[Video] Play in the driveshaft, both rear and front (1 Viewer)

[DesertLC09]

Hello,
I have been getting the dreaded clunk/thud or whatever you want to call it when going from a stop or accelerating after decelerating.
I can reproduce this easily by choosing 1st gear and going on off throttle.
I uploaded a video with sound when I ROTATE the rear drive shaft with my hand mov: IMG_2935.MOV
The same thing happens with the drive shaft going to the front.
The car is on the ground, there is no play in the u joints.
Is this normal? I tried to do this on a G63 and there was no play at all.
I tried to find a place to grease the slip joints on the drive shaft but none of the shops had a grease gun and no one even knew what molybdenum grease is. I am still in desperate need to find good shops in Abudhabi.

 

[luke27617]

Grease it up. There are three points where you need to pump in some grease (driveshaft and right before and after it). Just look for the grease gun attachment fittings.

 

[bloc]

Doesn’t need to be moly grease. Any regular grease a shop would use on u-joints is perfectly fine, even in the slip yoke splines. Moly “should” be marginally better in the splines but even toyota calls for regular NLGI #2 lithium grease in that location and any toyota driveshaft spline regularly maintained will easily outlast the rest of the drivetrain.

I know mine has some play but it’s tough to measure exactly how much without a dial indicator.

Also it’s hard to compare driveshaft slack in a Nissan passenger car to one of these. The drive lines are MUCH larger and more robust. Bigger axle splines often mean bigger tolerances, bigger diff means more gear lash, etc.

Get those drive lines greased and see whether that helps the clunk. If you are worried about the play change your diff oil and check the condition of the drain magnet and old fluid. Usually a diff that is out of adjustment will whine and howl, vs clunk. Even if it doesn’t, if the lash is incorrect I’d expect to see excess metal on the magnet.

 

[DesertLC09]

Doesn’t need to be moly grease. Any regular grease a shop would use on u-joints is perfectly fine, even in the slip yoke splines. Moly “should” be marginally better in the splines but even toyota calls for regular NLGI #2 lithium grease in that location and any toyota driveshaft spline regularly maintained will easily outlast the rest of the drivetrain.

I know mine has some play but it’s tough to measure exactly how much without a dial indicator.

Also it’s hard to compare driveshaft slack in a Nissan passenger car to one of these. The drive lines are MUCH larger and more robust. Bigger axle splines often mean bigger tolerances, bigger diff means more gear lash, etc.

Get those drive lines greased and see whether that helps the clunk. If you are worried about the play change your diff oil and check the condition of the drain magnet and old fluid. Usually a diff that is out of adjustment will whine and howl, vs clunk. Even if it doesn’t, if the lash is incorrect I’d expect to see excess metal on the magnet.

Thanks for the reply, the G63 I was comparing it to was a Mercades AMG G63 with solid front and rear axle.
Can anyone try to move rotate the drive shaft on their 200 and let me know if there was play like the video?
I already ordered a grease gun, since for some reason all the shops I visited here don't have a GREASE GUN let alone options for grease.

 

[DesertLC09]

Update, thank you everyone for the replies. I solved 80% of the issue, the thud is mostly gone. I pumped grease in the front driveshaft slip yoke until the grease starting coming out. I tried to do the same with the rear drive shaft but the grease didn't go in(started slipping off the nozzle while taking huge amounts of force), I think the zerk fitting is blocked or the slip yoke is full of grease already.
Should I remove the zerk fitting and replace it or should I try to unclog it?

 

[bloc]

G63: oops.

DO NOT fill the rear slip yoke until grease is coming out!! You aren’t supposed to do that to these at all but since the front doesn’t change length appreciably it shouldn’t hurt it in that location. If the rear is full it can’t shorten quickly enough with suspension travel and can cause hell on the transfer case output bearings.

The zerks are easy to remove and inspect. You could even try putting the front one on the rear shaft to see if you can pump grease in. I believe they are the same thread but double check before swapping them.

If you can get grease in look up the factory procedure. I believe you are supposed to add grease just until you see the slip yoke extend.. but double check. This is the one that is more critical.

 

[CJ3Flyer]

I would also add that the video shows ”normal” gear lash in the rear axle. There is some clearance between the ring gear and the pinion gear on purpose. Spider gears in the diff also contribute in a minor way to the lash or play. If you don’t have a bit of lash then, when things warm up, the ring and pinion push too hard into each other, gears hum, things get hot and overall unpleasantness ensues.

 

[DesertLC09]

I managed to pump grease into the rear slip yoke. There is no longer any play in the front and rear drive shaft! The thud is completely gone. I don't understand how greasing the slip yoke removed the play in the shaft (rotational play when moving it back and forth while the wheels are on the ground) but it did.

 

[TeCKis300]

I'm not sure @bloc's message is getting though so I'll emphasize it again. This is CRITICAL as you'll destroy your transfer case in short order.

By pumping the slip yokes full of grease, you have effectively hydraulically locked it from compressing/extending. Extreme amounts of force will be put upon the output shafts of the transfer case when the suspension compresses. It's possible you no longer get any play because of the force being exerted on the input shaft of the diff.

Good practice would have one pumping something like only 3 pumps to keep it lubricated. Not to fill it.

You need to remove the zerk and let some grease out before driving the vehicle hard again.

 

[bloc]

Grease shouldn’t have prevented rotational play when parked. Something else must be different.. transmission lined up with the park pawl engaged where it wasn’t before, or something similar.

 

[DesertLC09]

I'm not sure @bloc's message is getting though so I'll emphasize it again. This is CRITICAL as you'll destroy your transfer case in short order.

By pumping the slip yokes full of grease, you have effectively hydraulically locked it from compressing/extending. Extreme amounts of force will be put upon the output shafts of the transfer case when the suspension compresses. It's possible you no longer get any play because of the force being exerted on the input shaft of the diff.

Good practice would have one pumping something like only 3 pumps to keep it lubricated. Not to fill it.

You need to remove the zerk and let some grease out before driving the vehicle hard again.

Thanks for possibly saving my transfer case, I was pretty sure I read somewhere that it needs to be greased until the yoke starts extending or grease starts coming out. I should get my hands on a service manual to take out any guessing work.
I took off the zerks and little bit of grease and bubbles started coming out, I then rocked the car and a little bit more came out.

Could I have done damage without realizing it? what symptoms should I keep an out for?

EDIT: I also took off the zerks again and drove around a bumpy roads and speed bumps then put them back on.

Grease shouldn’t have prevented rotational play when parked. Something else must be different.. transmission lined up with the park pawl engaged where it wasn’t before, or something similar.

I agree with you, it's strange. I went back and put it in neutral, handbrake off, I let off the pressure by removing the zerks and there is no play in the front and very little play in the rear.

 

[luke27617]

Found schematic where to grease. Hopefully helps a next person