80 series Clunk in driveline

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Crusherfied

Crusherfied

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Nov 24, 2007
Threads
17
Messages
60
Location
Enderby, B.C.
So I just purchased a 1992 FJ80 from my son. It has around 250,000 miles on the odometer but he recently dropped in a freshly built 2FE (Yes, you read that right). I have driven it both before and after the engine build, so I know for a fact the driveline clunk is old and not new. Basically, whenever I let off the gas while driving, there is a delayed (about a whole second passes) clunk in the driveline. I can feel it as well as hear it. We know the birfs are badly worn and in need of replacing as they make a racket most of the time, so I am planning to do that soon. Besides the birfs, where else could I be getting slop? I am going to be dropping the front DS and of course checking those U-joints. I realize the front pinion may have play as well, but how does one check for that? Also, can any play come from the tranny or t-case? What are you folks's thoughts and experiences??? P.S. it has the CDL button.
 
Drive flanges!
 
Birfield slop
U-Joint slop
Drive flanges
Worn pinion bearings
Worn transfer case bearings
Worn axle shaft splines
 
If you hear a cluck it's most likely bad u-joints, go simple first. Get OEM or Matsuba U-Joints. Check tranny mounts for bolt looseness.
 
FWIW my u-joints definitely needed greasing, but I had like a dozen people on here telling me that "clunk is normal, just turn up the radio! Stop whining it's a 25 year old vehicle."

All the while I was driving around on this:



So check those flanges if your cruiser is a 94 or earlier.
 
mct75 said:
FWIW my u-joints definitely needed greasing, but I had like a dozen people on here telling me that "clunk is normal, just turn up the radio! Stop whining it's a 25 year old vehicle."

All the while I was driving around on this:



So check those flanges if your cruiser is a 94 or earlier.
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Did you end up using an OEM replacement or aftermarket?
 
I got Terrain Tamer birfs, and OEM FZJ80 (95+) drive flanges from Beno.
 
Does anyone happen to have a part# for the original 80-Series flanges, or is an upgrade to the 95+ flanges/birfs the best way to go?
 
f18wrangler said:
Do you have to replace the flanges and brifs or do the flanges usually cause the slop?
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The wear is on both sides, sadly.

pengfinn said:
Does anyone happen to have a part# for the original 80-Series flanges, or is an upgrade to the 95+ flanges/birfs the best way to go?
Click to expand...

43421-60040 is the new one and what you want. New birfields have the longer splines which requires the longer flange. You need to replace both as a unit, and 90% of aftermarket birfs are long-spline only.
 
So I removed the front driveshaft yesterday. U-joints and splines are good. But when I rotate the pinion by hand, lots of play before movement, so I believe the flanges are shot too. Also found a loose exhaust clamp that was a source of a lot of noise and took care of that.

So in replacing the birfs and flanges, what are the various options out there? Stock obviously. But what about aftermarket? Anything that stands out as well made and should give long life and also cost effective? Anything worth avoiding? Is stock cheaper, more, or about the same as aftermarket in price? Thanks.

P.S. Are y'all just replacing the outer shafts and flanges? Or, have you had any need to do the inner shafts as well?
 
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IMG_7436.webp

Since you have determined that your birfields are shot already just install long fields and new later model drive flanges. I had the same issue and this solved my concern. Look at my splines on the inside vs the outside. The inner are worn to a point and sloppy where the outer unused portion have a plateau at the top of each spline.
 
Update time. So I ended up ordering new late model drive flanges from Onur and a pair of gun drilled/greaseable longfields from TrailGear. I also ordered a TrailGear knuckle rebuild kit, which I now regret. I should have just gone stock Toyota parts. The bearings in the kit didn't feel right when I pulled them out the package, then I saw the "China" stamp on the bearings and races. UGH! The inner axle seals in the kit are crap too. Just after I tapped one into place in the axle housing, I saw that the inner spring keeper had popped out. Great, how are you supposed to put a spring back inside a seal once it is installed??? Plus, you have to destroy the seal in order to remove it. The local parts store don't even know how to look up that kind of seal. I had to find the part number online and then give that number to the parts guys. Thankfully that worked and they had some in stock so I was able to get the axle buttoned back up. So in the future, no more TrailGear knuckle rebuild kits for me. Oh yeah, I did the Martack on the inner axles. Have done this before years ago on my FJ45 and it worked like a charm.

Been driving the vehicle for about 2 weeks and everything is good, no more clunks in the driveline. Now, I just have to get the loose/rattly exhaust to stop being loose and rattly.
 
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Crusherfied said:
Update time. So I ended up ordering new late model drive flanges from Onur and a pair of gun drilled/greaseable longfields from TrailGear. I also ordered a TrailGear knuckle rebuild kit, which I now regret. I should have just gone stock Toyota parts. The bearings in the kit didn't feel right when I pulled them out the package, then I saw the "China" stamp on the bearings and races. UGH! The inner axle seals in the kit are crap too. Just after I tapped one into place in the axle housing, I saw that the inner spring keeper had popped out. Great, how are you supposed to put a spring back inside a seal once it is installed??? Plus, you have to destroy the seal in order to remove it. The local parts store don't even know how to look up that kind of seal. I had to find the part number online and then give that number to the parts guys. Thankfully that worked and they had some in stock so I was able to get the axle buttoned back up. So in the future, no more TrailGear knuckle rebuild kits for me.

Been driving the vehicle for about 2 weeks and everything is good, no more clunks in the driveline. Now, I just have to get the loose/rattly exhaust to stop being loose and rattly.
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I believe pretty much all the TG stuff is from China, the axles too. Nitro or RCV for US birfs, Cruiser Outfitters for quality axle rebuild pieces if not using Toyota. Glad you got the clunk out though.
 
dogfishlake said:
I believe pretty much all the TG stuff is from China, the axles too. Nitro or RCV for US birfs, Cruiser Outfitters for quality axle rebuild pieces if not using Toyota. Glad you got the clunk out though.
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That's why I posted what I did in post #13, wanting to get the info stated here. Would've made my decisions wiser. Oh well.

Edit: Oh yes, forgot to mention new brake pads went in too. Old ones were near done. The rotors looked fantastic though, as if they had just been turned.
 
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The longfields are Chrome Molly I believe, although they are stronger they are not recommended for full time use as they will ware to fast. I all so like the RCV axles birfs the come with a life time free replacement Warranty. And that what I am running. Sorry I missed post 13
 
I solved my problem with grease on the drive shafts....
 
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