Thread: Bad U-joint of Transmission Yoke

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The problem I am having is that while driving there will be a random clunking noise coming from beneath around the middle area . I can't really pinpoint to just accelerating or decelerating because it does it during both while driving straight.

I put it up on Jack Stands to try to simulate it and nothing , but soon as I put it back down and drive the clunking comes back.

I'm thinking it could possibly be the u-joint but am not sure

Also should the yoke on the transmission (the silver shaft that comes out the back of the tranny to connect to the u-joint and driveshaft) have any play in it because it does it doesn't leak any fluid out of it so I don't know???

Does anyone know what this could be

Oh yeah and its a 350 connected to a turbo 350 Trans.

Thanks

I was thinking of greasing up the wheels on the creeper and have his wife drive it down the street so he could get a birds eye view while he goes for the ride. Seriously, Denny's is a good good way to safely check it and pin point the "Clunk".

That trans has a rear bushing and can be replaced very easily with the proper tool, that will take care of the excessive play in the yoke. I would look very closely at drive shaft length as it's very possible that yours is too long causing the slip yoke to bottom out. Also inspect the u-joints,if they are tight and binding or loose it can and will cause that rear bushing to wear out....

Well here's what I got, while running if I shift from park to reverse I get a clunk, reverse to drive I get a clunk, drive to reverse no clunk.

And if I hold the brakes while in gear (reverse or drive) and give it gas I get like a clunk thud???

But it feels like its coming its the middle where the driveshaft meets the tranny

I don't know I hate this noise though, it just started doing it Monday night on my way home from work

I pulled the driveshaft today and popped out the front u-joint, it looks good but I'll replace it anyways

I was also reading that slip yokes can cause a clunking if they are not lubed, when I pulled it out it was pretty dry.

Could the slip yoke be my clunking???

By loose do you mean it should not have any play in it at all when rotating it until it catches the tranny. It has a very small amount of looseness while moving it

Also there is one whole spline missing on the inside of it, but it looks perfect as if thats how it came. Is this right???

Ok replaced the U-joint and lubed up the yoke as much as possible and still getting a clunk, I'm wondering if it could be something in the suspension

The coil on the left side has a wierd silver thing, I don't know what this is or what it does, but the coil on the right does not have one. Even if this wouldn't cause the clunk, I still would like to learn what that is


Shot with KODAK Z730 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA at 2007-07-21


Shot with KODAK Z730 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA at 2007-07-20

I would replace those springs and u-joints,it looks like it needs it. You should also pick up a case of degreaser and spend a day cleaning the undercarriage.Your car will love you for it.

Another thing to check is engine and transmission mounts; if they are loose, broken, or just plain old worn out and squishy, they can cause some odd noises.

That looks like a '50's Chevy? The rear springs could be wrapping up and letting the driveshaft hit something, or even bottoming out the sliding yoke. My '54 did that until I added traction bars.

Thanks for all the replies so far, I think I will clean up that undercarriage and throw on some new springs and see what happens, hopefully some new springs will stop that clunking noise too

Does anyone know a good place to buy new springs for it, its a 51 chevy styleline deluxe