98 Expedition Clunking
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: In a house, mostly
98 Expedition Clunking
My 98 Expy, 170K+ miles, 5.4L, has developed a clunking during light acceleration maintaining speed. It's as if someone is banging underneath with a 2x4, it doesn't feel like the truck is hesitating at all, the engine sounds smooth while this is going on, the rpms don't jump around, it's not shifting, there's no loss of power.
Any idea would be greatly appreciated, I hoping to get another 20K or so out of her.
J.
Any idea would be greatly appreciated, I hoping to get another 20K or so out of her.
J.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Have you been in any kind of accident?
Have you hit a pot hole real good?
How about hitting something off-roading?
I would think you need to check all your rotating masses; wheels, drivelines, brakes, transmission shafts, transfer case, etc. It may be as simple as a pebble stuck in the brake pads or between the rotor and backing plate; or if it were like my daughters jeep, the muffler/exhaust pipe hitting the driveline. Still could be your u-joints too, did you rotate the drive shafts listening for the slightest "clunking" or suggestion of it?
Have you hit a pot hole real good?
How about hitting something off-roading?
I would think you need to check all your rotating masses; wheels, drivelines, brakes, transmission shafts, transfer case, etc. It may be as simple as a pebble stuck in the brake pads or between the rotor and backing plate; or if it were like my daughters jeep, the muffler/exhaust pipe hitting the driveline. Still could be your u-joints too, did you rotate the drive shafts listening for the slightest "clunking" or suggestion of it?
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: In a house, mostly
All good points, there's plenty of places this could be coming from.
There is plenty of rotational play in the drive shaft. I sure can't detect any lateral movement in the joints, it does seem like there's at least 5 degrees of play between the differential and the transmission, but doesn't feel like it's in the joints, feels more like it's inside the diff or trans.
I'm going to man up and take her for a test drive later this week, and see if I can't pinpoint where it's comming from or what conditions tweak it. So far it seems like light to no tourque seems to make it clunk, which makes me think U joints.
Maybe it's time to drop the drive shaft and have a look. The thing is what part isn't going to be worn out after 12 year 170K beat down.
I'm just dreading a major breakdown cuz if it breaks bad I'm likely going to have to junk it and downsize.
Thanks again for your help.
There is plenty of rotational play in the drive shaft. I sure can't detect any lateral movement in the joints, it does seem like there's at least 5 degrees of play between the differential and the transmission, but doesn't feel like it's in the joints, feels more like it's inside the diff or trans.
I'm going to man up and take her for a test drive later this week, and see if I can't pinpoint where it's comming from or what conditions tweak it. So far it seems like light to no tourque seems to make it clunk, which makes me think U joints.
Maybe it's time to drop the drive shaft and have a look. The thing is what part isn't going to be worn out after 12 year 170K beat down.
I'm just dreading a major breakdown cuz if it breaks bad I'm likely going to have to junk it and downsize.
Thanks again for your help.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
When I pulled my u-joints, I found them nearly frozen. they were dry as a bone, and some of them had crushed the needle bearings into powder. Yet, I was unable to make them move while in their mounts thinking they were good. I replaced all of them, and greased the front slip shaft, and all is good now. good luck!
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Yeah, do not dismiss the ujoints entirely, I had a similar type problem and it was a binding ujoint; needle bearings wear out and not always create slop.
If you find it difficult to truly locate the problem, I would suggest looking at the easiest stuff first. Break down you search by systems, wheels and diffs, trans, and diff, once that is determined you can post your outcome and we can give you most common failures. I would get it up on all fours, put the rig in neutral and rotate every thing by hand. Looking, feeling, listening for any suggestion of a noise, a bind, etc. (that is how I found the pebble creating the noise) There may even be a problem in the rear, like spider gears, axle(s), or bearings. You know, now that I think about it, that was very similar to my symptom when my axle and bearing went out; although in my case the "clunking" was continuous, very light, almost a "ticking" sound. Check to see if you have any "oil" residue on a tire, specifically the passenger rear; if so axle and bearing is out. Common failure in a 8.8 rear (at least I think the 8.8).
If you find it difficult to truly locate the problem, I would suggest looking at the easiest stuff first. Break down you search by systems, wheels and diffs, trans, and diff, once that is determined you can post your outcome and we can give you most common failures. I would get it up on all fours, put the rig in neutral and rotate every thing by hand. Looking, feeling, listening for any suggestion of a noise, a bind, etc. (that is how I found the pebble creating the noise) There may even be a problem in the rear, like spider gears, axle(s), or bearings. You know, now that I think about it, that was very similar to my symptom when my axle and bearing went out; although in my case the "clunking" was continuous, very light, almost a "ticking" sound. Check to see if you have any "oil" residue on a tire, specifically the passenger rear; if so axle and bearing is out. Common failure in a 8.8 rear (at least I think the 8.8).
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
scottjima
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
229
Jan 15, 2018 09:33 PM
nicksorenson
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
19
Jun 13, 2016 09:00 AM
98, 99, back, banging, bucking, clunking, differential, expedition, front, goin, hesitation, jerk, noise, symptoms, ujoints
