After all of my work, having replaced literally everything on the suspension side and the drive line side, adding lockers to both front and rear bringing lash back into factory spec on everything, I have zero clunk when changing speeds or starting from a stop. Shifting from D to R or R to D there is still a little clunk but it's minimal enough now to both feel and sound very normal for a truck. Not "new" feeling, but close enough that I no longer cringe when I shift waiting for the sound or jolt from the clunk.
The OFFICIAL clunk/thunk driveshaft thread (6 Viewers)
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After all of my work, having replaced literally everything on the suspension side and the drive line side, adding lockers to both front and rear bringing lash back into factory spec on everything, I have zero clunk when changing speeds or starting from a stop. Shifting from D to R or R to D there is still a little clunk but it's minimal enough now to both feel and sound very normal for a truck. Not "new" feeling, but close enough that I no longer cringe when I shift waiting for the sound or jolt from the clunk.
My 99 LC had about 250k miles when I bought it and there was a significant clunk on every shift from P->R, R->D, and back.
Just my personal experience, but the one mod that reduced the clunk the most was replacing the bushings in the Rear Upper and Lower Control arms. Greasing the driveshaft also contributed. After these two things, there is no clunk going into R and only a very small, normal sounding, thunk going to D.
Just my personal experience, but the one mod that reduced the clunk the most was replacing the bushings in the Rear Upper and Lower Control arms. Greasing the driveshaft also contributed. After these two things, there is no clunk going into R and only a very small, normal sounding, thunk going to D.
I may have asked this before.... but, has anyone noticed a relationship between the weather and their clunk?
If it's really wet or rainy, my clunk goes away completely for a little while. Also, if its super hot out (90+ F), my clunk will go away for a bit.
Hoping that info can help narrow down my cause somehow. I'm not sure which part would be most susceptible to changes in temp or humidity.
If it's really wet or rainy, my clunk goes away completely for a little while. Also, if its super hot out (90+ F), my clunk will go away for a bit.
Hoping that info can help narrow down my cause somehow. I'm not sure which part would be most susceptible to changes in temp or humidity.
I converted from AHC to LC torsion bars and springs. I was getting the clunk when I would come to a complete stop and the rear end would rise then settle. Then clunk again when I’d take off after stopping. I originally found that my rear Bilstein shoulder washers weren’t fully seated into the upper shock mounts. I tightened those to spec and still had the clunk.
Today I bought a new tube of grease and crawled under the LX to grease the slip yokes and all U-Joints. As I was greasing the slip yokes it took forever for grease to finally squeeze out around the shaft. Almost like nobody had done this before
...
Long story result is no more clunk. Greased all the U-Joints too and all is well.
Today I bought a new tube of grease and crawled under the LX to grease the slip yokes and all U-Joints. As I was greasing the slip yokes it took forever for grease to finally squeeze out around the shaft. Almost like nobody had done this before
...Long story result is no more clunk. Greased all the U-Joints too and all is well.
Greased the heck out of my joints and the same thing, took forever but clunk is still there. Seem to have excessive movement in 2 out of 3 front diff bushings. Going that route next.
merbesfield
SILVER Star
Reading this thread over and over can be very confusing. There are so many opinions and such. Can someone who knows more than me offer an opinion on my situation? My truck has 241K. I have greased all the driveshafts multiple times, which made an improvement, but not a fix. What I am experiencing is the following. A mild clunk when leaving from a stop. But the most irritating clunk is while driving down the road and coming off and back on the accelerator. The clunk feels like it is in the rear, but who knows. TIA
My 2002 LC (315k) did the same accelerator thing on the highway. I learned not to come completely off the throttle, and to ease back into it if I did give it full slack. My 2005 LX does it a little (198k), and my moms old 1999 Land Rover Discovery 2 did the same thing. Seems common but I’ve never chased that issue down.
merbesfield
SILVER Star
Yes, I do the same thing, but it is irritating to have to do that and i cringe sometimes. I would like to figure it out, or at least understand what causes it. I realize that it will likely never lead to a failure, but just want to see if I can do something about it.
gregnash
Anal Retentive Analyst
Have you checked the diff bushings to see if there is excessive play? Main culprit is the front bushing. It shifts up and down under load and after a long enough time it just becomes smashed and worn. This was part of my issue, and once replaced (along with new CV axles and hub flanges) things were much better.
merbesfield
SILVER Star
I have not. I will do that. I never seem to have a driver with me to help shift while I watch.
gregnash
Anal Retentive Analyst
Same...
What I did was setup my phone on a small make-shift stand and video the area while I shifted and moved the truck.
Here is an example of what I did..
Before
After
Hello clunkers, I have the clunk problem which occurs from R to D and also when throttle applied after coasting.
What's done related to that,
-new CV axles
-new hub flanges
-new UCA+LCA
-new U-joints (both shafts)
-new wheel bearings
-new brake rotors (4)
-rebuild the brake calipers etc..... nope, clunk is still there.
The replaced parts were actually shot, they were not in vain.
Anyway, today I removed the front driveshaft and took it for a ride. Clunk gone... (it also disappears CDL engaged)
What I found, maybe not I found don't know is this. Sorry for language if its bad.
What's done related to that,
-new CV axles
-new hub flanges
-new UCA+LCA
-new U-joints (both shafts)
-new wheel bearings
-new brake rotors (4)
-rebuild the brake calipers etc..... nope, clunk is still there.
The replaced parts were actually shot, they were not in vain.
Anyway, today I removed the front driveshaft and took it for a ride. Clunk gone... (it also disappears CDL engaged)
What I found, maybe not I found don't know is this. Sorry for language if its bad.
My latest solution for my clunk, is to stop trying to find a solution for my clunk. This rig is 20 years old and I put a pile of cash in maintaining it, one day something will explode and then I'll fix it
Sure, fix anything obviously worn and keep your DS greased but if you follow this thread there are dozens of people dumping lots of money into their rig to make subtle differences . Most reports of "my clunk is fixed" come back a few weeks later and say its back.
I am one of those people who has dumped a bunch of money on parts that looked like they may be an issue, all resulting in very subtle changes in the clunk but overall it's still there.
Only thing I can note is when I lock my CDL the clunk is gone, leading me to believe I have some internal parts that are worn. Everything else has been replaced from CVS,hubs, Front diff bushing, DS greased and cleaned, etc.
Some days I hate it, other days I just move on and enjoy the truck.
Sure, fix anything obviously worn and keep your DS greased but if you follow this thread there are dozens of people dumping lots of money into their rig to make subtle differences . Most reports of "my clunk is fixed" come back a few weeks later and say its back.
I am one of those people who has dumped a bunch of money on parts that looked like they may be an issue, all resulting in very subtle changes in the clunk but overall it's still there.
Only thing I can note is when I lock my CDL the clunk is gone, leading me to believe I have some internal parts that are worn. Everything else has been replaced from CVS,hubs, Front diff bushing, DS greased and cleaned, etc.
Some days I hate it, other days I just move on and enjoy the truck.
merbesfield
SILVER Star
I wish I could do this, and as you said there are days it doesn't bother me and there are days it drives me mad. I am going the route of spending money of bits and baubles (i.e. armor and winch) vs. items i cannot see in hopes it will sooth my clunking madness. Of course I will never ignore maintenance items.
More of an avoidance than a fix, but this works for mine: When you reverse, slide the transmission into N slightly before you come to a stop. For mine, the clunk completely disappears as long as the car rolls in neutral for even just a few inches or maybe a foot before I change to D. I assume this allows any tension in the drivetrain to release before engaging again. The problem still exists and ideally would be fixed if you're replacing parts anyway, but this is a free way to avoid the problem annoying you.
I wonder if we can find a connection with drivers who's symptoms go away when CDL is locked .
But yah otherwise I try to ignore it and baby the pedal to try and soften the clunk and roll slightly between reverse to drive shifting.
Now that I'm thinking about it I'm furious again =] I want a no clunk smooth riding cruiser .
merbesfield
SILVER Star
I too wonder what the correlation is btwn CDL and no clunk. Others who know much more than I, which is everyone, may have an idea.
My idea, which may be wrong, that I already posted on another thread.;
The reason why CDL erases the clunk, its because driveshafts can not spin freely. Assume that front diff has more play than rear, and shift it to D, centre diff will transmit power to both shafts until they will fill the gap, if one of them has execessive play, it clunks. Because shafts are free.
But when you lock CDL, which means shafts are equal now, and we assumed that our rear diff has no excessive play, and rear shaft will face the resistence earlier then the front, so when rear stop after filling the factory gap, front one cannot go more to clunk, cuz they are locked.
Seems like it's probably play in the transmission or transfer case. I've replaced everything else,and both diffs were taken apart, added lockers, and put back together with new bearings and lash per spec. Still clunks when shifting from R to D. I'm over trying to eliminate it, there is nothing left to replace .
I give up! In the past year I have:
- Replaced both hubs
- Replaced one outer CV axle, the other has good splines
- Pulled the chassis from the truck and removed everything from it.
- Replaced all driveshaft u-joints
- Had lockers installed in both diffs and backlash adjusted to within spec
- Replaced ALL bushings. Literally all bushings that are on this truck, including front & rear control arms and front diff bushings.
- Rebuilt the front axles - all bearings, etc.
I still have the clunk. Unbelievable! It's subdued but it's there. Both R to D and letting go of the accelerator and stepping on it again.
The rear control arm bushings were pretty much destroyed. Same for the front diff ones. But it's not them.
I have a spare CV, but I am not going through the trouble of replacing the other one to test this.
I give up. You can't fix the clunk.
- Replaced both hubs
- Replaced one outer CV axle, the other has good splines
- Pulled the chassis from the truck and removed everything from it.
- Replaced all driveshaft u-joints
- Had lockers installed in both diffs and backlash adjusted to within spec
- Replaced ALL bushings. Literally all bushings that are on this truck, including front & rear control arms and front diff bushings.
- Rebuilt the front axles - all bearings, etc.
I still have the clunk. Unbelievable! It's subdued but it's there. Both R to D and letting go of the accelerator and stepping on it again.
The rear control arm bushings were pretty much destroyed. Same for the front diff ones. But it's not them.
I have a spare CV, but I am not going through the trouble of replacing the other one to test this.
I give up. You can't fix the clunk.
