Hey Guys, My Mountaineer V8 AWD with 96K has a very noticeable clunk and sometimes a double clunk under the drivers seat when I step on it from a stop. What makes me think that it might be the transfer case is the location and it does not happen every time. Sometimes I can take off hard with no noise. There does not seem to be any other driving problems. The trans shifts great and the V8 runs smooth. Can the transfer case clutches be slipping and grabbing. I drained out some dark atf from the transfer case and refilled with Mercon V and it still clunks. Should I be hunting for another 4404 ? Thanks for any replies.

It doesn't happen to do it when you shift out of reverse or roll back a little on a downhill? Mine had a little slack when i do that but not all the time.

I can usually get the noise if I am stopped and I put it in reverse than drive and give it moderate acceleration. The slack followed by the load thud can't be doing it any good. U-joints are tight.

Have you checked the slip yoke on the driveshaft? It should be lubed every 12K miles.

I found the grease in the slip yoke was caked up and it seemed low so I cleaned it out and packed it with extreme pressure grease. I still have the clunk on take off and it also makes a growling noise when braking right before it stops. Thanks for the replies.

Not on my XLT - but on a former car I used to have the same growling noise coming to a stop. It would also die before coming to a full stop. Turned out the torque converter went bad and it wasn't shifting out of the torque converter. Does it clunk immediately on take-off, or does it shift once or twice and then clunk?

Ry.

The clunk is immediate. I thought the slip yoke service was going to cure it from reading feedback here but I need to keep troubleshooting. I think the converter and trans is ok. I know the groweling noise from a converter that won't unlock. I had that with my Ranger A4ld years ago. My next step will be to remove the front driveshaft. If the clunk goes away then it's the transfer case or the front dif I guess. Thanks again.
Rick

Did you ever figure out what was wrong?

my 2001 has the same problem. its been in for this to the dealer a few times. they cant find the problem

I have purchased a new front driveshaft from Ford for 224.00 because the boot wound up splitting on mine flinging grease all over the transfer case. Also the bearings inside the slip yoke were worn. After installing the new front shaft the clunk and growl are still there. I won a EBAY auction for a new transfer case and am waiting for delivery. After I install it I will post the results.