How to Check the Front Axles on a 4-Wheel Drive 2005 Ford F-250
- 1). Park the F-250 on your driveway or garage. Place the truck into "Park" and engage the emergency brake. Use the car jack to jack up each of the front corners and slide in a jack stand to keep those corner's elevated.
- 2). Inspect the trans-axle that connects the transfer case to the front differential. The axle itself should be free of cracks or deformations. If the trans-axle is damaged, then it must be replaced as the torque of the F-250 will eventually shatter it. Inspect the continuous velocity joints (CV) that connect the axle to the components. The CV joints will have two arms that bolt onto the shafts. They too must be free of any cracks.
- 3). Inspect the two half axles that connect the front differential to the front steering knuckles. They must also be free of cracks and deformations. If the axles are cracked, then they will shatter eventually, robbing that wheel of any power. If the axle is warped, it could place stress on the internal gears of the differential and snap off teeth on the gears.
- 4). Lower the truck off the jack stands. Turn the F-250 on, shift into 4H and drive forward. Listen for any clangs or grinding noises. Noises would mean the axles were hitting a suspension part, most likely the sway bar. This could be caused by warped half axles or failing front suspension struts.
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