Clunk feeling when stopping and starting

[Skibug]

When I come to a stop or begin to accelerate, I get a clunk feeling like there is play in the driveshaft or something. The U-joints look good. What else could this be.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Check your brake caliper bolts, Ive seen these back out if not properly torqued and the caliper will move. You may also want to take one end of your driveshaft loose and check the jonts that way, bad u joints cant always be seen just by looking.

 

[toypaseo]

My 96 had a clunk, so I had a mechanic look at the rear u-joints. He said they were more than fine, so he just greased the slip joint (?) and the clunk is gone.

 

[jimbo74]

look @ u joints, calipers, balljoints, tierod ends, suspension arms....

 

[floydr007]

Search "full stop thump" on this forum. Its the slip joint in the rear driveshaft, and yes it needs to be greased. This is apparently very common. Good luck. How much did your mechanic charge you for that toypaseo?

 

[scucci]

TSB 04-23-07
For the 1998 - 2005 Ranger 4x4 super cab and Explorer gives the factory instructions for this. It is dry splines on the rear driveshaft front slip yoke. Basically you pull the shaft and lube the splines after cleaning out the old grease. Ford has a specific grease recommendation and it is included in a parts kit for this TSB:
Kit - For the Steel DriveShaft #F87Z-4K277-AA
Kit - For the Aluminum DriveShaft #4L5Z-4K277-AA

I got a great deal on my 1998 sport because of the clunking. Drove it home and lubed the slip joint with moly grease and it has gone a year without any problem. I guess what I learned in the 1950's did come in handy after all. Too bad the Ford engineers had to repeat the same mistakes the old engineers made.

Be sure to time the cardan joints when reassembling the shaft or you will have a nasty cyclic vibration at >35mph .

Hope this helps
Scucci