Got a clunk when I drive.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 255
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From: Spokane
Got a clunk when I drive.
When I drive, when I back up, mostly when I turn fairly sharp and give it just a little gas to get her moving I get this cluck that resonates thru the entire vehicle. It's not loud just feels like something moves. Feels like the lug nuts are loose on one wheel. Well, anyway I have isolated it to the rear drivers wheel. I have had this noise since I got the truck last year. I have taken the wheel off and the brakes are OK. I didn't try to pry on the axle. Do we think this is an axle bearing or something in the rear-end? I have had the rear drive line off and the rear-end back-lash is good.
95 F-250 4x4 E4od
95 F-250 4x4 E4od
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 14
From: West Cornwall, CT
Trucks can make some strange noises while backing up. Any noise will be telegraphed through the drive train and might seem to come from a rear wheel. A few possibilities:
Driveshaft u-joints. If your truck is like mine there are only two and they are easy to check. There should be no play in either joint.
Limited slip rear end chattering. If you have a LS rear end this is a possibility. A rear end lube change and the right amount of additive should fix this.
Loose (or broken) rear spring U-bolts. If the axle moves on the spring perch you could hear a clunk. A broken spring in the leaf pack could cause this noise.
Worn out leaf spring eye bushings. If your springs are oringinal, the bushings could be shot. Check these with a pry bar when the weight of the truck is off the springs. Replacing these bushings looks easy but is a lot of work.
As a long shot, the rubber mount between the rear of the transfer case and the support could be broken.
Your rear end should be a full floater. There axles are bolted to the hub and the bolts are visible on the outside of each rear hub. If they are all there, tight and no rear end fluid is leaking out, you should be OK.
I would check rear end lube level just to be sure it is proper. The fill/level plug is located on the drivers side of the rear end a few inches behind where the driveshaft enters it. Level should be at the bottom of the plug. If you have never changed rear end lube, it is probably time to do it. You could check out the condition of the rear end in the process.
You probably have already checked all the lug nuts on *both* rear wheels for proper torque.
Lou Braun
Driveshaft u-joints. If your truck is like mine there are only two and they are easy to check. There should be no play in either joint.
Limited slip rear end chattering. If you have a LS rear end this is a possibility. A rear end lube change and the right amount of additive should fix this.
Loose (or broken) rear spring U-bolts. If the axle moves on the spring perch you could hear a clunk. A broken spring in the leaf pack could cause this noise.
Worn out leaf spring eye bushings. If your springs are oringinal, the bushings could be shot. Check these with a pry bar when the weight of the truck is off the springs. Replacing these bushings looks easy but is a lot of work.
As a long shot, the rubber mount between the rear of the transfer case and the support could be broken.
Your rear end should be a full floater. There axles are bolted to the hub and the bolts are visible on the outside of each rear hub. If they are all there, tight and no rear end fluid is leaking out, you should be OK.
I would check rear end lube level just to be sure it is proper. The fill/level plug is located on the drivers side of the rear end a few inches behind where the driveshaft enters it. Level should be at the bottom of the plug. If you have never changed rear end lube, it is probably time to do it. You could check out the condition of the rear end in the process.
You probably have already checked all the lug nuts on *both* rear wheels for proper torque.
Lou Braun
