I've finally gotten my truck back on the road. I'm still working on things here and there, but the lowering job is done, and a few other things.

I'm having a problem with driveline clunking. There are a few distinct things, and it feels like its rear axle related trouble.

1. it's loud enough to be jarring while you sit in the driver seat, but you can't hear it from outside the car. (i had my girlfriend drive the car past me on the street. she verified she heard it in the truck, but I could not as I walked next to the car)
2. It's speed dependent. it gets more frequent as you speed up, etc.
3. Going forward, it ONLY happens when you are movin, but not applying the gas pedal, either through coasting or being in neutral.
4. It doesn't seem to happen in 4hi or 4lo, but I was too nervous leaving it there on dry ground to actually do a real check.

So if you go from a dead stop.

Accelerate, quiet
Foot off the gas, *clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk*
Press the gas again, it instantly goes away.

Any ideas of what to check?

 

Check the rear driveshaft u-joints for play or a loose strap. Also check the pinion yoke
for any play or leaks from the seal, which would be signs of a pinion bearing going bad.

 

Doesn't sound like a pinion issue to me. That you would hear when touching the gas from a coast. Might be carrier bearings or spider gears. Those you can do fairly easily. More like loose lug nuts. Those will be worse when braking to a stop, though.
Check your U joints in neutral very closely with a flashlight for any play. Eliminate all the easier stuff first.

 

Clean and lubricate the slip yoke.

What's your pinion angle now?

 

I will have to measure it when I get home. I don't know. I paid a shop that specializes in lift kits to do the angle setting and welding for me. I hadn't driven the truck in months, until I just took it around the block yesterday.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll report back.

 

The Jeep gods are upset that you lowered instead of lifted :} Did they shorten the drive shaft? I wondering if the slip joint actually bottoming out in the xfer case.