Prop Shaft

The other day when getting on the highway I accelerated hard and it sounds like something broke. Now when starting from a stop and accelerating hard there is a loud clunking sound that almost leaves the car sitting still. under normal driving not to much noise except for a clicking sound. I have narrowed it down to this so any ideas also a good place to get a new one if that is the case.

I'd check the u-joints first.

an easy way to check universal joints is with the engine running and your foot on the brake move the shifter back and forth from reverse to drive. any play in the joints will make a thunking noise when the joint reverses direction.

You're right Eric, if the needle bearings in the cup are beat up and broken but at the stiff/vibration stage, they're still tight and won't produce a clunk sound but will cause a low roar vibration you can feel in the floor and seat.

You're right Eric, if the needle bearings in the cup are beat up and broken but at the stiff/vibration stage, they're still tight and won't produce a clunk sound but will cause a low roar vibration you can feel in the floor and seat.

That's true Chris, but BrownBravada said he had a clunk when starting off from stop. This is just a quick way to narrow down the problem.

I checked today and i have a flaming river prop shaft and the noise is coming from the backside of the transfer case. Sound like a gear broke or a bearing because it just rattles around when i twist the prop shaft. I'll let you know when i decide to fix it.

I figured it out. something in the transfer case itself broke. I took it apart and there were metal shavings all over the inside. I replaced the transfer case and it runs great now. Only thing left is that pesky wheel bearing.

Thanks for the update BrownBravada,
What year is yours?

It's a 98 but I was messing around one day after a couple beers and broke it probably would have lasted a lot longer.

It's a 98 but I was messing around one day after a couple beers and broke it probably would have lasted a lot longer.

they had a Hiaku, a japanese poetry form, in the local weekly here that went something like this:

man with new 4x4
his famous last words were
hold my beer and watch this

Lots of folks enjoy off-road. I just like going on short trips of 2 to 3 hours on roads but they're less frequent with the high price of fuel.

Hey Chris, my brother just got some pictures back from the jeep trail trip we took last summer. he got a good one of me going 3 wheeling while climbing thru a big rock slide on the trail. guess he had the camera ready in case i didn't make it over. i felt a little slippage, but never knew the passenger side front went airborne until i saw the pics. smartrac kicked right in. no apparent frame damage from the way it drives but did have a flat tire the next day on the kitty-corner. i run the tires at 18 to 20lbs off road, busted a bead.

had the Bravada less than a year now and love it. I will post the pics as soon as i can get them scanned.