Transmission problem?

sounds like the hub assembly bearings are gone.

I just replaced the U joints on my 2005 Escape, and according to Ford that's a NO NO. Your suppose to replace the whole drive shaft assembly from the transfer case to the rear dif. I will admit that the challange is the short front drive shaft, getting it out of the transfer case. It came apart and the ball bearings in the CV style joint fell out of the cage... Here's when the fun started. Had to air chisle the other piece out of the transfer case, cleaned it up and repacked the bearings and closed it up. With the new U joints and some fresh greese took the rumble out of the out of my drive line. Ford wanted $1000+ for a drive shaft. It cost me about $150 parts and labour. A but of a head ache but do-able

yea they just want your money,you did the right thing,thing is they would have done the same thing you did.

Ashley, how did u get the bearings and all back together?

Ashley, I did the same thing three years/30,000 miles ago and haven't had a bit of trouble with the shaft. Wouldn't have needed it if Ford had used greaseable u joints.

How did you keep the balls from falling out? I am doing this job now and putting the shaft back in is the biggest problem.

I typically wrap the loose ends of the u joint with painter's masking tape end over end. This holds everything together nicely, yet temporariily, while your getting the drive shaft back under the car and the ends bolted back in their carriers. Just remove the tape as you work each end. Sometimes the grease alone is enough to hold everything together, but I wouldn't trust that.