Topic: Before it blows up...

[Tr00b]

I've been experiencing  a drivetrain thud that recently showed up (about march) when backing up/starting off. It also happens when shifting sometimes.

*Changed the rear end fluid. There are no signs of  excess wear, some metal flakes but glitter sized.

*Changed the transfercase fluid. It was dark red but still seemed ok with an ok level.

The shaft that comes out of the back of the transfercase seems to have play, and I can move it up and down about 1/8th of an inch ish and when I turn it back and forth, the transfer case emits a "clinking legos sound" which could be slack in the chain, or a bearing.

Is there a service you have to perform on the transfercase after a certain amount of time? Or is this all normal?

[neale_rs]

It's not normal.  It sounds like you need to take it down and check inside.

[Tr00b]

I really don't know jack about how this particular transfer case works. I am going to pull the driveshaft and see how much play there really is in the output shaft. I found bearings on Rock auto so they must go out from time to time. After changing the fluids, the severity of the clunking seems to have decreased, but I haven't driven it much at all.

Any stabs at what it is?

[stan98tj]

So from what you are experiencing there is play in the driveshaft on the tcase end and not the diff end? I've had the "thunking" noise before, turned out I blew my front driveshaft.