Heres one for my fellow Ford Fanatics,

My 03 SD 4X4 V10/6speed/3.73 seems to have alot of "slop" or loosness in the drivetrain. I dunno if this is just normal for a manual as it has been years and years since Ive owned a manual gasser. At lower RPMs (not lugging) when i let of the gas the driveline goes "clunk clunk", it sounds as if it is driveshaft "kickback". You know how when you lug a motor with a manual trans you will feel driveline slop when you abruptly let off the gass, or abruptly give it gas? its like that.

It feels as if the driveshaft is actually trying to counter rotate from all the tourqe having nowhere else to go when you suddenly let off/on the gas, I hope someone knows what i mean.

This seems to happen mostly in the lower gears, a way to make it happen would be if i were to put the truck in 1st gear (not low) let it roll along on idle and then suddenly whack the gas down and let off just as quick, the driveline will clunk.

Is this normal to have happen when shifting between lower gears? Or am i maybe under shifting? It does seem to improve when shifting at higher RPMs but does not go away totally. The only way to totally make it go away is to be very very easy with the gas pedal. This situation does not appear in the higher gears. (I guess cause of less torque)

I know this is common and somewhat normal with older semi tractors like when hooking up to a trailer on ice or just being slightly late with throwing the clutch in just before the pin hits the 5th wheel, but is this normal for a new 03?

input please ;-)

 

Mine does the exact same thing. Only when I am not paying atention and their is some strain on the drive train and I push in the clutch it goes CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK. I just watch to make sure its not lugging when I push the clutch in.

Justin
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2002 F-350 SC LB 4X4 6SPD PSD. 3.73 gears. 2.5" leviling kit. K&N air filter. Rhino lined Bed. Prodigy trailer brake controler. 35x12.5x16.5 BFG A/T. 16.5x10 ultra wheels. pop up gooseneck hitch and firestone airbag spring helpers. Reese fifth wheel hitch for my new toy hauler. Superchips microtuner.

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IMO there is a certain amount of slop,(normal) in these drivelines.It's hard to say how much is too much on the internet.You may want to compare it to another similarly equipped truck.

 

Is it normal? Sadly, yes.
Is it RIGHT? Definitely not!

Supposedly, the "fix" is to lube the driveshaft splines going into the transmission. While people do report the clunk to be cured by this, I suspect it mearly treats the symptoms rather than curing the ailment.

 

4x4x4 is correct you should compare !
But I would do this little test to eliminate excessive endplay in your new 6 speed.this test will point out some other things and eliminate your rear diff backlash.

Understand that you have combined tolerances in this drivetrain
starting with clutch /inputshaft to internal endplay in the 6speed to
transfercase drivechain to slip yoke in drive shaft to backlash in your rear dif gears.

When you add them all up you do come away with some sloppiness in it
But what is a reasonable amount!

Well this is debateable by Ford!

Here's my test try it !

have a manual transfercase ,get the truck warm drive around the block .park it with e-brake engine running ,push clutch in, put 6speed in neutral ,then put transfercase in neutral,now let the clutch out!

Did you feel or hear any clunk?

push clutch back in put the 6speed in rev, let the clutch out,Did you feel or hear anything?

Do this for every gear ,raise the rpms of the engine alittle and listen for excessive rollover noise in your 6speed !

This was the test we used to get Zf and Ford to change my 6peed with only 2800 miles on it with excessive endplay and a destroyed input shaft and bearing.
Clunked like crazy made alot of rollover noise and when the saw the input shaft /they couldn't believe it!

My new 6speed is tight and very little noise ,a slight clunk in my
drivetrain but its a combined axle wrap with slipjoint noise I keep the joint greased and I change my 6speed and transfercase fluid every 5 oil changes.


Sorry about long post

Rich

02 F250 4x4 SC 5.4v8 6spd 3.73ls Trueblue/Silver and Chrome Nerfs

"All Levers"

 

Rockwell, this is one of the first things that I posted after I ot my new trk in Apr. Mine has done it since it was new and still does it with 3000 miles. To me it sounds like a backlashing clang. It does it if you short shift or if you are moving along in a lower gear and then leave off of the gas. Running the rpm's to about 3000 between 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd seems to almost, if not totally eliminate it when upshifting. By the way, mine passes the test that Rich (Forty) has outlined. I hear the most rollover noise when I tested 6th gear. I haven't had any problems otherwise with the drivetrain but you can bet that I'm gonna be changing those fluids as Rich has outlined and will probably tackle the slip joints this spring. I kinda thought that this clunk was a combination of power, weight and torque on the drivetrain, which I still feel has a lot to do with it.
Hoping no problems develop.

 

Thanks very much! What great replies! I have the feeling that I may be undershifting but im going to try 40`s test today and see how it does. I feel alot better now with knowing that it is somewhat "normal" or at least expected to a certain extent. I will change the fluids every 5 oil changes as well...can never hurt.

Thanks