Clunking

[sport97]

Ok, I have a clunk, and at 1st i believed it to be the U joints. I get the clunk only when i let off the gas pedal when im doing over 45mph, in OD, and it also does it when OD is off. I can feel the clunk around what seems to be the transmission/transfer case area. I can also force a similar, yet less drastic clunk similar to U joints by simply stabbing the throttle down while coasting.

When i climbed under i found what seems to be no slop in the U joints, but the shafts(front and back) both had some play, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch rotation each way. Should there be this kind of slop in the transfer case and diffs?

 

[imp]

Ok, I have a clunk, and at 1st i believed it to be the U joints. I get the clunk only when i let off the gas pedal when im doing over 45mph, in OD, and it also does it when OD is off. I can feel the clunk around what seems to be the transmission/transfer case area. I can also force a similar, yet less drastic clunk similar to U joints by simply stabbing the throttle down while coasting.

When i climbed under i found what seems to be no slop in the U joints, but the shafts(front and back) both had some play, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch rotation each way. Should there be this kind of slop in the transfer case and diffs? "Slop" (rotationally) is always exagerrated in differentials, due to the number of gears involved (spider and side gears), unless limited-slip type. So, if diff. slop is more than that in transmission/transfer case, those slops simply kind of occur in the middle of the diff. slop felt. Now, granted, a really worn (they call them "stretched") drive chain in the transfer case might indeed result in lots of felt slop. If you drop the shaft connections (U-Joints) at the transfer case, then check for slop in only the case/transmission, you will eliminate feeling whatever the diffs contribute, and maybe can decide where the bulk of the play is coming from. Just my 2 cents.... imp