Mysterious Clunking Noise

My 1996 4x4 base model Tacoma has been making a clunking noise lately when I press on the accelerator and sometimes when I take my foot off the gas. I thought it was a u-joint but some friends took a look and said there was no play at all in the drive shaft. Could it be something transmission related? How would I test this? I have also been having a vacuum leak lately but it’s probably not related?

 

It could be any number of things but I am thinking "axle wrap" first, that is if your buddy eliminated the center carrier bearing as a source. Axle wrap is the condition where the rear springs are not stiff enough and it allows for the rear axle to rotate up and down too much. There is no test for this you either put an add a leaf in to stiffen the springs or replace the rear springs.

 

Hmm I suppose it could be that though I replaced the rear springs about three years ago. And there’s no noticeable different in how it rides or sits.

 

To be clear, you need to remove the drive shaft to inspect / check for bad u joints.

 

It's assumed you've recently or consistently greased all the points on the driveshaft, especially the slip yolk?

 

It could be the slip yoke between the rear diff and drive shaft. I ordered the

$19 Ford xg-8 PTFE Lubricant - 3 oz.

Ford xg-8 PTFE lube because mine does this also. It's on my list coming up. Timmah tool man 4runner guy has a good video on youtube showing the procedure. Cheers


Maybe somebody will drop the link I don't keep them handy in a folder.

 

Yep, just got done doing her up this weekend, we'll see if it holds up...still feel like I need some sort of relief valve/port to reduce the crazy pressure that yolk creates...I didn't realized how much it did until I just took it off...

 

Nice grease pencil marks rish57
Very nice.

 

If you got a gopro you can strap it under truck pointing to the leaf & axle, this will allow you to see axle wrap.