Drive shaft balancer + clunking

[maemae]

I have a 2004 2.3L 4clyl 5-speed that makes a clunk sound most of the time, when I put my foot on the gas. I knew it needed new u-joints, and since it is so cold here, I had my mechanic look at it. He looked at it and the balancer (round thing covering the U-joint that connects the drive shaft to the transmission) was loose and rattling. He took it off the drive shaft, so I could use it for now, but told me I need a whole new drive shaft, which is a lot of $$. Being a college student, I don't have the funds to get one, and was wondering if I just replace the u-joints, would the clunking stop?

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

If that's the case, I would run to a junk yard, and pull a DS. I'm sure they won't charge much for one. If you just replace the U-joints, the drive shaft will only ruin them much sooner. Fix it, not band-aid it.

 

[adsm08]

Viva is right. Fixing it right may be expensive. Fixing it wrong several times is more expensive.

 

[doorgunner]

yep....if the holes that the bearings fit in are too loose...new u-joints won't help.....d. i. y. / j. y.....check the mileage on the speedometer of the vehicle you remove the driveshaft from....low mileage is better!

 

[maemae]

My other option is driving around the way it is now, until i have the money to fix it.

 

[adsm08]

That may cause just as many or more problems. An unbalanced shaft will vibrate and wear lots of things out faster than normal.

 

[Captain Ledd]

So, you just took the ring off of the balancer?

Heck, I've been driving around without mine for a good 30,000 miles now. I thought they fell off all the time. I've noticed no adverse effects. Mine now has 220,000 miles on the original u-joints.

You'll be fine.

 

[maemae]

Thanks for the input; decided to take the truck to the mechanic, and get it over with. Parents are helping me out with the cost. Miss my truck already, should get it back by the end of the week.

 

[heptofite]

pull off that shitty balancer and get the shaft balanced properly.

you'll notice all the older shafts are properly balanced, and don't have that band-aid harmonic one

 

[The_Dealer]

So, you just took the ring off of the balancer?

Heck, I've been driving around without mine for a good 30,000 miles now. I thought they fell off all the time. I've noticed no adverse effects. Mine now has 220,000 miles on the original u-joints.

You'll be fine.

x2 my 00 did the same thing at 84k miles. ditched the ring and chaged the joints. no more clunking. sold it at 180xxx miles and no probs