'clunk' in drive train?

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I'm not familiar with the pre-93's, but I imagine that you could put the drive shaft back on, and pull the drive plates at the hubs to test for that.
 
This has been beaten to death, exhumed from the grave, and reburied.

Get used to the clunk. Love the clunk. The clunk will set you free.

We want the clunk
Give us the clunk
Oh We need the clunk
Gotta have that clunk
We're gonna turn this motha out...
 
So. I have a clunk. Or kinda more of a twang. It seems sorta delayed though on P to D or P to R. I haven’t lubed anything yet just learning bout these things... it doesn’t super annoy me yet I was just making sure it wasn’t something serial

I think I see what you did with that song. Replace clunk with funk? Diiiiigit!
 
So. I have a clunk. Or kinda more of a twang. It seems sorta delayed though on P to D or P to R. I haven’t lubed anything yet just learning bout these things... it doesn’t super annoy me yet I was just making sure it wasn’t something serial

I think I see what you did with that song. Replace clunk with funk? Diiiiigit!
Something it doesn't state in this thread about the clunk:

Check your drive line when it is UNLOADED.
This means that you have parked your 80.
Set your parking brake.
Place a block on both front and rear of two wheels minimum.
Place the transmission shifter in NEUTRAL.
The Transfer case can be in 4H, N or 4L
Grab each drive shaft (DS) at each end and try to move the end perpendicular to each half of the cross (u-joint) at that end. There should be no discernible movement.
You will do this to both ends of the DS in two directions on each DS. This means you will do this 8 times.

Then you also check rotational movement INDEPENDENT of the flanges bolted to the DS. This is ROTATIONAL and is done by twisting the DS by hand. You should see no movement in relation to the FLANGES or YOKE. (Yes, you will see SOME rotational movement due to the gap in the ring and pinion teeth. There should be no more than a few degrees of rotation, not "inches" of rotation)

Lastly, you will try to move the shaft PERPENDICULAR to the shaft itself, near the slip yoke. This is to see if the splines are worn to the point that the DS is "drooping" because there is so much slop in the splines that it binds where the two pieces slide together.

When you're done checking for excessive wear, grease the DS U-Joints, Slip Yoke, and steering components while you're there. All greasing should be done with the vehicle in NORMAL POSITION (not axles hanging from a frame supported by jack stands) because then the grease will be placed in the area of NORMAL operation and the system unloaded.

I use Lucas Red-N-Tacky 2 for the U-Joints, and Valvoline Palladium (Moly) for the slip yokes and tie rod ends. YMMV
 
Interesting thread, worth a resurrecton.

Here's something that may be a contributing factor.

Drive flanges aren't just for the early 80s anymore.

Just finished doing my duty on the front axle. The truck was always clunky, but not disturbingly so. Once, gt in some deep snow and she made a racket backing up. Otherwise, nothing except normal wear and tear symptoms. I decided to splurge on a pair of drive flanges when getting stuff together to supplement the parts stash. Did nothing to the rest of the drivetrain, not even greased it yet (I'm waiting n warmer days). It also got new birfs, because I figured 180,000 was enough. Between the two, the clunk is pretty much gone.

There are no obvious failed spots on the flanges, just what looks like normal wear and tear.

You don't want to just throw $$$ at trucks, but sometimes the investment is pretty well recouped and it's time to make the change on parts you know are well worn, even if not at failure yet.
 
So. What I get from this thread is that by getting front and rear hubs well greased and replacing worn out parts will reduce or kill the clunk sound.
 
Grease the u joints and the slip yokes. Try that first.

My land tank DC shaft is 20K miles new. My OEM rear shaft is 20K miles as well purchased at the dealership a couple of years ago. Both were installed at the same time along with refreshing all suspension rubber with OEM parts.

I noticed over time I had a slight slack in stop and go just driving around town. Not enough to be a bother, but noticed it was there.

Just this past week, I learned how to grease the u-joints and slip yokes with Valvoline Palladium. Drivetrain is tight as a drum again. I pumped the slip yokes and u-joints until grease started spilling out per the FSM. I read about hydrolock concerns, but my slip yokes had no problems passing grease after movement. I'll keep an eye on it.

Pre-grease work and post-grease work, what really prompted me to PM the shafts was an odd duck of a clunk. I can only hear it with windows up, driving down in a series of right turns in a tightish 5-10 mph parking garage. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, I can faintly hear & feel it kinda near the driver side frontish area. All is smooth going back up and in regular driving.

Anything I can check for easily from the bottom?
 
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