help!! rear end makin a clunk!!!

[98powerranger]

Hello i have a 98 Ford rangerxlt 4x4 4.0 my rear end is makin a clunk when i put in reverse or drive and give it gas(just one clunk) or if i just power brake it just enough to put pressure on it (without burnin out ).. i opened up the pumkin and didnt see any teeth missing and replace the fluidstoday .... at first i thought my uni joints were goin out then i replaced them and that didnt solve them problem... the only thing i can think of is maybe its lockin in the possie ? or limited slip? any ideas would realy help!!thanks

 

[atvkid4eva]

if your ranger has a 2 piece drive shaft with a slip joint in the middle then take the boot off the slip joint and remove the back half of the driveshaft...grease the hell out of the splines on the slip joint with a moly cv joint grease or ford sells a special ptfe grease for this purpose (expensive from ford)..anyhow just grease that joint and reassemble you will be amazed that the clunk will go away ; ) it is cause by the slip joint sticking when the driveshaft moves in and out...do a search this is a very very common problem...if you have a 1 piece driveshaft then it has to be something in your rear end i believe. good luck

 

[98powerranger]

Two piece?? if has a boot bout six inches from the transfer case that i notice when i took the shaft out you can compress the shaft... is that a two piece?

 

[Nhaz]

yeap. they get sticky and clunk when it releases to the new position. grease it and it slips properly and stops clunking.

 

[atvkid4eva]

yeah thats what i meant by 2 piece...where it compresses slip that apart and grease it really good with one of the two greases i listed above...the clunk should totally dissapear atleast it did on my truck...may have to do this about once a year.

 

[351rangerxxx]

make sure you mark it and put it back together the same way it comes apart or your driveline will be out of phase and vibrate

 

[98powerranger]

well guys i did it and its still doin it lemme ask ya do ya have to use that grease... i used like a marine grease its good stuff but does it really make a diff? and what do ya mean it changes postitions?

 

[Toms01PSD]

Try this. Grab your driveshaft and see how much you can rotate it either way. If you can move it a lot you may have too much play in the rear end. That's how mine is.

 

[fangotango306]

u joints?

 

[dangerranger83]

My truck did the same thing and it turned out to be a blown up spider gear and the gear pieces were getting in the ring and pinion gears making loud clunking sounds.

 

[4x4junkie]

well guys i did it and its still doin it lemme ask ya do ya have to use that grease... i used like a marine grease its good stuff but does it really make a diff? and what do ya mean it changes postitions?

Moly CV joint grease is best to use on the slip, but ANY grease should've made some difference, even if just short-term.

Check your U-bolts holding the axle to the leaf springs, and all the spring hardware, make sure everything there is tight.
Also, check the torque on the transfercase flange nut.

 

[rangertoy]

mine was doing this awhile back, it turned out to be the pinion bearings