Well it started about 2 week ago in a big snow storm I used my 4 weel drive and now not every time but a lot of the time i get this clunk in frunt end when i press the brake and it is not in 4 weel any more. I checked the U joint for any slop but there is none.

Any one got any idias

Thanks Bob

 

You checked the driveshaft and u joints, so next thing I would check would be the front diff, if it is low on oil or somthing.

 

Have you got manual hubs? Are they BOTH disengaged?

 

will check the oil and it is auto hubs.

 

Autos eh? Hmmm, I am willing to venture a guess. I assume you know that disengaging them requires backing up about 10-15 feet. If you have done that, I'd be willing to put even money on a gummed up auto hub that hasn't released. I have no idea how to fix it as I just flat don't trust them so I remove them whenever I encounter them.

 

I had a similar problem on my truck and it was coming from the rear. It turned out to be the differential carrier bearing. So it could be that or a wheel bearing.

 

just my opinion...get rid of the auto hubs.. they are undependable and they hang up alot. that might be your problem. second, whenever using the 4 wd alot in water m thin mud or even snow the backside of the hubs on the seal is not always as dependable. so then periodicaly, matering on how often you use it, you may need to go back and rebuild the hubs, checking bearings and races and always replace those seals with a very generous amount of gasket sealent, high temp of course.

 

I still dont under stand how it would be the diff if it is not in 4 wheel drive any more and it only hapens when i press the brake and i am shure it is comming from the front.

PS just checked the u joints right at both front tires and left one has a lot of slop and right one has alittle slop how do you go about changing them or getting at them and could this be the problem with the clunking noise.
I asume that thouse u joints are only used when 4 wheel is engaged right?

Thanks All

 

uhhhh........if it is the u joints behind your hubs.......don't plan on any fun at all!!. plan a full weekend. you will have to remove the whole front center chunk and axle. reason being you have to take out the center chunk to get to the clips that hold in your front axles, take out both hubs and completely break it all down. be prepared to replace all those seals. If unshure how to go about all that get a chiltons or get a copy of that section out of a chiltons manual. the chiltons complete care manuals have great breakdowns and descriptions of these procedures. DO NOT PLAN ON ANY CLEAN FUN AT ALL!!!!

 

That makes the assumption that he is dealing with a TTB Dana44 that was manufactured after the 1992 model year. Prior to 1993, the shafts can be pulled without opening the diff. because there are no clips. This is why the D44 from my 92 is going under my 93! The hubs will still have to be disassembled and the rotors and spindles pulled but after that, the shafts should slip out of the differential housing.

Blue Tear,

You are correct in your understanding that the front axle U-joints are only in operation when 4WD is engaged. However, if you have an automatic hub that is not fully disengaging the axle (and u-joints) will still spin because the frotn wheels are still engaged via the hubs. You can check this by jacking one front wheel at a time off the ground and giving it a forward rotation. If the axle does not move on either side then the hubs are NOT the problem. If one or both wheels DO spin the axle then the hub on that wheel is not disengaged.

 

you may have a bad radius arm bushing also...when you used the 4x4 last, you may have finished off a bushing that was going out...using the 4x4 puts quite a bit more stress on the radius arms, than just rolling down the street...it would be worth a look ...

 

Yes I agree, I was going to say the same thing. The symptoms of a bad radius arm bushing is a clunk when applying the brakes and sometimes pulling to one side. An easy repair.

 

just a thought...i recall asking the same question to you guys awhile ago and the "CLUNK' noise turned out to be the SLIP JOINT on my drive shaft. and I was sure the clunk noise (that came from drive shaft) sounded like it was coming from the front end. the noise always happened when I hit the brakes. (truthfully, i replaced the radius arm bushings first, but the clunk continued.) good luck

 

-Usually - the symptom of a dry slip joint is a clunk when taking off from a stop, but if he fixed his noise that way then it should be looked into. Quite honestly it's the first time I've heard of it. Check the radius arm bushings first though, it's easier to see. Generally you can see that they are torn and hanging halfway out of where they are supposed to be - or even gone completely. Alternately, if they do not look bad but you still suspect them, look under the truck at the radius arm bushings while someone drives the truck - just have them go very slow, maybe 2 mph, and then hit the brakes. You want to be looking for excessive movement of the radius arm at the bushing area when they hit the brakes. If they don't move very much, and do not look torn, then they should be OK.

The slip joint is not that bad of a repair either - you will need to drop the driveshaft at the differential end and then remove the clamps that hold the slip joint boot on. Then separate the two halves of the shaft and grease the splines and reassemble. Be sure to mark everything when you take it off and apart so you can line up the splines and connections at the diff end to avoid possibly starting a vibration. The drivetrain assembly is balanced to how it is installed on the truck and if you don't put the splines back and bolt it back to the diff in the same sequence than you risk a driveline vibration. I don't mean to put you off - it's a simple matter of chalking the two connections before you take them apart.

 

Pull the hubs off Check the front shafts make sure they are free and joints move easy.
When hubs go bad and stick they can not fully disengage causing all sorts of clunks and grinds.
If joints stick and hubs dont disengage you can wind up with all sorts of problems.
Replace hubs you will never regret dumping auto hubs.
They are the first thing I change on these trucks.