housing I didnt notice any play in the tail shaft. After installing the new extension housing with bushing and seal I took the truck for a test drive on the interstate. I was cruising fine at about 80mph then slowed down for the exit. When I started to accelerate again I notice the problem came back. The transmission was shifting as it always has and I would think if there was a failure in the transmission it would not be intermittent, rather a catastrophic failure. Even when the problem was happening the transmission seemed to be shifting fine. The vibration is so rough at high speeds it feels like the truck is about to explode.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Then I would look at the drive shaft balance.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I just looked at your question again....I was reading seal where you say bushing. This is beyond my knowledge level, hopefully someone else can help.
Sorry for any confusion.
Richard

 

[Tedybear]

Drive shaft balance is possible, Also it could be a U-Joint causing issues. Problem would be, if it's taking out the bushing and tail housing of the transmission, it should also be causing damage to the pinion bearing in the rear end. Granted the pinion bearing is pretty stout! Very odd problem...

Grab hold of the drive shaft where it enters the transmission and give it a HARD lift up and pull down a few times. Don't be scared of breaking it. It might be the output shaft bearing is either bad or the mount for the bearing could be bad internally. If you give it a simple wiggle up and down, that might not be enough to create visible play.

Something this odd I'd also check the transmission mount. If that's blown out, the whole assembly could go far out of alignment. There is another general test that takes 2 people that might yield results of what's taking the bushing out. I'm not comfortable suggesting it due to the level of danger it presents.

S-

 

[Tedybear]

I just looked at your question again....I was reading seal where you say bushing. This is beyond my knowledge level, hopefully someone else can help.
Sorry for any confusion.
Richard

It's worth checking regardless. This issue is very odd.

I'm left to ask if that bushing in the tail housing gets any pressurized oil from the pump. Kinda like a bearing for a cam or crank. The bushing has a hole built into it that matches up with a hole in the tail house extension that provides lube. I'm not sure myself, but if memory serves if that bushing does have a provision for an oil feed? If that isn't aligned exactly correct in the housing it could self-destruct rather quickly.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one....

S-

 

[JAMMAN]

Can you post some good pictures of the first failed one? I bet there are some clues on it.

 

[S.Klink]

Did what you said about pushing on the drive shaft. I failed to mention earlier that both times this has happened the bushing is already out of the extension housing im able to move it freely up and down the yoke along with the seal. But the result was I was able to move the drive shaft about 1/8" up and hit the top of the tail housing out put bore but was not able to move it down from center. Also you are correct about the bushing having a port in the center of an "X" as a fluid path, before I installed the extension housing i made sure the bushing that was in there had its port aligned with the fluid channel.

 

[S.Klink]

Some pictures if they work

 

[Tedybear]

Damn.. That's some carnage.

I'm going to defer to others that I hope have more knowledge then I do. Yes I've had my share of transmissions apart (old school autos from wayyyyyy back) I've never quite seen that before. Maybe if the oil port was blocked and not lubing the bushing maybe? But I've never seen that happen before (unless bushing is installed incorrectly and not aligned with the oil port)

Perhaps with the photos someone can interject what we are all missing in this.

Amazing. I'll keep thinking on this one, but that's a toughie.

S-

 

[Andy D]

A cheap fix for a not quite workable drive shaft angle. Instead of a bushing, the housing end needs a bearing, A big expensive carrier bearing. Are the trans, and motor mounts in good shape? Bad mounts might strain things too.

 

[JAMMAN]

a not quite workable drive shaft angle.

Bingo, my thoughts.

Have you lifted or lowered the vehicle, have you recently changed the rear end and perhaps the new one sits at a different angle for whatever reason, have you checked the u-joint on the trans side. Not all u-joint problems are obvious unfortunately. Just because it feels tight doesn't mean it is working correctly the needle bearings could be rusted still. Can cause a nasty vibration.

Your problem is unusual need to peer outside the box a little.

 

[S.Klink]

The truck is completely stock 2wd xlt original everything including tire size. I removed the drive shaft and the yoke moves very freely at the U joint doesnt take any force for it to fall when installing the drive shaft. Im not sure if thats a problem, in other cases working on trucks there is usually some resistance. When doing the test of pulling the drive shaft up and down mentioned earlier I did notice that i can compress the transmission mount but i dont see any damage to it.