Slip joint CLunk!

Dalpilot

Dalpilot

Joe Nobody!
Joined
Apr 21, 2006
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Time to grease the slip joint again, the clunk is back. Has anyone put a grease fitting in there to make it a clean deal?
 
What exactly is slip joint clunk? I sometimes get a clunk under my truck when I start it up........... It only happens every now and then and I forget about it before I get a chance to check it out.
 
Seems on the superduty, as you first take off from a dead stop, you will hear a CLUNK and feel like somethings banging. The slip joint on the driveshaft has a boot on it, but after about 40K miles it seems to need to be regreased. There is no fitting, so you have to unbolt it, clean it, and reinstall. Its not that big of a deal, just a dirty job. I asked DCSpecial about it and he said his front has one, but not the rear, and brought up a good point. Put in a fitting, and you have to have it rebalanced.
 
Can you do a write up the next time you do it? I think mine is doing the same thing. I have to wait a second before laying on the gas after putting it in gear.
 
This may not be the most economical solution, but I was talking to some guys at the nationals in Indy. that make aftermarket aluminum drive shafts. The guy told me that they make the driveshaft from the carrier bearing back to the rear end which is the part that has the slip joint. He told me that it would be all one piece aluminum tubing and if I'm not mistaken, it is 6 inch tubing. The company is http://accuratedrivelineandmachine.com/ They quoted me $400 from the carrier back to the rear end. They said that they are working on the shaft from the carrier to the transfer case but it is taking some time.
 
$400.00 I think I'll just get greasy. LOL Its not too bad, and Yes, I will do a how to.
 
Tim, just follow my how-to when you make your how-to LOL :hehe:


Be sure to mark it so that it gets installed exactly how it came out.....and always, always chock the wheels and use the e-brake when doing this procedure.

You'll normally feel the clunk on take off and when coming to a complete stop when the pinion rotates.
 
same thing does that on the chevy gasser farm pickup just unbolt the driveline and grease it and its good for a year
 
Dalpilot said:
Seems on the superduty, as you first take off from a dead stop, you will hear a CLUNK and feel like somethings banging. The slip joint on the driveshaft has a boot on it, but after about 40K miles it seems to need to be regreased. There is no fitting, so you have to unbolt it, clean it, and reinstall. Its not that big of a deal, just a dirty job. I asked DCSpecial about it and he said his front has one, but not the rear, and brought up a good point. Put in a fitting, and you have to have it rebalanced.
Click to expand...

Not unless you spend the extra 36 cents and put a dummy one on the other side...
 
When you add a little tiny grease fitting you have to rebalance the shaft???

It seems that little bit of weight on that big heavy part would not matter.
 
you need to realize how fast it spins. The slightest bit of weight can cause a vibration. Probably wouldn't hurt anything, but certainly cause a vibration somewhere in the RPM band.
 
As long as the weight and position is perfectly offset, it would be fine, but there are some variables.
 
If possible, you should have your driveshaft balanced anytime you do anything to it.

Tim could probably add one fitting to it and the harmonics wouldn't show up until he hits 5k and since our trucks don't rev that high, he would never know. Harmonics are hard to predict. But if he has the driveshaft out, it is better to try and balance it with two fittings or by actually taking it somewhere and having it balanced.
 
I have a customer (works in the shop next door), that came over right when i moved in, his boot was ripped and he had the clunk. He said that it had been regreased 3 times before (05 model year). I didnt believe that.

Either way, i put a new boot on, and really took the time to clean the splines up and regrease good. Two weeks later the clunk was back. I grab the shaft and push up and down...the rubber isolator in the carrier bearing had way too much play; had to go with a new carrier bearing, isolator, and metal strap.


Something to think about, the rotation of the shaft inside the carrier bearing naturally creates forces in all directions on that whole carrier bearing unit (unless u joints perfectly positioned, and shaft perfectly balanced; not really possible in reality). I still dont know how greasing the slip made it less noticeable for that short time. May have just been in our heads.
 
You should be able to get the driveshaft rebalanced pretty cheaply.
Or you can just drill it and see if you notice anything.
 
i dont see needing to rebalance it, as you are replacing (fitting) a similar amount of material that you are removing; not the same amount, and not exact same location, but i dont see it becoming noticeable.
 
Jess@FarmboyFab said:
I have a customer (works in the shop next door), that came over right when i moved in, his boot was ripped and he had the clunk. He said that it had been regreased 3 times before (05 model year). I didnt believe that.

Either way, i put a new boot on, and really took the time to clean the splines up and regrease good. Two weeks later the clunk was back. I grab the shaft and push up and down...the rubber isolator in the carrier bearing had way too much play; had to go with a new carrier bearing, isolator, and metal strap.


Something to think about, the rotation of the shaft inside the carrier bearing naturally creates forces in all directions on that whole carrier bearing unit (unless u joints perfectly positioned, and shaft perfectly balanced; not really possible in reality). I still dont know how greasing the slip made it less noticeable for that short time. May have just been in our heads.
Click to expand...


I had this problem in my truck. Changed the carrier and it took care of it. I have never greased my splines. 03 truck 85000
 
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