Clunking front end

bronquito

Jul 11, 2020

I swapped in a Dana 35 last year, then added Detroit tru-Trac differentials front and rear with 410 gears. Running 32” tires. 4” lift kit. I tested it out the best I could here in south Texas, but when we traveled to New Mexico and encountered some real trails I began to hear an intermittent clunk in front end when in low/4. It sounds like something is slipping or like on a motorcycle when the chain jumps on the sprocket. When I returned to Texas I tried replacing transfer case, BW1530/elect shift/5 speed manual trans. , didn’t fix it, replaced trans case with another Zumbrota rebuilt, still same. Then I realized I should have shortened front driveshaft after D35 swap. Just had the driveshaft shortened an inch. Waiting for a new Slip yoke to reassemble. The old one seems sloppy. Hope this does it. Everything else seems to work great. Problem is it’s hard to test it here in south Texas. Have to go about 300 miles north to find any real trails to try it out. Any input would be appreciated.

Jstump99, Commodore

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 11, 2020

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Aug 17, 2020

#20

A couple of the Bronco IIs I've owned. Wish I kept the blue one. Lots of memories with my kids out wheelin' with me.

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'06 Ranger FX4- headers, MBRP, tuner & Mickey Thompsons
'65 F100 with a crunchy 390 & a lot of good parts

Deano Bronc

Aug 17, 2020

#21

They look pretty similar, 86’s? They look capable. Looks like some good wheelin areas. Washington? Nice shots and nice bronco’s. How long ago did you get rid of them?

Aug 18, 2020

#22

The blue one is an 86 and went everywhere $45k Rubicons went on Oahu. The gray one was a 87 set for daily and trails in Washington. The blue one got sold in 2007 right before I went to Iraq and the gray one went a few years ago when my youngest son only cared about video games; now he regrets it. Lol

'06 Ranger FX4- headers, MBRP, tuner & Mickey Thompsons
'65 F100 with a crunchy 390 & a lot of good parts

Deano Bronc

Aug 18, 2020

#23

Wow, that’s some history, love that going where the high dollar rigs go with a bad ass efficient rig, thanks for your service. I was a swabby, discharged in 75.

Dubya TF

Aug 18, 2020

#24

My 71 CJ5, while stationed at NAS Whidbey Isalnd, about 1973, used to hit the logging roads and power line Trails pretty regularly. Ha, memories.

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88bustedbronc, Dubya TF

Sep 11, 2020

#25

update on the "Clunk". I swapped the original open differential back in in place of the Detroit Eaton Trutrac, to verify whether the clunk was related to the diff. or not. It was not the diff. , still clunks, my latest theory is that the slip yoke at the transfer case could be binding due to the angle after 4" lift and not slipping when in a certain position, causing it to bind and clunk when it finally slips. I'm ordering a custom multi double cardan front drive shaft from Tom Woods, this has a double cardan at both ends. I have high hopes that this will fix the issue, if this does not do it? I'll keep looking.

Deano Bronc

Oct 02, 2020

#26

@Dubya TF Nice Truck! I saw an orange one on the road down here in south Texas earlier this week. Love it.

TXArchitect - 1719
[O=BRONCO=O]

Oct 02, 2020

#27

thanks, where in south texas, I live in port Isabel. just saw a red and grey one on the street here in Brownsville too.

Oct 18, 2020

#28

Break thru! My electric shift motor was not shifting properly into 4low. I removed the motor, selected 4low, and checked location of shifter. It was located a few degrees to the right of the marked location for 4 low on transfer case. I removed the shift motor and went to my dirt test area and shifted transfer case to 4low on T case with pliers. I drove around in 4low to simulate when I was hearing the clunk and no clunk. I went back Saturday morning and tested for nearly an hour, no clunk. I don’t know the details of what goes on inside the T case but apparently it was not firmly shifting into gear and allowed the T case to jump when under load. I ordered a Behemoth drivetrain electric to manual shift conversion with floor shifter. After I install the shifter and have it operating properly I will re-install the trutrac LS front differential and have the set up I’ve been trying to get for almost a year.

Deano Bronc

Oct 18, 2020

#29

BTW, Tom Woods driveshaft very cool, but did not help with clunk.

Nov 02, 2020

#30

I lost track of the posts related to my clunking noise issue, however, this may be helpful to someone. After many dollars and I year of chasing my tail I realized that the noise was indeed coming from the transfer case, but the problem was that the electric shifter was malfunctioning. It was not placing the shifter shaft in the TC in the right location. I removed the electric shifter and went to my dirt testing ground, I shifted into 4 low with pliers at the transfer case and ran it to test. After extensive testing it did not once make the clunking noise. This is huge! I ordered a Behemoth electric to manual shifter conversion kit to make it manual with floor shifter, which I wanted all along. Hope this helps someone.

crazy for Daisy, Deano Bronc

Apr 30, 2022

#31

bronquito
I lost track of the posts related to my clunking noise issue, however, this may be helpful to someone. After many dollars and I year of chasing my tail I realized that the noise was indeed coming from the transfer case, but the problem was that the electric shifter was malfunctioning. It was not placing the shifter shaft in the TC in the right location. I removed the electric shifter and went to my dirt testing ground, I shifted into 4 low with pliers at the transfer case and ran it to test. After extensive testing it did not once make the clunking noise. This is huge! I ordered a Behemoth electric to manual shifter conversion kit to make it manual with floor shifter, which I wanted all along. Hope this helps someone.

Glad I came along this - may help someone I know.

Base 4dr - Cyber Orange - 2.3 AT, Soft Top - Aux, Flr Lnrs, Keypad | Ordered 12/28/21 - W.S. 4/14/22 - Blend 4/21 - Built 4/25 - Shipped 5/19 - Final Prep 5/19

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