'94 Rodeo Rear End Clunk

It sounds like something inside the axle housing is sliding back and forth: clunk, clunk, clunk. I can zig zag down the road at different speeds, different gears, or neutral with the same clunk result. I have been under the car and find nothing loose. The only things I can't see are inside the gas tank and inside the axle. Whatever it is stays put when it slides until the car goes in the other direction--no random sloshing around so I'm ruling out inside the gas tank. So, what is in the axle housing or rear dif that could make this noise? 250,000 miles with no major problems.

When is it clunking? Changing direction? Cornering? Accelerating? Braking?

You can get rear axle clunks from doing any of these things, but their causes are different depending on what you are doing when you hear the clunk.

Any motion that would make a soccer ball roll from one side of the truck to the other will make whatever it is, slide and clunk. As I wrote above, I can zig zag down the road and make it slide from side to side: very distinct slide/clunk, slide/clunk, slide/clunk. Is the fuel pump in the tank? And if so is it possible that it is sliding around in there? I am the only owner of this car and this is a new noise, but there has been from day one a clunk when you go over a bump--even a speed-bump. Could it be that an in-tank fuel pump has broken loose?

I have the same problem in my passport....i cant figure out what it is....it doesnt take a very big zig zag...if i turn it doesnt do it again untill i turn another corner the other way. if you figure it out let me know.

Check out the bushings in the leaf springs.

When is it clunking? Changing direction? Cornering? Accelerating? Braking?

You can get rear axle clunks from doing any of these things, but their causes are different depending on what you are doing when you hear the clunk.

Changing direction is the one. I can zig zag down the road in any gear, any speed, any brake position--the slightest throwing of weight from one side to the other causes the clunk.

2x ... 90% of the time that is what it is:


Check out the bushings in the leaf springs.

Did u check the input shaft on the diff

Apologies for not responding with a follow up. The side to side sliding was fixed by new leaf spring bushings. But even more exciting -- While waiting for the kids to get out of a movie one day, in the parking lot, I took out the rubber axle bumpers attached to the frame, and the speed-bump clunking went away. At 279,000 miles I am trying now to determine if it is worth a timing belt change.
Thanks so much for the ideas!!
:smile: