Occasional clunk when putting auto trans into gear

[crooozer]

So every 1 out of 3 times i start the truck and put it into gear I'll hear a 'clunk' (I guess) coming from the driveshaft. I recently greased all the U-joints and yokes on the underside and have noticed a difference in ride, it feels better now.

Everything kinda points toward a loose bolt on one of the yoke uni joints according to my Haynes manual but they are all tight. What could this be? Its not exactly a 'clunk' but more of a 'click'ing sound thats almost a clunk. If you know what I mean.. Sorry for the crappy description but it's the best I can actually think to describe it

 

[kidglove13]

It is a common thing among 80's
Search for driveline clunk or trans clunk it is normal, lots of posts on it.

 

[Prophecy]

Get it off the ground and in neutral and try to move the drive shafts. You might have a u-joint going bad. Only poblem I had was trying to tell while it was on the ground, some others might have a better way of checking, but this is the way I know.

Jeremy

 

[darwink1]

Unbolt the drive shaft at the pinion flange then try to rotate the pinion by hand. Thats where my slop seems to be coming from.

D

 

[kidglove13]

Because of the AWD there is going to be slop in the system, especially with the tractor drivetrain the 80 has
I have replaced all my ujoints and my diffs and drive train are in good shape and I still get a good clunk every now and then

 

[rove_mcanus]

Yep the driveline slop is common on 80s and 100s, and maybe prados as well.

The slop could be anywhere. It's often said it's in the transfer but I don't believe that to be the case. It's more likely in the front diff and on the earlier years the front cv shafs and drive flanges.

Costs alot of money to fix these things. Most people go part time 4wd to get rid of the clunks and driveline vibrations of lifted trucks.

But be thankful you don't have a manual gearbox. The clunks happen everytime you are on or off the throttle in them, as well as when changing gears.