More Clunk Problems. HELP (1 Viewer)

[Russ in California]

My 1991 FJ80 (200,000 miles) has a clunk when shifting. There is a lot of play at the front diff. No play at the front, rear transfer or rear diff. Had the chassis shop remove the front drive line and the vehicle will not move unless it's in 4x low. Shouldn't it move also in 4x high? Also, in 4x low, when I try to shift into park it grinds just a little but will go into park.
With the front drive line out there is about an inch of slack when turning the front diff flange. No slack at the front transfer flange. This is idleing in park.
When I turn the front diff flange I can hear a small clunk of sorts towards the outer axel housing both sides but not quite at the knuckle.
Can you guys help,
thanks Russ in California

 

[ginericLC]

To have it move in 4Hi you need to engage the center diff lock switch on the dash. I have a clunk in my 91 too. When you get a lot of miles on them there is slop. Not much you can do unless you want to replace every little piece that has developed slop over the last 200k.

 

[Russ in California]

To have it move in 4Hi you need to engage the center diff lock switch on the dash. I have a clunk in my 91 too. When you get a lot of miles on them there is slop.

It's quite a severe clunk I think. Question: shifting from 4x low to 4w hi, to you then have to re-engage the diff lock switch? That I have not tried.
Russ

 

[Russ in California]

So, after figureing out how to engage 4wd hi, the rig runs smooth with NO CLUNK. No clunk shifting and no clunk on decel or accel. Upon previous inspeciton all ujoints were found to be fine. So now I'm looking at the front diff for wear. R&P, spiders, bearings, seals?
I wasn't planning to do the knuckles quite yet but I suppose the birfs should be inspected also.
Russ

 

[semlin]

given the play you describe, it is in the diff. Is it the same clunk in reverse? I guess it could be play in the birf splines and you are correct that you may as well do the birfs since you will need to pull the birfs to pull the axle shafts to work on the diff. Now might be a good time to decide if you are ever going to want to regear for bigger tires.

 

[nyk438]

given the play you describe, it is in the diff. Is it the same clunk in reverse? I guess it could be play in the birf splines and you are correct that you may as well do the birfs since you will need to pull the birfs to pull the axle shafts to work on the diff. Now might be a good time to decide if you are ever going to want to regear for bigger tires.

If it's the clunk in reverse couldn't it also be the splines on the DS?


I could be talking out of my ass but I'm just trying to learn.

 

[Russ in California]

It does clunk in reverse. The clunks are quite bad I think. If the birfs are ok, I'd rather not replace them. This is the Hand Brakes rig and won't see that much off road or bigger tires.
Suppose the only way to isolate the bad parts will be to gut the diff or does this type of play lend itself to certain parts?

 

[semlin]

no i think if it clunks in reverse as well it could be the birfs. if it only clunks in drive (or in reverse) I would suspect the diff. at least i think that's how I remember it. the part that was making me lean to the diff is the amount of play you describe sounds too much for worn birf splines but then I really don't know how much play would be needed in the birf splines to generate that much movement at the drive flange and I also don't knwo what amount of play is normal.

I would just pull the birfs and axle shafts and see if you can still induce the clunk.