GEN 1 Front Differential/CV Axle/Stub Shaft Play and Wobble

[corvettetoraptorguy]

Hi guys, I've solved a lot of problems the last several years reading this forum but never posted. I have a 2014 gen 1 super crew with a 140k miles on it. I have a wobble in my truck at all speeds and a clank in the front end when going over bumps. At 5-10 mph, it feels like I'm driving on an egg shaped tire. I got them road force balanced and they all checked out. The front wheel bearing hubs don't have any play in them. They do have a slight grind to them, so I'm going to replace them. The CV axles don't seem too bad. The boots are fine, and they visually appear okay. Where the passenger side CV axle goes over the stub shaft splines on the differential side, there is a decent amount of play in there. I can push it up and down slightly and reproduce the same clunking sound. I plan to replace the CV axles because of this.

However, when I removed the passenger side CV axle, I noticed the stub shaft sticking out of the differential tube has a very very minor amount of play in it. I really can't even get it to move up and down, but I can get it to clank just slightly. Questions...

1. Is this amount of play normal, or is this something I need to address while replacing the CV axles and bearing hub assemblies?
2. Can this stub shaft be pulled from the outside, or do I need to open up the front diff to remove a C-clip? Or is the clip the same as the one on the outside of the shaft that doesn't need to be removed?
3. I'm assuming if I remove the stub shaft, I will be able to see the bearing better and will be able to pop it out and replace it?

Thanks for everyone's help! Here's a couple pics and a video of what I'm referring to.

 

[CleverGirl_]

I have all of these symptoms other than the clang. Mine is more of a rattle, like a fender liner not secured. But the egg shaped tires is familiar. Some of it may be normal? That’s what I tell myself anyways.

 

[Nulldetailing]

Hi guys, I've solved a lot of problems the last several years reading this forum but never posted. I have a 2014 gen 1 super crew with a 140k miles on it. I have a wobble in my truck at all speeds and a clank in the front end when going over bumps. At 5-10 mph, it feels like I'm driving on an egg shaped tire. I got them road force balanced and they all checked out. The front wheel bearing hubs don't have any play in them. They do have a slight grind to them, so I'm going to replace them. The CV axles don't seem too bad. The boots are fine, and they visually appear okay. Where the passenger side CV axle goes over the stub shaft splines on the differential side, there is a decent amount of play in there. I can push it up and down slightly and reproduce the same clunking sound. I plan to replace the CV axles because of this.

However, when I removed the passenger side CV axle, I noticed the stub shaft sticking out of the differential tube has a very very minor amount of play in it. I really can't even get it to move up and down, but I can get it to clank just slightly. Questions...

1. Is this amount of play normal, or is this something I need to address while replacing the CV axles and bearing hub assemblies?
2. Can this stub shaft be pulled from the outside, or do I need to open up the front diff to remove a C-clip? Or is the clip the same as the one on the outside of the shaft that doesn't need to be removed?
3. I'm assuming if I remove the stub shaft, I will be able to see the bearing better and will be able to pop it out and replace it?

Thanks for everyone's help! Here's a couple pics and a video of what I'm referring to.

I just picked up a 2013 a few weeks ago and feel something similar. I haven't pulled the tire to check but curious to hear if you changed the CV Axles and if that fixed the egg feeling?

 

[Gumby]

I just picked up a 2013 a few weeks ago and feel something similar. I haven't pulled the tire to check but curious to hear if you changed the CV Axles and if that fixed the egg feeling?

Ok to be clear. if you are running IWE.s and all of that is working correctly. in 2 wheel Hi.... None of this is spinning. any "EGG" feeling you get is Hub, Wheel, or Tire related. Now if it is only present in 4 wheel HI now you can add the CV axel shafts. IF you are running IWE delete. Bless your heart. Possibly @EricM will give you advise.

 

[corvettetoraptorguy]

I did end up replacing the front wheel hub bearing assemblies and the CV axles. If I understand correctly, the front drive shaft and CV axles are spinning even when in 2wd. They're just not engaged with the IWEs. However, that did not fix my wobble/vibration issue.

I ended up taking the front drive shaft out and driving around - vibration was still there. Put it on jack stands and drove it at 60 mph in 2wd and 4wd - vibration still there. Took the rear drive shaft out and put a cap over the transfer case slip yoke. Drove it up on jack stands in 4wd (so basically front wheel drive) - vibration was gone. Therefore it has to be something from the rear drive shaft back. Put it down on the ground and drove it in 4wd with the rear drive shaft still out (so front wheel drive) - vibration was back, so it has to be something in the rear diff. I had already gotten the rear differential rebuilt and the axles replaced. I took it to a second differential shop, and they claimed it was fine. Took it to the lovely Ford dealer, and they said "Yeah, we feel it, but we don't know what it is. Good luck!"

I finally gave up and sold it to the same Ford dealer that wouldn't help me. Thankfully the service department and the sales department don't talk. My only guess is maybe the rear differential housing was slightly bent, but I don't know.

 

[TomDirt]

" If I understand correctly, the front drive shaft and CV axles are spinning even when in 2wd. They're just not engaged with the IWEs."

once the IWE system has vacuum, (when the selector is in the 2WD Hi position), it disengages from the hub, so there's nothing capable of spinning both axles, the front diff & driveshaft.