Should there be play in front driveshafts?

[tonydca]

I've developed a few new noises in my front end, nothing outlandish, but irritating:

- A low quiet growling noise when I turn under load. Not a Clunk-clunk worn U-joint, sounds more like wheel bearings. I'm getting them repacked.
- A "clunk" in the front end when going over a bump. Say, driving from a smooth road onto a driveway entrance (1-inch or more high), especially if I hit it at an angle. Tie-rods and control arm/bushings seem fine, and I had CV joints repacked with new boots less than a year ago.

While looking under the front end for possible culprits, I happened to grab the front driveshafts where they come out of the transfer case and give them a wiggle and twist. Wiggle - nothing, but twisting shows about 5 degrees of play at the point where they enter the transfer case. This is on the ground in Park with the wheels turned so I can get my hand in there.

Are the driveshaft connections here supposed to be solid as a rock, or is some play normal? And I wonder if these rotating while turned might make my wheel-bearing-esque growl and have enough slop to make my clunks.

What do the masses suggest?

Cheers,

Tony.

[jessef]

there is play if you grab the driveshaft at turn it in either direction. that's the backlash at your differential. it's normal.

as for the clunk. I'm betting my marbles it's one or the other : control arm bushings and/or stabilizer links.

Stabilizer links. You can test this by firmly grabbing it and push/pull, jiggling it. If it moves, replace it.

Lower arm bushings. You can test this by putting the van on a hoist with the tire at your chest height. With someone looking directly at the control arm bushings (one at a time), grab the wheel at 3 and 9 o'clock firmly and pull/push left to right from full lock to full lock. When it hits the full lock position, you may or may not feel the clunk at the wheel but if the bushing is shot, you'll see the control arm move in relation to the subframe where the bushing sits. It's not supposed to move at all.

[strada-caster]

if your clunk only happens when you are turning, going up or down a bump, I'll bet its the hardstop contact for the steering. On my strada (L300 truck) there use to be plastic cups over the head of a bolt coming out of the idler arm. this bolt/plastic would contact the lower control arm when wheels are at full lock.

My plastic piece is worn out and when I turn at full crank and go up/down a bump there is a clunk/scrap noise because its metal on metal.

see what the l400 has, hopefully this helps.

[tonydca]

Jesse; belated thanks for the info on backlash. Makes sense.

And close call on the clunk - loose subframe bolt. CVI took care of it for me.

as for the clunk. I'm betting my marbles it's one or the other : control arm bushings and/or stabilizer links.

Don't feel bad - people have been telling me I've lost my marbles for years...

[jessef]