I know... please don't bash me or anything because it's something that can happen with any rwd vehicle including my F150...

I need to find out what's wrong with my Dakota's driveline... when I change from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, I get this weird metallic clack when I release off the clutch... it sounds like it's in the rear end... but I can't tell... I think it has something to do with the drive shaft and where it connects.... but not sure and I know it is a fairly common problem...

I'm going to get under there today and see what is going on...

 

Sounds like a bad u-joint. Grab the driveshaft, and rotate it manually, and look for slop in the u-joint. If it's that, it's a cheap easy fix.

 

What year Dakota? What engine? Early Dakota's are known to have crappy/weak/easily broken rearends.

 

yup that sounds like the problem to me.

 

It's a 2000 Dodge Dakota, 4.7l V8, 5 speed manual, 4x2, 3.92 LSD (9.25" rear end)... this has been the only problem with the truck and it's got 108k on it.

Should I look at the u-joint at the rear end or the end connected to the transmission? Or both? I've never diagnosed one of these before... so it's a new realm for me.

 

Look at both of them. Rock them back and forth and look for play, although at that much mileage they are probably overdue for replacement. I bit of a hassle to do it yourself, but the parts are very cheap.

 

Well, I finally got around to looking at it... everything looks fine with the U-Joints... so I shot a video... maybe someone here can figure it out...

It is 3g2 video... so you might need quicktime...

Rear U-Joint

Front U-Joint

 

Anyone have a clue?! Please... someone help me.

I am thinking it has something to do with the rear differential... it sounds like it is inside of the diff... I also get a whine out of the rear end.

I changed the rear diff fluid about a month ago... but that still didn't help this noise.

 

Wiggling by hand will only show the worst of blown joints. Have someone sit in the truck and shift it from forward to reverse while you lie on the ground (not under the tires) and watch the joints. Any movement (slop) between the yoke and driveshaft means the joint is bad. Rear joints tend to wear more quickly than fronts.

Sometimes a bad u-joint will show up with powdered rust arond the joint. If you see this rust powder, the joint is likely bad.

You could always pull the driveshaft (mark the driveshaft and yoke, so it goes back in the same as it came out). Work the joint by hand. Any roughness means the joint is junk.

 

Both appear be bad.
I just went to the autozone website and they start at $8.99ea for the cheap ones, or $15.99 ea for the heavy duty.
Dakota U Joints

Depending on your plans and use thats up to you. The cheap ones will last 5-6 years with moderate use. The heavy duty will last 10 years even under heavy loads.

What you will need,
2 U-joints
Socket (not sure what size on dakota)
ratchet
Extenion
Sand paper or emery cloth

Scotch your wheels.....
Remove the 4 bolts on the rear ujoints to releas it. Drop it down and slide the front yoke out of the transmissin by pulling back on the drive shaft. It literally slides out.

Now with driveshaft w/ ujoints still attached on the bench.
Remove the spring clips from each end cap. (dont worry about saving these, you will get new one with the Ujoints)
Now drive or press ujoints out of the housing, careful not to damage the drive shaft or yoke.
There are a few tricks, you can use a socket on the inside of the ujoint and put a larger one on the other side to press the ujoint into using a bench vise as a press.
Or you can hang the drive shaft in the vise or off the edge of something and use a brass punch to drive it out. Either way dont expect it to just slid out. This is the part where you will be exercise your colorful side of your vocabulary and will need a few beers to get through.
Once they are out, then clean the inside surface with some sand paper, then you get to press the new ones back in, some grease helps that some.......
Once done, slide yoke back into transmision
Lift drivesahft back inot place and reinstall ujoint straps.
Dont forget to put the new spring clips on the ends.

Have fun and good luck!!!!

 

Or you can go and have a garage do it, it shouldn't cost that much.

 

Excellent write up!!!

I can't thank you enough for the added assistance.

I printed it out and put it out in my shop... it will be next weekend's project... as I'm not driving it anyhow. Plus it will allow me time to get the parts. I want the HD ones like you mentioned... I can only imagine the stress that is put upon that driveshaft with the v8.

I also noticed that there are no Zerk fittings either on it. Kind of surprised me.

I would... but it sounds way too easy with someone who's got the right tools, right mind, and plenty of beer... not to mention it's his weekend cruiser. So if I get fustrated with it... it can wait.

 

OEM u-joints are supposedly sealed. To get ones with grease fittings (which I prefer) you need to go aftermarket. My current mechanic tells me to only use EP grease to service them.

I've done them with common hand tools and a bench vise, it's not really that difficult. The trickiest part is getting the caps on the new one pressed into the yoke without disturbing the bearing needles, the caps must be removed from the cross in order to set the cross into the yoke and the needles are just standing up in the caps held only by a film of grease. I use the vise to carefully press them in, adding sockets to get them fully seated so you can install the Jesus clips. Snap ring pliers are a plus.

 

No problem man, it's really not difficult at all, longest it's ever taken me is about 4 hours of fighting to get them out, but they were siezed in there, I ended up having to take that one to a machine shop and have pressed out. Typical is about 30 mins to an hour.

All the after markets you get at an auto store should have grease zerts.





I call them bing-sonofabitch rings.
Becasue thats the sounds you hear coming from the shop while working with them.... they go "Bing" and I go "Sonofabitch!"

 

One other trick....

When instlaling the driveshaft back, put the transmission in Neutral, if you have the rear wheels off the ground then it's not as important becsaue you can turn the differential, but this will let you turn the drive shaft to get the u-joint back in the the rear slots, because you will never stab it right the first 5-8 times. This way you stab it once, then turn it into position.