Please Help
 

I Have a thumping sound when applying brakes or throttle quickly. If i ease into brake or gas i usually don't hear it. i replaced gearbox, ball joints, outter tie rod, inner tie rod, hub assembly, alignment. I am getting alignment re-done next week. THe sound is like putting a weight on a rod and shaking it so it slides and hits each end and makes a thump sound. i bought a new intermediate steering shaft. a local garage told me it didn't need replaced, just the gearbox. any ideas what this annoying sound can be from?

Welcome to DF
I will move your post in the section that can help you out.

If you hear it on both braking, and acceleration, I would start looking at u-joints.

+1 on checking U joints.

my dodge is a money pit
 

.i replaced u joints on both sides of front end axel. its just one thump/clud sound when applying break or gas. it doesn't always do it either. sounds like something is lose. i was told it could have something to do with slip joint in steering shaft???

They are more referring to the u-joints in the rear driveshaft, but inspecting your steering components can't hurt anything.

Where abouts are they located? Its my first 4x4.

So maybe that has always the problem I've notice a clunk loose feeling from back end when driving up hill and turning left onto road. I would feel a clunk coming from bed of truck....like almost a wiggling feelingut

Check mounts and such too. U-joints are easy to see, they are basically the same things you changed in the front axle, just a bit bigger.... should be two, one on each end of the shaft.

what mounts do you mean the ones that support the bed?

Yeah, bed mounts. Sorry, wasn't real clear there. :D Spring mounts and such as well. Anything that could possible generate the noise.

uncertain
 

it feels like the shaft is slamming back on u joint when hitting gas and pulling away from u joint when braking? does that make sense? is that possible? i know theres always vibration in the floor i have a flowmaster dual exhaust though.
I'm just trying to explain this the best way that i can.
does that sound like bad u joints or a whole drive shaft problem?

Thats very common behavior coming from a neglected U-joint. They will just keep workin even after the needle bearings are long gone, and only ever give you those subtle side effects. Replace 'em, they are cheap and easy to do.

The OP's issue is exactly what was wrong with the front u-joint of the driveshaft of my truck. There was a "thunk" sound upon take-off and sometimes when slowing or braking. The cap was broken and every needle bearing was missing, thus allowing it to "flop" around.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...e/100_2420.jpg

Word to the wise -- pay the extra $10 and buy the American made u-joints instead of the Chinese made garbage. I accidentally had purchased one American made and one Chinese, and the Chinese was 0.010 too large and wouldn't fit the yoke.

thank you soo much. I'm having it fixed monday.

So the alignment is done and it runs smooth. The u joint wasn't the culprit. its the spider gears on the rear end. The mechanic said not to worry about it unless it gets really bad.

Spiders are cheap, but are definately a step up from u-joint replacement. Find a buddy who knows his stuff and you could knock it out in a couple hours.

My friend's '86 had a bad ujoint in the rear of the rear driveline, and in the cv joint up front when he bought it. Every time he put it in gear (4 spd manual) or shifted it made a big 'ol CLANK! and in 4x4 it made the same noise with every rotation of the driveshaft. Needless to say they got replaced shortly. Then he blew his front spiders in a mudhole.

I get the clank drifting down the hill when it shifts into 2.

Drifting? You should post a video ;)

^^^ What he said :)

So mechanic said it'd ring and pinion its not bad. Alignment done drives smooth.clockspring replaced now makes cracking sound when turning. Horn,cruise control,etc all work. Now when I shifted it doesn't show I was I'm in gear. It has a slow delay. The needle eventually show whether in park reverse 1,2, or drive
.

Mine did that too. It was the u-joints on drive shaft. Cheap and easy fix.

U joints were checked all are good

Don't know what would cause cracking sound....but that can't be good!

on the gear indicator, remove the 3 screws holding the knee panel in below steering column. There is a white plastic thinggy (technical term) with a white knob. This will adjust the orange indicator. Make sure the little cable end is on the dog hanging out and the cable is aligned in the groove. Adjust knob to get indicator into position. If it is delayed, it is probably out of the groove. I sprayed mine with teflon lubricant the other day. Same issue. I did not take a photo, but I believe there is a thread with photos in the FAQ/DIY section somewhere. I know I've seen it....

I'm new on here ill try to find it. If you see it please post it on here if u Can. I'm a beginner to 4x4

Ok thanks. I'm going to look for video on web for fixing gear indicator also.

video
 

how and where do i put the video i have 2

Just upload them to photobucket and link to it in a thread.

I'm not sure if you can hear the crackling noise when turning wheel. Clockspring was replaced. Horn airbag and cruise now work. But as you notice in other video, the orange gear indicator has slow reaction.

Has anyone watched those videos?

Who replaced the clockspring?

The gear indicator is most likely out of adjustment. The drop down panel under the wheel just needs pulled off and you will find the white adjustment thinger attached to the column... Take a good look at how it works and make adjustments as needed.

. I purchased clockspring from advance. I had a local frame shopshop do alignment and install clockspring.

It turns easier to the right. But the alignment is good!

I would have a chat with the folks that did the install, and see what they have to say.

Yes I am definitely calling first thing Monday after today's episodes. I was turning onto a busy highway and it seemed as if it locked up I yanked it hard to keep from making a 360 into the field and something broke I can feel it moving around when turning. The horn and cruise control still work.