97 Supercab 2.3 driveline clunk

[WJC97]

OK, I have the truck in the title with a 5-speed manual. There's a lot of driveline play and clunkiness. With nearly 100K miles I'm assuming it needs a u-joint or two. I'm also assuming that it has the two-piece driveshaft, and there's a center support bearing somewhere that may need attention. Correct?

Also, I know of the slipyoke problems with Rangers, but I'm fuzzy as to whether or not it affects my year and model. If so, then I need to buy the grease kit and apply it to the splines. I'm also assuming the slipyoke design is traditional, ie yoke splines connect to output shaft splines, everything riding on a bearing pressed into the output shaft housing, passively lubricated by a pool of transmission fluid, right?

 

[LittleBigFoot]

I'm more familiar with the 98 and up trucks, but at least this is somethin to check out...

A lot of the "later" trucks had an odd clunk when taking off, and slowing to a stop.

It's a little thud from the rear and then it goes away till you slow to a stop and it thuds back.

It's the slip on the drive shaft, and a little lythium (sp?) grease on the splines will take care of that thud.

Other then that, check all the U joints, U bolts, and for play in the diff

Good luck