looks like the axle boot ripped,not that it is expose to dirt and sand it wore down the drive shaft joint. Im unsure if you can just purchase a joint or need the whole drive shaft. i would contact your local auto parts supply store and see what they can do for you. It shouldn't be to big of a deal.

you need a new drive shaft. I dont believe there is any way to fix that without getting a different drive shaft

It is the lobro joint on the driveshaft.
Have to check with mitsubishi for a new one.

Redwidow I feel bad for you I hope you dont work on your own car.

Are you sure there's anything wrong with it? The boot doesn't look ripped to me.

You can first take it apart and inspect it. You should have 6 bearings in a cage. Of course, they should be smooth and round. It is a mother to put back together, but it is repairable. Many Lobro joints are the same size. If you can get the measurements for the joint (cage), you might be able to purchase another one. AWD Volvo's and also Mercedes use them, seem to be around 50-80 bucks. May not be too expensive from Mitsubishi if you do the work yourself.

Ok thanks guys, Ill check on the Lobro joint tomorrow. How much slack should these things have? I mean I know there should be some but mine feels very loose.

It should slide in and out, but not twist, or have any up and down slack between the two halves.

It is designed to slide in and out for driveline stretch/compression. It might twist a little, but only as it is pulled/pushed on. If it twists freely, bad news.

Is it possible that it is stuck stretched out? If you look closely at the picture you can see that it is angled tword the top of the car and im pretty sure it is supposed to be straight. This part is making a pretty loud grinding noise also, is it possible that the rear diff is bad too?

gieri002 said:

Is it possible that it is stuck stretched out? If you look closely at the picture you can see that it is angled tword the top of the car and im pretty sure it is supposed to be straight. This part is making a pretty loud grinding noise also, is it possible that the rear diff is bad too?

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The rear diffs are pretty reliable, unless they were exposed to water or low/bad oil levels. If the joint it angled upwards, and is low on grease this could be bad. I know my 1G is perfectly straight. Not sure what would cause the need for that joint to be angled, but if it is properly lubed, it should work just fine (better than a U-Joint) How is the entire boot on the joint? Is it solid? Has this car sat in deep snow/water for a period of time?

Thanks thomcasey for all the help. No my car hasn't been sitting or anything, I changed the oil in the Rear diff, tranny, and transfer case as soon as I heard the noise but it didn't change anything. The fluid looked descent, nothing out of the ordinary. I am starting to think that it is a u-joint now after watching a few youtube videos, the boot on the joint looks and feels alright but I just cannot figure out why the thing is angled like it is.

That is a lot of angle. Looking at the picture I thought you had the other end of the shaft hanging, but the picture is upside down. Is the whole middle of your floor dented upward? I see a lot of 2gs with the floor crushed by careless lifting techniques.

Can you get it in the air on 4 jack-stands or a lift? If you can, get it up there and start it, and let it run in 1st gear, see if the drive-shaft spins freely or appears to be binding on one of the front u-joints (possible cause for the angle) or the Lobro joint. Then you could have someone get the speed up and you can observe the drive-shaft at higher speeds. it will also help you pinpoint the spot causing the issue.

No my floor is not dented upward due to careless lifting techniques, but yes it is at quite an angle. I live at an apartment and its on a big hill so its a challenge to get the car completely lifted. Ill try to hunt down a flat spot and see if I can take a peek at the way the drive shaft spins. Ill do it as soon as it stops raining.

Arent there spacers on those to align the drive shaft? Maybe at some time they were changed and not reinstalled properly.

woooop said:

Redwidow I feel bad for you I hope you dont work on your own car.

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And why is that?

Good info on the lobro joint, I was unaware thats what it was called or that it was repairable. thanks for the correction

The boot appears to be ripped from the amount of grime and grease buildup in that area. I can only see a little bit of the actual boot, and it's the part outside the cup with the clamp on it. My drive shaft is out right now so I can replace the carrier bearings, and the Lobro joint is the one I'm trying to convince to come apart right now so I can progress. Not to threadjack, but anyone got any ideas here, short of smacking and wiggling it?

According to my factory service manual (1992), a Lobro joint kit looks to be available. The number referenced in my book is 10A0009, and all relevant information can be found on page 16-7. Your parts and book may vary, so just find and look through the "Propeller Shaft" section to see what I'm talking about.

If you do the work yourself, it shouldn't cost much. Get the rear of the car higher than the front (to keep your transfer case from leaking) and take the drive shaft off. Check it over as per the manual's inspection specifications (at least the joints and bearings) so you can order all the parts at once if you find another problem. Install the new stuff on the shaft and get it back on your car.

I wound up needing an entire drive shaft. I replaced every U joint as well as the entire drive shaft. Thanks for the advice guys.