Clanging sound

[Chrispbrown36]

For a while now I have been having a clanging sound like a u-joint needs replaced on my 87 4wd. I have checked the drive shaft and there doesn't seem to be any play there. I jacked the driver side front wheel up, since the sound seems to be coming from that side, and jerked around on things and everything seems to be tight. Am I missing something? Is there something else I should look into or test things out another way?

[Chevy_mud_truck]

Did you pull the drum to make sure it's not something lose in the brakes

[Chrispbrown36]

I had the rear brakes off not long ago and everything was tight. The front brakes are tight also.

[77 Big 10]

Is it only when you are moving?

[Chrispbrown36]

It doesn't happen all the time. It seems to happen most often when I am making a slow turn. I haven't noticed it being dependent on a specific direction of the turn and it doesn't have to be a full 90 degree turn....even just a slight turn of the wheel will cause it sometimes. I don't drive the truck too much anymore, so it might be more noticeable with daily driving. Today I drove it to the local hardware store (30 miles round trip) and it didn't happen once.....figures...

[77 Big 10]

Is there a locker in the front axle? Reason I ask is I have an aussi locker in my Jeep up front. When you make a turn, one wheel turns more than the other. So a aussi or a clutched locker will release the tension by letting the axle slip. The aussi clacks as you turn. My GTO had a detroit in the back, and if I forgot to put the locker additive, it would make noise going around a corner.

[Chrispbrown36]

It does not have a locker up front, but now that you mention that I am wondering about the rear end. I changed out the rear diff fluid a few months back and put the additive in, but I wonder if either the additive I used was crap or if I didn't add enough. I went with the Trans-x additive because it was easiest to get a hold of at the time. Thoughts on that being the issue?

[Chrispbrown36]

I had forgotten to add this detail....When I take a turn really slow or from a dead stop I can feel it through the steering wheel.....almost like it was catching on something and then slipping off over and over.

[77 Big 10]

All right, I'll take a shot in the dark. Since it sounds like it is a front axle, if an inner drive axle broke, it could be skipping at the break making noise.

[Chrispbrown36]

Ok, explain this to me and how I would check it.

[77 Big 10]

I have a quick question, do you have dis-connects on the hubs? If so, it would not be an inner drive axle, at least not letting you feel this. If not, I would pull the diff cover off. Inspect the spider gears, if OK I would wrap some electrical around the tip of a flat blade screw driver and bind the spider gears so they won't move. Then try to rotate the tire off the ground. Use all your strength, if no movement, check the other side.

[Chrispbrown36]

It has been converted to manual lock-outs.
On a different subject, I went to a car show/swap meet and at the last booth the guy had an ecm, wire harness, and a throttle body laying on the ground. They were packing up and I asked what he wanted for it....10 bucks. Needless to say I nearly broke my neck getting the money out of my pocket! He had a few other things I should have asked about, but he was in a hurry so I took that stuff and ran.

[Zane M]

Check that the frame isn't cracked around the steering box mounting holes.

[Chrispbrown36]

I check the steering box fairly often just in case and so far no cracks.