clunk clunk u-joints?

[eightysixwinter]

When decelerating at any speed, when I'm not giving it any gas, there is a repetitive clunking noise. It doesn't do it when idling. I checked the driveshaft for play and there wasn't any. Ideas?

[Brandon]

Does it clunk whenever the tranny shifts to another gear?

[351m]

Check for play in the rear diff. Sounds like it could be getting worn. The van is worn enough that even with a new carrier and a shop spending 8 hours on it, there is a clunk clunk clunk on decel. (The pin for the spiders ovaled the hole in the original carrier when the spiders managed to weld themselves to it. :S)

[eightysixwinter]

Does it clunk whenever the tranny shifts to another gear?

from 1st to 2nd but its always done that, i figured it was just how that transmission was....

the rear end does seem to feel like it goes side to side and slowly wiggles sometimes actually but i thought that would be the lower control arms? (not familiar with the suspension on these things). i havent tried to move it around by hand yet.

[Pesty351]

Crawl underneath the thing and try to rotate the drive shaft back and fourth. If it goes clunk it very well could be your issues.

[jayh]

does it clunk when you first put it in drive, or only when the car is moving?

when is the last time you had the rear drums off?

[eightysixwinter]

does it clunk when you first put it in drive, or only when the car is moving?

when is the last time you had the rear drums off?

i think only when moving, ill write more later.

about a year ago, and everything was replaced and drums were resurfaced? (always have discs until this car, im sure i seem like an idiot). when i put my head out the window it does sound like it possibly copuld be coming from the rear driver side wheel though its hard to tell.

[cld783]

when mine did that it was the tranny mount.. the U joints are also likely to be dust if you havent done them.

[Brandon]

I know sometimes if it's the Universal joints it'll clunk when you go from Park to Drive or Drive to Reverse.

[jayh]

yeah the u-joints will cluck park to reverse, park to drive, reverse to drive; they also make some noise under hard acceleration, but not so much on decel

I'm betting on "hardware soup" lol, either the shoe hold downs/pins broke or that cable on the secondary shoe broke(pretty common)

[gadget73]

When those needle bearings start to go in the U joint, it can bind and make clunking noises. It may not show up as play if the bearings are still there, but if they've rusted up, they don't roll smoothly. You can usually feel that if you pull the driveshaft out and roll the U joint around. if its rusty, the motion won't be smooth.