[Jim Ringo]

From a stop a single clunk is heard probably from the differential. Shocks were replaced short while ago with one of them shot and that stopped the clunk for a year or so. Jacked up in neutral you can hear a single clunk turning the driveshaft which sounds like from front end of the differential. There is about 1/2 inch of rotational play in the driveshaft before it clunks at engage. There is no whine or vibration at all at any speed.
U joints look tight. No back and forth play. 125000 miles, have owned for 20,000. First owner probably did a bit of towing.

Any info is appreciated. Getting ready to change the fluid and will look for and shreds of metal then.

 

[Nick02tundra]

Not an expert, but my guess is u joints, if the driveshaft twist and clunks, I'd think u joint.

 

[smokamoto]

Don’t know if your clunk is what I and many others have experienced but a leaf spring clamp at the front of each engaging the 1st leaf cured my clunk. No difference in ride quality that I could detect.

 

[smokamoto]

View attachment 153021 Don’t know if your clunk is what I and many others have experienced but a leaf spring clamp at the front of each engaging the 1st leaf cured my clunk. No difference in ride quality that I could detect.

 

[imsupermattt]

For what it is worth, I have a 2005 DC 2WD and having the same issue. Pretty much every time I come to a full stop and also when accelerating from a stop I hear the clunk. I've had some other noises from my transmission in first gear and reverse in the past, so I assume this is related, but I just haven't been able to pin it down. Heard that play in the rear axle can cause this (the play lets the Slip Yoke move back and forth) but I have no fluid leaks anywhere on the rear axle and it is firm with no play anywhere.

I wanted to make sure it wasn't the ball joints, as it kind of sounds like it's coming from the front. Lifted the front and pushed the tires up and down and saw zero play with the ball joint, so those still look pretty good. Plus the fact that it happens 98% of the time coming to stop/start it just seems more drive train related.

I need to get the back end on jack stands now the be able to play with the drive shaft some more and try to recreate the "clunk"...

Anyone have a good way to grease the Slip Yoke? I basically have resorted to spraying WD40 into it as there is no easy way to pump in grease.