Heres the problem;

When I take off from a dead stop the driveline seems like it has some slack in it somewhere. It kind of feels like something is slipping then catching from a dead stop. Anyone have any clues?

 

I had a similar problem with my 98. Try removing the drive shaft and grease the splines on the slip yoke. It cured mine. Be sure to mark the location of the driveshaft to the rear end mounting flange. That way you won't lose the driveshaft balance.

Jeff

 

Good evening,

Never EVER take the joint out of the flange!!!

1) there is a very good chance of droppong needle bearings by accident for most people.

2) The outer plastic seals like to break, crack, shatter, split, and stretch and pull out of shape thus exposing the real rubber seal to the elements and sand and dust.

3) The caps are not perfest all the time, some are machined a little off and it will change the runnout of the shaft along that plane

4) If your weld yoke is bent out due to torque, and you put the joint and caps in and hammer them over more to one side as there will be room for the whole joint to move side to side now, your runnout will go all to hell, and the result will be a spinning shaft that seems to be bent at the rear, plus burning out the joint very fast.

Take the flange off if you want to remove your shaft.

Remember if you have a 2 piece shaft it is common for the slip and spline to run dry, and greasing it and putting it back in phase and in the same way it came out. Most shafts have master splines, but many do not, and aftermarket parts made by whoever may or may not have masters.

Check my other posts to inspect your ujoints as well. But a clunk like you describe would have the truck shaking like all hell the rest of the time as well.

 

I also have a clunk that occurs any time I start off from a dead stop on my 95 5.0L standard shift. If I'm nice and easy on the clutch it does not happen, but the harder I drop it the louder the noise. It seems to come from the center or center right, and sounds like it's below or in front of the cab. I've changed out shocks (they were shot and I though they were making the noise) and inspected all the suspension components visually and I can't find anything. I've even bounced the truck up and down on both ends and I do not get the sound.

One other thing I notice is my shifter and transfer case lever move slightly to the right he harder I take off. Could the transmission not be secured properly, or is a little movement normal? I only noticed that recently and haven't looked at how and/or how well it's mounted.

bdenglund, I also know someone who had a similar noise and discovered a missing bearing where the control arm mounted to the frame. Mine are fine and I still get the noise, but it's something else to check. I haven't tried the yoke lube as I'd need to bring it to a shop.

 

Ford Tefflon Grease, Mark the direction of the drive shaft and pop her off and grease up the slip yoke. I had the same problem and grease cured it. Make sure you put the drive line back the same way and note the marks you made making sure they line up. Job done.

 

This is a very VERY very common problem on Ford tucks. The fix for me was the teflon grease on the spline. You can get the grease that says PTFE (Teflon) in a small tube at the Ford parts dept. Not very expensive.

BTW, I would feel the (Thump) when comming to a full stop, and often again on takoff. But at no other time or speed did I feel anything that could've been a driveshaft vibration.

Dpostman

 

Is there a problem with simply using a high-temp bearing grease?