I used a sawzall with a new metal blade in it and it took about 30-seconds to cut through the bolt with no sparks.

 

I may need to do this. Mine aren't NEARLY as bad as alloro's but there is certainly some rust going on back there. When I'm rotating tires I can usually peel a layer or 2 off.

 

It's definitely better if you plan on doing it long before you actually have to do it. If they break while driving the collateral damage can be very bad.

 

Well I finally got into it yesterday. did the passenger side, but had to wait until today to finish as I had to go buy a come along. That did the trick. Mine are about .5 inches longer than the one I took off, measured center to center.

My question is, can I wait a few days to do the other side? I mean is it okay to drive it even though one arm is slightly longer? I would prefer to wait until better weather, but I don't want to chance it hurting some other part, axle, pinion, etc

Anyone have some advice? thanks

 

You'll go down the road slightly cockeyed, but that's about all that will happen. I wouldn't drive it that way forever, but for a few days you'll be just fine.

 

Thanks for that, alloro. Here is a picture of the one I took off.. Glad I am replacing them.

 

Scary....ain't it!

 

Makes me think I should consider adding this to the things I need to replace...

 

Just keep an eye on it. The new ones should be good for ~10 years and my guess is that in 10 years, your Expedition will either be crushed/scrapped or sitting in a junkyard.

 

If you're responding to me there, I've got an '01 which, to my knowledge, has never had them replaced... And I haven't bothered to look at them because I didn't know it was a possible issue.

 

Ok so you know how it happened. I was going down I 70 in Pa when both trailing arms broke and the flange yoke broke. I had it towed to my house where I did replace the trailing arms with exact fit ones, I got a great deal seeing I know an auto parts owner. I am still waiting for the new flange yoke and 2 u joints, I figure it's out so I might as well replace both at same time. I was going about 55 miles an hour when I hit a pot hole I didn't see then I heard dragging, the drive shaft then fell out and rolled to the side of the road once I stopped. I had the drive shaft checked for balance it's still good. I will get the flange yoke in the morning and will then put all that back together, I wasn't able to mark the shaft to the rear axle seeing it fell out. That's when I saw the track bar it's still good but will need replaced.

 

If the driveshaft caught anything when it hit the road it's possible for it to damage or bend the rear end, so just be aware of the possibility. For the track bar, lower the spare tire and get it out of the way when you go to change that. You will gain a vast amount of room under there.