Driving without a propeller shaft?

I was thinking that too after recently greasing the front zerks and spinning the front drive shaft. Maybe it still spins enough to cause a vibration when the truck is moving, who knows...

 

The front driveshaft doesn't rotate when it's not engaged.

 

Yeah that's correct that it doesn't spin unless 4wd is engaged. Turns out my vibration is cauased by the rear output bearing from my transfer case

 

At least you found the source - the front driveshaft diagnosis didn't sound right the first time I read about it, which is why I asked if it vibes in both 2wd and 4wd.

At least you found the problem.

 

So what y'all are saying is, in 4wd the front axle is driven by a "propeller shaft" and the rear axle is driven by a "drive shaft"? Could this be right? I always thought a propeller shaft is just a technical term for driveshaft.

 

According to the FSM, our trucks have Front and Rear Propeller Shafts (front to back from transfer case to differentials), Front Axles (CV's - front diff to each hub), and Rear Axle Shafts (inside the housing - rear diff to rear hubs).

Clear as a bowl of oatmeal...

 

Very unexpected.

 

You can put your truck in 4 wheel drive without a drive shaft. It wont hurt a thing. Just mark where your driveshaft lines up with a marking pen on the diff side and the tranny side. Just for balancing purposes.