OT vehicle but open drive one piece driveshaft. Suspected the U-joints because when going from reverse to drive or vice versa you would hear a noticable clunk when first starting out, that sounded like you rapped on something hollow - pretty sure that's a U-joint clunk. Tried to check it out but realized later I should have set the parking brake... I get some free play in it but not in the joints, it seems like it's in the differential, as in I could move the shaft a bit before it would turn the wheels. Tonight I noticed with the windows open at low speeds a sort of clunk, clunk, clunk - not hard, not loud, but it goes away when I let off on the gas. Maybe every five seconds or so it would clunk, kind of came and went and varied in intensity. Figuring on changing the joints, they're cheap and it won't hurt to do. Any other thoughts? It may need a pinion seal as well.
I should add that at speed I feel some vibration; the last time that happened I had a bad front U-joint that ended up costing like $150 to replace because the bolts broke off in the yoke and I ended up buying another yoke for the differential. Kind of thinking I should replace the bolts if not the straps this time before that happens. I'll find out tomorrow, I had one U and went to get another and they were out, will be in in the morning along with a pair of shocks for me.
I have had more then 1 vehicle that had the rear end pinion nut come loose. I've also seen the shaft that holds the spider gears eat into the housing and would allow the pin to flop around in the housing, right up until it broke through the housing. Then it locked up the rear axle instantly, that was fun....... Then again, maybe its just bad u joints, change them all, they are cheap. Gene
U joint would be my first guess also. Missing spring bushings sound ALOT like bad u joints, but wouldnt likely cause a vibration.
Was just driving home tonight in from work when I heard the same thing. I was in stop-and-go traffic on the highway and driving next to the center divider. I kept hearing a metallic clank as I crept along. I wondered what was wrong with the guy's car ahead of me...then I realized it was coming from my car! Finally I had to pull off and give the car the once over. I found my RF u-joint was very loose when I wiggled the axle shaft. Thank goodness for the traffic or I would never have heard it at 60 mph. I work on cars for a living and have replaced my fair share of u-joints. The worst one I ever did was the LF one on my Jeep even though the car was only around 10 years old at the time. Seems like the last several I've done have been REALLY stubborn. My new policy is to always order one extra because lately I manage to either lose a needle bearing or have some other stupid problem with one of them Good luck with it! Jay
Rev it up to about 4000 rpm and dump it into drive or pop the clutch. You'll find out what that "noise" is!
Well, I took the driveshaft off to change them and there's a clunk when I wiggle the rearend yoke - it will move just a little bit back and forth and make a metal on metal clunk when it stops. I would ***ume that's play in the pinion to ring clearance. It's not a lot, it's not like I'm turning it half a turn or anything, just enough that I can move it. Doesn't appear to be loose or ever have been taken apart. 14-bolt GM semi-floater, if that makes a difference, looks like it needs to come apart as the oil seal's been weeping - don't think I can get leverage enough to get the nut off without putting it on a lift. Maybe just taking that apart and adjusting it to the specs in the service manual will solve the problem? No way to know if the gears are damaged without opening it up.
I have the same play in the pinion in my 93 Suburban, been told it is a Chevy thing the truck has 186,000 miles on it. The other 93 Chevy has 230,000 and that one does not clunk go figure.
Well, both U-joints didn't have any play, but were very stiff on one axis, which was probably making it jerk around and make noise every time that axis turned. I had to cut them up to get them out, could not drive them through, one cap on the trans yoke I could have used a press on, but a couple whangs on the point of an anvil got it loose. So new ones are in, and I'll drive it later to see how it is. Hopefully I don't now have to go get another driveshaft... Also, maybe some day I'll get a car that doesn't give me a dirt shower when I work under it. Although spilling a brand new gallon of paint in the middle of all this (since when does the top just fly off when the can tips over??) didn't help. It just hasn't been my day.
Depending on what axle is in it I'm willing to be that they play is just from use, nothing to worry about. From what you describe I'm almost positive the Ujoints will fix it. I've been through this a couple times on my daily truck, rear u joint every time, new one fixes the problem. I know you already did it, but next time make sure the bores are clean, run some 180 grit or emery cloth through them. Makes installation really easy and I had a u joint go bad after 5000 miles-I think because I put it in too hard (dirty bores, 3am on a work night, doing the job underneath the truck sitting up on a curb in a dark parking lot in my apartment complex in college-go figure it didn't last, haha) I think you're good to go!
I didn't see any obvious wear on the trans yoke and there was a load of grease in the tailshaft housing; I just made sure it was clean going back in. I test drove it just down the street and once the one tight joint worked itself out a little it seems to be fine. (one was a tad tighter than it probably should be, but short of pulling it out and trying to spread the yoke I don't see how to fix that, it's just pressed in enough to get the clips on and no more). No more clunk either. Makes me glad since I have to put about 200 miles on it this weekend back and forth to the car show - It's nice to get answers on here even when I think I know what the problem is and want a second opinion. Now, I suppose on to the front shocks, it's going to need those soon too. But one of the rears was leaking, is why I did those first.
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