I don't know if that's the technical name for it, but what I'm referring to is the "bracket" in the rear driveshaft with a rubber damper in it- how much play should there be in that rubber damper? I didn't measure the play, but I'd guess it's 3/16"-1/4" and that seems like a lot. It looked like there was a light mark from the driveshaft rubbing on the bracket occasionally too. Any idea how hard/how much $ to replace that rubber damper?

 

I replaced mine a week ago... you can get one at napa for about $60...

you have to drop the driveshaft and take it apart... here, lemme post a couple links to threads where we've been going through this problem.... Also dont be afraid to use the search function, there are a bunch of threads about shimming the driveshaft, carrier bearing replacemant, and lubing the driveshaft spline....

".....checking mine on the truck, all the U-joints seemed fine... but when I dropped the driveshaft, the rear-most u-joint was bad. one of the bearing caps was frozen solid. once I pried it off, I dumped out a pile of dust that used to be the needle bearings....

check your carrier bearing (driveshaft support bearing) push up on it and side-to-side, it is supposed to give a little, maybe 1/4" but not much more...

mine moved all over the place! about an inch or more up and down...

when on the throttle, the rear end is trying to run forward. the spline shaft on the rear half of the driveshaft is "supposed" to move in-and-out to help compensate for all that energy used to move a heavy truck forward (intertia)... the carrier bearing is supposed to help dampen some of that force while keeping both driveshafts inline... (the spine shaft is poorly greased from factory,a common symptom is a clank or clunk when going from reverse to forward or visa-versa)

the driveshafts are already at a pretty good angle on a stock truck, if the carrier bearing is bad, the driveshafts will drive upward towards the bottom of the truck, increasing that angle even more, putting the u-joints into even more of a bind, increasing the stress... I'm sure you get the idea

thats another reason why to shim the carrier bearing, put all that force and energy into as much of a straight line as possible... "

take a look at these

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...arrier+bearing

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...arrier+bearing

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...arrier+bearing

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...ase+driveshaft

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ase+driveshaft

http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/slipjoint.htm

 

also, I didnt have to go and get my bearing "pressed" on...

I lightly greased the new bearing, slid it on,
used the big washer/guard off the old bearing as a shim,
greased and put the spline on,
used a 1/2 impact and slowly tightend the nut until bearing seated,
backed the nut off, removed spline, removed big washer/guard,
re-installed spline shaft and nut.

saved time, $, and trying to find a shop to press it on.

do yourself a favor, grease both spline shafts, and REALLY check those U-joints out

 

Thanks for the links- I had seen the slip joint greasing article before and I'm actually trying to do that but since I have a bolt frozen in the rear yoke I can't get my driveshaft out.
Is there supposed to be a big spacer between the carrier bearing and factory crossmember- like 3-4" drop spacer? 'Cuz my truck has one, makes for a very shallow driveshaft angle.
So is there a bearing inside the carrier, or just a rubber damper? I couldn't tell for sure from the links you posted.

 

there is a bearing inside the rubber isolator. I usable pry/cut the rubber off then cut the bearing off with a torch then use a pipe and hammer to put the bearing back on. If you don't have a torch you might be able split the outer race off with a sharp chisel and hammer then get on the inner bearing with a chisel and drive it off. Thats a big maybe though so have a plan B to take it to a shop to have it cut off. You would also use a cut off wheel, grinder or dremel tool to slit the inner bearing then it will come off easy.

 

read this thread... it covers alot of vibration issues, front and rear, as well as how to shim the carrier bearing (towards the end)

 

Which thread?? LOL finally found somebody else who forgets to paste links in. I do it all the time! DUH

 

OOps!

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...-troubles.html

also, I mentioned this site earlier, look closely at the pics, his driveshaft is shimmed...
www.eurekaboy.com%2Ff250%2Fslipjoint.htm

 

Hey Tommy, you comin down to Smokin? You seem to have a pretty good grasp on this forum thing for only 190 posts. Love to meet you and have a few cold ones during the event.

April 10-12 Adventurebound campground Gatlinburg/Pigeonforge TN.
Look here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ybe-going.html

 

I'll get a pic of my "shim" tomorrow if I remember- thanks for all the helpful links!

 

Sorry for the hi-jack....but how long would you say it takes to change out the carrier bearing? Mine is worn out, and was pointed out to me when I had my lift done. They quoted me $200. So if the part is $60, I'd say that is about 2 hrs labor.....that sound fair to you guys??? thanks

 

I didnt have any trouble getting mine off... I have heard nightmares from others...

I shot all the nuts, bolts, bearings, u-joints with pb-blaster the night before (I hosed them down!)

with the spline shaft off, I set the driveshaft vertical on a block of wood, grabbed my BF screwdriver/prybar, got it on the edge of the bearing and gave it a couple whacks with the BFH, came right off....

 

Brandon,

I didnt know anything about Smokin !!?!!!!

I followed your link, those are already my days off !WOOT!

I'll ask the wife if I can have my ***** back (outa her purse)
and see if I can sneek away to the "gathering"

I'm getting teary-eyed...

just imagine........a "Redneck Beauty Pagent" for our trucks!!

*sniff* its a BEAUTIFUL THING!

 

@ 2 hours a blindfolded midget could do the carrier bearing assuming no stripped or stuck bolts.

 

Yeah, and with the lift on some of these trucks they can just walk under there and "Git-er-done".