If someone could help me?? I have a clunking noise in the drivetrain on my 97 f-150 4 wheel drive, stepside after I take off from a stop at a light. If I take off really slow I don't hear it but if I give it a bit more gas on take off, I hear sometimes 2 clunks. Is this my brakes.....drive shaft knuckles.....slopy rear end....or loose rear suspension??

Has anybody had this problem. My Ford shops in town can't seem to find the problem.

Please help!!

thanx, D

 

I have the same thing. I think it's in the diff. My truck has 86K. I purchased it 2 years ago with around 52K. I know the diff is going to fail this soon. I have a lot of side to side play, and the LS doesn't work to well anymore.

The clunk sounds like slop in the diff, I can notice it more while changing from forward to reverse.


Mike

 

Thanx MKTRUCK, but it doesn't really have slop shifting from forward to reverse. It really only happens when I take off from a light. It only has 82K on it. If its the diffy I would to know what it is and if my diffy is going to last! Maybe its in the transfercase??? Hope not.

Anybody else have this problem???

Thanx, D

 

You can take it to Ford and all they are going to tell you is one of three things
1. It's normal live with it. Service writer says " That's $65, please"
2. They will lie and charge you for unneed parts
3. They will tell you or perform what everyone else here with that problem has found out and that is to grease the slip yoke.

Seems for some reason the slip yoke gets dry and a little shot of grease will cure the problem for several months until it dries up again. Ford even uses some kind of specail grease mainly for this problem (might have like PTFE in it) and it seems to last a little longer than when I used just regular hi-temp grease. Try it, it can't hurt and it's free. If that doesn't help, look into other things.

 

Thanx KY, I will give it a try. Do I get the grease from Ford or will any parts store have the PTFE grease?

Anybody else with the problem??

Thanx, D

 

I'm thinking that you may want to look at the u-joints.

The noise from the slip-yoke is more often heard as a click, followed by truck surging forward or backwards when going into gear from park.

I had this clicking and surging after I changed my u-joints. Turns out it was the slip-yoke splines. The grease pads the splines and does seem to last a long time. I had gone nearly 75,000 miles without a problem and only created one when I wiped the grease off.

Ford recommends a teflon grease. Ford P/N D2AZ19590A
It comes in a 1lb can and should supply your whole neighborhood for the next 20 years. It cost about $25.00

 

Thanx AJ, anyone else??

Thanx,D

 

My "clunk" was the leaf springs. It would always do it after coming to a stop and then hitting the gas again. Never did it when shifting in or out of any gear. I knew it was not my U joints, because they had zero play in them. I've had bad U joints before (not on my F150) and know what they feel like.

I figured out it was my leaf springs because when I had a load in the back, it would not do it. Only when I was empty did I get the clunk. Heard about it being a leaf spring issue on this site too.

Mine "cured" itself AFTER I installed a set of those Hellwig Overload springs. I was not satisfied with the fact that 1000 #'s of payload (still within the spec of my GVW) would put the rear damn near on the stops.....

Added these and I've not clunked since. Also no wheel hop and I can load up 1000#'s and not even look like it..... Well, it only drops like 2" now....

 

Thanx Mitch, ya that is what exactly it is doing!! The only way of curring the problem is new leaf's or is there something else I can do that won't break the bank???

Thanx, D

 

I don't recall what the actual fix was. I seem to recall it was getting new leaf springs, but I also recall them just replacing the bushings on either end of the springs as well. There was also reference to the little round "pad" that you see on the lower leaf.

Are your leafs "twisted" in anyway. I mean, is one or more kinda out of aligment from the others? Mine weren't, but there is a TSB on that. The drivers side one is the critical one to look for. It says that the spring could twist enough to actually puncture the gas tank. At that point, Ford is "supposed" to fix it for you as a recall.

My overload springs cost a tad over $150, but like I said, I got them to solve a different problem. Fixing the clunk was just an added benefit in my case.



Just had to add that pic to show you that it can be done. See you post about Gas Mileage. I started to list out how you do this there. But, I didn't give out all the secrets yet. I need to know how much you already know so I don't give you instructions you already know........

 

blocksbikes,

I have a 97 4x4 styleside that has the same problem as you. It's going to the dealer on thursday. I just bought the truck and they say they will fix it. Do you find it is worse on somedays more than others. Today there was hardly any clunk at all. It seems on warm dry days it does it more. Anybody want to guess why? I'm stumped.

 

No, it does it all the time.

Getting it checked at the end of the week when I get my brakes done.

 

Well went to the dealership today and talked to the service guy. He said take the driveshaft off and check to see if there is any grease in the slip yoke. Took it off and it was dry as a bone. Took it down to the dealership and they put a **** load of the special teflon grease in the yoke. Took it back home and put it back on the truck. Took it around the block and its gone!! No more clunk!!

Thanx to the people who responded and a big thanx to the service guy who didn't even charge me for the grease.

Hat's off to Percival Lincoln Ford in Regina, Sask. Canada and the great service. You saved me a big headache and $$$$$$.

 

My 1999 4x2 has a rear clunking on the right side. It does it every once and a while. I took it in to Ford, and they put new breaks on and looked things over, but it still does it. It was free! I was going to change the fluid to see if that will help.
I never thought about it being the springs.
Oh, I notice it more whenits cold out, and it does it only a few times then stops.
I only have 24500 miles, and its a LS rear end.

 

I had the same clunking...it would usualy always happen when I would first hit the gas and sometimes when stopping.....ended up being the left rear leaf spring bolts were loose.