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How to fix 2nd generation Rodeo driveshaft clunk

86K views 46 replies 28 participants last post by  radare 
#1 ·
2nd Generation Isuzu Rodeo "Rear Clunk" Repair:

The clunk heard, on many 2nd generation Rodeo's, is due to wearing of the grease in the driveshaft slip yoke. To correct this, the driveshaft must be removed and regreased. This is the method I used to correct this; keep in mind, this may not be the best way to do this, it's what worked for me. The entire process took about an hour at a very leisurely pace.

Begin by removing the driveshaft. To do this, mark the location of the driveshaft to the transmission and also, the location of the driveshaft to the differential, to make sure everything goes back together correctly. Remove the four mounting bolts attaching the driveshaft to the transmission using a 14mm socket or combination wrench. To access all bolts, place the truck in neutral and slowly move it until all bolts are accessible.



Remove the four bolts connecting the driveshaft to the differential.



With the bolts removed, drop the differential end of the driveshaft and pull the shaft out from under the vehicle. Place the driveshaft on a sturdy work surface.



Clean the driveshaft and locate the boot. This boot must be removed to separate the driveshaft. Before separating the driveshaft, mark both sides with permanant paint so that you can get it reassembled in the same orientation.



To remove the protective boot, cut the clamps using sheetmetal shears or side cutters.





With the clamps gone, pull the driveshaft apart and remove the boot. Using a good degreaser (I used Castrol's Super Clean engine degreaser), thoroughly remove all old grease from the yoke. Use stiff bristled shotgun brushes to remove dirt from difficult to reach places.



When clean, your parts should look like this:





Using a good quality grease, carefully lubricate the shaft. Be sure to slide the boot in place before doing this (or you'll end up with a big mess when you notice it missing).



Slide the driveshaft back together, lining up the marks made earlier. Place one end of the driveshaft on the floor and press heavily on the other end; this will remove any trapped air from the shaft. Wipe up any excess grease.



I used universal CV joint clamps to reassemble the shaft. These are the band type. I purchased these from Advance Auto.



Using the appropriate tool, tension the bands around the boot.



Bend the band 90 degrees, cut to length and tap down the securing tabs using a small hammer.





When assembled, it should look something like this:





Finally, use a grease gun (loaded with your favorite grease) to regrease the universal joints.



Reinstall the driveshaft and torque the mounting bolts. Take the vehicle for a test drive; your clunk should be gone!
 
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#27 ·
yeah i figured u-joints were quite robust i think i'm leaning back towards a clutch/pressure plate/flywheel issue now...like i said nothing drastic but it does get annoying to have my head thrown forwards everytime i take my foot off the gas with the clutch engaged
 
#30 ·
I got my clunking noise in my Amigo at about 60k miles. I took the write up and some Mobil One grease to a local shop that did it for me. They only charged $50.00 and it took less than an hour.

The shop showed me the Isuzu Service Bulletin on the subject that says the clunk is perfectly normal!
 
#31 ·
i know this post has been burried a bit, so i apologize for bringing it back up. my 99' trooper is having some of the symptoms that seem to be explained here.

the only time i feel a 'thud' from the rear is from a dead stop, taking my food OFF the brake. its a slight thud, but noticeable none the less.

my owners manual states that if on my information plate on the firewall, i have "G80", then it is equiped with a limited slip differencial. is this the same as a slip yolk?

i noticed the write up was for amigos/rodeos, but was wondering if this is also applicable if a trooper has the limited slip differencial.

sorry for the newbie questions. ive just gotten my first trooper about a month ago and can't stop thinking about mods and preventative maintenance that i want to do to it.

this forum is great for not only ideas, but how-to's also.

thanks for your time
mike
 
#32 ·
thanks for all the great insight... I am also dealing with the clunk.

just bought a 00 passport ex 4X4 and dropped the shaft and did the grease right away - 3000 miles later it clunks again.

I am thinking about tapping for a sert - but a few things bother me about this whole thing. (1) can a one peice shaft be swapped out? (2) why does the clunk come back? (3) what physical force makes the clunk sound? - as I understand it - the slip yoke is designed to slide in and out when the suspension is moving up and down - so why does it clunk when you stop or go? (unless your shocks are junk) (4) it feels that upon stopping, a rotating mass preciptates the clunk - as in, something else stops after the vehicle stops, and same with hitting the gas. it turns (rotating mass) and clunks to engage the driving process.

I am not a mechanic, but tinker a bit for fun. this whole issue is nothing but annoying. any elaboration, alternatives, etc would be appreciated.
 
#33 ·
jallantaylor said:
(3) what physical force makes the clunk sound? - as I understand it - the slip yoke is designed to slide in and out when the suspension is moving up and down - so why does it clunk when you stop or go? (unless your shocks are junk) (4) it feels that upon stopping, a rotating mass preciptates the clunk - as in, something else stops after the vehicle stops, and same with hitting the gas. it turns (rotating mass) and clunks to engage the driving process.

I am not a mechanic, but tinker a bit for fun. this whole issue is nothing but annoying. any elaboration, alternatives, etc would be appreciated.
I believe the clunk is the little bit of rotation that occurs between the 2 halves of the driveshaft being amplified through the drivetrain. The grease in the spline cushions that movement, and quiets the clunk.

My rodeo has the exact same feeling you describe, making me think its a combination of dry spline and maybe some worn suspension links.

When I swap out my axle I will grease my driveshaft, and post results.
 
#35 ·
Dont mean to bring up old threads but thanks for the info, im defiantly going to try this. I was thinking my clunk was from a bad rear end, called the junk yard and done had a whole new rear end lined up to go in but if this works im gonna save myself a couple hundred dollars! I hope this fixes it dont have the money to buy a whole new rear end. The reason i feel it was my rear end is because i dug into mine the other day and that sucker was dry as a bone no grease at all so i figured the gears had worn and were getting ready to go.
 
#38 ·
Time for me to grease the shaft also. Clunks when cold more than warm. No jerks I can see on driveshafts. I may use a injection needle to put grease in without removing shaft if I can. My two cents,Tony
 
#42 ·
Bada-Bing! Just finished my '01 Rodeo and that clunk is history. It appeared the shaft had never been off the car (only 165k mi.) from the looks of things and I could feel the play in the spline before I separated it. Used my dad's old trick of a brush dunked in ATF to clean the splines; what little OE grease was in there had hardened and pretty much flaked off the spline and sleeve with the brush. Applied a generous portion of Napa wheel bearing grease to both pieces with a butter knife and slid them back together. (do it slowly to allow the air to escape) I used a couple of industrial-grade zip-ties (phone co. uses on overhead line bundles) to secure the boot and reinstalled the shaft after greasing front and rear universals. WELL worth the 1.5 hrs it took (94º in the shade here today)... you don't realize how annoying that clunk is until it's gone! My '94 Trooper's next in line but not until the weather cools down some... :wink:
 
#47 ·
txamigo said:
I am replacing the boot as well, and using a Dana 211916X - bought it from Northern Drivetrain for about $12.50
I haven't checked my boot in years. I need to crawl under the Sport and do this all again.
 
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