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CLUNK from the rear-end!!?

arsieck

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hillsborough NC
Before I get into it it is a 1991 cherokee limited, I6, auto, 4x4 with factory towing package.

The story starts earlier this year, while I was being a jackass and lost my rear driveshaft killed the u-joint and straps.

Limped home in 4x4 (front wheel drive) very, very slowly. Upon inspection yoke and DS seemed fine except for a couple places on the rear end of the DS where it looked like it was hit with a hammer, on the pockets that hold the u-joint caps.

New u-joint and straps and it was back on the road. That was about 6k ago.

This past weekend I was driving home from work on the interstate and bang! rear DS popped out again.

Got it home. u-joint looked fine other than a missing cap, still looked new.

Rear yoke has pockets on each side to cradle the u-joint, straps bolt over the pocket to enclose them. There is a little retainer tooth on each side that is casted into the rear yoke that prevents the u-joint from slipping out on either end, in place of the c-clips that pop on-top of the caps on the ends that connect to the DS. On one side of my yoke that retainer tooth has been broken off.

I am thinking that happened the first time I lost the DS and thus is why it has happened again.

Last night I put it back together (re-used u-joint and just got new caps) in order to drive it this week until I can do something about it this weekend.

PROBLEM IS....there is almost 0 play in the DS right now, but I am getting this awful clunk when: shifting from drive or park into reverse and when driving, though it gets more frequent over 40mph and has only happened like twice under. This clunk not only sounds like death on wheels but I can really feel it too.

I know I need a new yoke (if I can get the old one off after 22 years) but for now I am trying to diagnose the clunking. I think if the problem where that tooth than there would be play in the DS or the u-joint would have shifted some....

So what could it be? Bent DS? Where do I start? and what happens if I take it over 55mph?

Thanks!
 
how are the ds u joints?
How much backlash in the rear diff?
Have you had the driveshaft balanced? It could have gotten tweaked when it fell out.
 
What is backlash?

I should mention to that when shifting between D R and P the car lerches forward and backward more that I remembered it being.
 
As the miles add up, so does the wear on the internal parts of your differential. This is called drive-line lash and it is common. It often results in a clunk when shifting between P-D-N-R. Abuse and exploding u-joints can accelerate the wear.

Pausing in Neutral for 3-5 seconds when shifting between D or R will reduce the clunking.

If you have clunking while driving, you may have a bad u-joint, or you may have damaged the differential or gears. Have a look inside at the spider gears and the Ring/Pinion gears.
 
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