HorseHauler

I have been having this horrible clank and i got under my truck and was shaking stuff around and noticed this shaft was loose when i shook it with my hands. is it normal or could there be u-joints bad in this? this is the front shaft...

Jeff in TD

I can't quite tell what is what in that photo, but none of the shafts on mine seem to have any side to side play or looseness.

Hopefully is is still under warranty, and someone else's problem?

BigBlue

I'd think a small amount (1/16"-1/8") of play should be normal. Just the slack in the gears. Any more than that and I'd say you have some problems. Can you hear the gears in the t-case clank around whenever you twist the shaft?

cquestad

I have the clank too...it is killing me. I have checked every pivot in the suspension for fit, regreesed, tightened, etc the whole front end (I think) and still can't solve the problem. Sounds like a clank right under the feet up front of sharp edged bumbs... I will look at my drive shafts next.

HorseHauler

i cant hear any thing inside just the small amount of movement. small enough that it sounds like ur saying is normal... dealer said today they didnt find anything. exactly what i expected.... they said it might be normal???? i dont think its normal but i sure cant figure it out. let me know if you come up with anything cquestad

BigBlue

One way to find out if it is normal, climb underneath another 03 truck and shake it's driveshaft around. Have you tried tightening the shocks? Loose shocks could cause the problem you are describing.

Texas Pride

When your u-joints get "play" on them it starts to loosen up an your u- joint or u-joints go bad. The clankin you hear is your driveshaft shakin up an down cause your u-joint or u-joints are bad. I replaced mine awhile back cause i had the exact same problem you have and since then i have no clinkity clank noises. An every time i shifted gears you would hear the clank noise it sounded horrible an at first i thought it was my tranny goin out but it was just a 20-30 dollar u-joint i needed to replace.

Texas Pride

Oh by the way is your truck standard or automatic?

HorseHauler

thanks for the reply, its an automatic, i cant budge the rear shaft just the front shaft a little, is there another way to tell if ujoints are bad rather than shaking them? sorry for the lack of knowledge, im trying to learn as much as i can. another stupid question, how do i tighten the shocks? is it under the hood same as a car? i havent looked yet and its sittin at the dealer right now getting a seal put in the front axle tmw...

BigBlue

There's a bolt on the bottom in between the coil springs and one inside the engine compartment. The bottom one has a little space to get a socket with an extension on it to tighten it up (one side should have a tabbed nut on it). You need to make sure that sucker is TIGHT. On the top one, be sure to tighten the nut down tight. Watch the shaft and be sure it doesn't spin.

HorseHauler

thanks ill give that a shot tmw when i get it back

cquestad

Mee too...those are the only bolts I have not checked. I can believe they would be loose. I have a habit of over tightening stuff anyways.

d0dg301

I had a noise coming from under the front end and it ended up being the bottom bolt on the front shocks. Tourqed them back down and the noise went away. Back in business. Give it a look.

HorseHauler

any tq setting i should do or just give it my all?

AK RAM

I have the clank when the tranny comes out of gear when coming to a stop or anytime I let off the go pedal and get back in it quickly. Mine is loud enough that the wife has started complaining every time she hears it.

"I hate what you have done to your truck."

Of course it is all my fault. It is definitely coming from under my feet. My front drive shaft is pretty sloppy....easily rotated back and forth with my hand. My problem is, when I turn it by hand, it appears the shaft keeps turning past the u-joint (joint appears tight), as if the slop is caused by something just inside the front of the transfer case. Who knows. I thought about changing the u-joints to see if that took care of it. I've never changed a set before, so I'm procrastinating. 30 bucks you say. Is that for joints with grease fittings or replacement OEM? Any special tools required to change them out?