The OFFICIAL clunk/thunk driveshaft thread (1 Viewer)

[jwagner]

just lubed my spiders and yokes. valvoline synthetic moly w/ lithium and graphite (iirc). lubed the yokes like the pics on here showed (till they purge). and WOW. no more clunk.
-my clunk was gettin bad when shifting or stopping. mainly shifting from p to d or r.
-will be doing this with every oil change.

gonna have to check on the type of grease and update....i think i may be confused

 

[joelev]

Could I bother you guys with a recommendation on a grease gun and grease I could pick up from Amazon? I've seen so many different suggestions and arguments on here lately I've gotten mixed up, which is in part because I'm such a relative noob when it comes to wrenching. But I'd like to get under the truck this week and give it a good squirting.

 

[spressomon]

I've owned a couple cheapies over the years but I have two Lincoln's that I use now...different grease in each one...and they're great. Cost a little more but they work and don't tend to be leaky like the cheapies.

Amazon.com: Lincoln Industrial 1134 16 Ounce Pistol Grease Gun with 18" Whip Hose and 6" Rigid Pipe: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414-4kF-rzL.@@AMEPARAM@@414-4kF-rzL

 

[joelev]

Good deal. Ordered, plus the truck stop up from my house has AMSOIL on the shelves.

 

[OregonLC]

I've owned a couple cheapies over the years but I have two Lincoln's that I use now...different grease in each one...and they're great. Cost a little more but they work and don't tend to be leaky like the cheapies.

Amazon.com: Lincoln Industrial 1134 16 Ounce Pistol Grease Gun with 18" Whip Hose and 6" Rigid Pipe: Automotive

Dan, did you have any of the problems with the zerk fitting that some of the Amazon reviewers noted?

 

[joelev]

I just used that Lincoln grease gun to do mine and I didn't have any problems with it getting on there at all. Plus, my clunk appears to be alleviated.

 

[tnlandcruiser]

Greased mine up yesterday - clunk is gone. Have about 200 miles on it, no return yet. I just used NLGI since that was listed in the FSM. If it comes back I may try moly.

 

[tnlandcruiser]

Greased mine up yesterday - clunk is gone. Have about 200 miles on it, no return yet. I just used NLGI since that was listed in the FSM. If it comes back I may try moly.

Aaaaand the clunk is back. The front not so bad, the back more than a bit irritating. From a layman's look I would say this truck had not been lubed frequently enough by the past owner, not to mention out of fear of overlubing I went very light on it. Used less than a whole tube of grease to do the all 6 fittings. I have one zerk that won't take grease, but if you remove it you can grease it fine with a needle. I'm thinking I way under lubed - the spiders did seeps, but neither slip yoke did. I got probably about 3-400 clunk free miles of a light lube, so I'm thinking my next application will make a bigger difference. Unfortunately I don't have a floor jack like my dad does, and I'm a bit too big to fit under it without some kind of lift. I'm thinking about building some long wood ramps a bit longer than the truck so I can just drive it onto them, put it in neutral, then roll it back and forth to get at the zerks. After much reading, I'm thinking I've joined the over-lube camp, also b/c my FSM says "until grease flow past the seal". For the same reason, I am going to stick to a lithium NLGI2.

 

[NMuzj100]

I'm thinking I've joined the over-lube camp, also b/c my FSM says "until grease flow past the seal". For the same reason, I am going to stick to a lithium NLGI2.

Welcome to the club. Replacing the bad zerk would be easier than attaching a needle attachment.

Grab a Moly fortified lube for the slip yoke and you'll get to skip your next post ...

"Clunk back, this time I'll try the Moly."

and go straight to

"Greasing with Moly fortified NLGI2 totally eliminated my clunk! Now I'm rubbing it on my bald spot. I can already feel it working!"

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Unfortunately I don't have a floor jack like my dad does, and I'm a bit too big to fit under it without some kind of lift. I'm thinking about building some long wood ramps a bit longer than the truck so I can just drive it onto them, put it in neutral, then roll it back and forth to get at the zerks.

Watch for deals on "Black Friday" for a floor jack and stands. I would hate the hear of an over zealous mudder getting squished from DIY ramps.

 

[OregonLC]

Watch for deals on "Black Friday" for a floor jack and stands. I would hate the hear of an over zealous mudder getting squished from DIY ramps.

Agreed. Costco has a great jack for $89.99. https://forum.ih8mud.com/tools-fabrication/417997-get-jacked.html#post5974952

I bought some 6-ton double-locking stands (4 of them) from JCWhitney for free shipping. DOUBLE LOCKING RATCHET JACK STANDS - JCWhitney

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Just saw this in the Sears Black Friday sale:

2-1/4 ton jack and two stands for $39.99. That should be sufficient for lifting each quarter and placing the stand. Also, I also saw that they are selling a 3-ton jack for $59.99. This should work for lifting either the entire front or back end.

Then you can add two more stands and have all 4 up and use your hand to rotate the shafts.

 

[NMuzj100]

I bought some 6-ton double-locking stands (4 of them) from JCWhitney for free shipping. DOUBLE LOCKING RATCHET JACK STANDS - JCWhitney

That looks like a great deal.

 

[Tinkerer]

Aaaaand the clunk is back. The front not so bad, the back more than a bit irritating. From a layman's look I would say this truck had not been lubed frequently enough by the past owner, not to mention out of fear of overlubing I went very light on it. Used less than a whole tube of grease to do the all 6 fittings. I have one zerk that won't take grease, but if you remove it you can grease it fine with a needle. I'm thinking I way under lubed - the spiders did seeps, but neither slip yoke did. I got probably about 3-400 clunk free miles of a light lube, so I'm thinking my next application will make a bigger difference. Unfortunately I don't have a floor jack like my dad does, and I'm a bit too big to fit under it without some kind of lift. I'm thinking about building some long wood ramps a bit longer than the truck so I can just drive it onto them, put it in neutral, then roll it back and forth to get at the zerks. After much reading, I'm thinking I've joined the over-lube camp, also b/c my FSM says "until grease flow past the seal". For the same reason, I am going to stick to a lithium NLGI2.

Moly should also help alleviate the splines "stiction" that causes the clunk. It is proven, been used in grease for a long time, so no worries about using it despite the fact that the FSM does not specify it here.

I "overgreased" splines with moly grease a few years ago and completely forgot about doing it again until a few months ago, because the clunk disappeared and stayed gone. It never returned. Still gone.

 

[OregonLC]

Just saw this in the Sears Black Friday sale:

2-1/4 ton jack and two stands for $39.99. That should be sufficient for lifting each quarter and placing the stand. Also, I also saw that they are selling a 3-ton jack for $59.99. This should work for lifting either the entire front or back end.

Then you can add two more stands and have all 4 up and use your hand to rotate the shafts.

I've had the 2-1/4 T before and they're both wimpy and short. The 6T extend much higher. With the 2 1/4T my wheels wouldn't clear the ground when lowered down on to the stands. I know that technically a 4500 lbs rating is fine, but when you're under the beast it feels much better to know you have more in reserve (plus the double-lock).

 

[tnlandcruiser]

I've had the 2-1/4 T before and they're both wimpy and short. The 6T extend much higher. With the 2 1/4T my wheels wouldn't clear the ground when lowered down on to the stands. I know that technically a 4500 lbs rating is fine, but when you're under the beast it feels much better to know you have more in reserve (plus the double-lock).

That was why I was looking at ramps. I used a 2.5 jack at my dads place, and his jack stands wouldn't go high enough. I got in (ok, WE got in ) lubed it, and got right out. I figured I'd feel safer with ramps. I'll look for a 3t though and some more beefy jack stands. I'm about convinced to try to Moly, too. Question - I'm using the FSM recommended jack points (under rear transfer case and on the little circular indention on the tin sheet under the motor). The FSM says to put jack stands on the far end of the frame.... IS that where you guys are using? What does the spot look like exactly?

 

[OregonLC]

That was why I was looking at ramps. I used a 2.5 jack at my dads place, and his jack stands wouldn't go high enough. I got in (ok, WE got in ) lubed it, and got right out. I figured I'd feel safer with ramps. I'll look for a 3t though and some more beefy jack stands. I'm about convinced to try to Moly, too. Question - I'm using the FSM recommended jack points (under rear transfer case and on the little circular indention on the tin sheet under the motor). The FSM says to put jack stands on the far end of the frame.... IS that where you guys are using? What does the spot look like exactly?

Yep, there's a good spot for the stands before it turns up toward the engine. Because it's more mid-vehicle, I'm thinking it has more than 50% of the weight on it. I looked, but I don't have any pics from my header job that show the exact spot.

I hit the circular spot in the front with the saddle of the jack when lifting as well. You can shim it with a flat 2x4 if you need to cheat a couple of inches due to a short jack. Make sure to always chalk your wheels; parking break does no good if the rears are in the air.

BTW, I'm a safety freak and if I have the room I'll keep the jack/wheels/extra jack stands in strategic locations to buy me some survival space if the worse should happen. Very low odds of anything going wrong, but very severe consequences if wheels are off...

 

[NMuzj100]

Ramps would work for greasing (I grease without anything other than my 285s). But you'll need the 6 ton jackstands to do the brakes.

They'll pay for themselves in one brake job and are cheap safety equipment.

I tend to jack from the frame rail just behind or in front of the wheel well and place the stands in the same spot. My jack will not get the tires clear of the ground from the manual locations.

 

[goped]

I'm a little confused of the clunk sound. I thought mine was coming from the transmission. I feel it sometimes when I move the transmission from R to D, feel it when coasting and stepping on the gas. What do you guys think?

 

[NMuzj100]

I'm a little confused of the clunk sound. I thought mine was coming from the transmission. I feel it sometimes when I move the transmission from R to D, feel it when coasting and stepping on the gas. What do you guys think?

You have the official "clunk".

Go ye therefore and generously lube your driveshaft slip joint with a Moly fortified NLGI #2 grease in order to experience the great peace that comes from a smoothly operating drivetrain.