2001 Tacoma 3.4L 4x4 clunking when starting in D after coming from R or P, only when cold.

When I reverse out of my parking spot, shift to drive, and give it gas the truck does not move. I give it a bit more gas and it clunks loudly (appears to come from the rear of the truck but its hard to tell from the drivers seat) and moves forward. I pull up to a stop sign about 20 yards away and it kind of jerks to a stop (sounds similar to what other taco owners describe w/ slip joint binding). When I go again, it doesn't clunk, but it seems a little sluggish to move. Once the truck is warm, it goes away completely. Two days ago I changed out the oil in the front diff, rear diff, and transfer case. I also greased the U joints, dropped the transmission pan and changed the filter followed by a complete flush. All the diff/transfer case fluid looked pretty new. No chunks of metal on the magnets. The transmission fluid was a dark brownish red, needed changing badly but didn't smell burnt and there were no chunks of metal in the pan, filter, or on the magnets. This was happening before the flush so I don't think that could be it. The transmission shifts wonderfully all other times so I kinda think (and hope) it may be something else. I had a friend get in the truck and go from reverse to drive a few times while I stood beside the truck listening and it sounds like it is definitively coming from the rear end. I suppose it could still be a bad U joint or carrier bearing maybe? If it were a mount, would it just stop once the truck was warm? Any suggestions on how to narrow it down? I have a go pro I could use. Thank you for your help!

 

Have you looked to see if the drum brake shoes are adjusted properly? Sounds to me they might be too tight.

 

I haven't. I actually just ran across a thread about that and hadn't considered it until now. I've noticed that the parking brake is a little "loose", would that indicate the same issue?

 

It could.

Have you looked at the adjustment procedure of the rear brakes? Pretty simple to back off the star wheel adjuster and loosen the brake shoes.

 

Just watched a video on youtube. Looks fairly easy. It seems counter intuitive though...I pull my parking brake lever WAY out and it still seems to not hold the truck very well. I feel like that would mean that they're too loose, no?

 

ABS?