2013 E-450 Chassis / "clang" going in and out of drive

navegator wrote:
Park the unit on level ground.
Put chocks on tire, font and back.
Place transmission in neutral, do not start engine!
Release the parking brake.
Get under unit and manually rotate the drive shaft at the U joints, when the U joint is vertical push up and down, if no movement rotate 90 degrees and repeat, if the U joint moves up and down on the fork, the U joint is worn and needs to be replaced.

Same noise would be heard if you shift from reverse to drive and back again with the engine running, a metallic clank, this will be the pinion and the crown, if it is louder a U joint might also be contributing to the noise.

navegator

I agree 100%

Park the unit on level ground.
Put chocks on tire, font and back.
Place transmission in neutral, do not start engine!
Release the parking brake.
Get under unit and manually rotate the drive shaft at the U joints, when the U joint is vertical push up and down, if no movement rotate 90 degrees and repeat, if the U joint moves up and down on the fork, the U joint is worn and needs to be replaced.

Same noise would be heard if you shift from reverse to drive and back again with the engine running, a metallic clank, this will be the pinion and the crown, if it is louder a U joint might also be contributing to the noise.

navegator

Mich F wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
Oh man..thank you...I was afraid I was the only one! Mind does it when it's under stress. Like..if I am grinding up a hill in 4x4 and I have to get out to check the line. Or backing up my angle ramps to park at home and I have to check alignment.


Gary Haupt

I think you're talking about a different issue. I believe everyone else is talking about a "clunk" while shifting in or out of Park (or Drive), not a noise while driving.

No..same issue. Putting it into Park to get out and check the line-up, getting back in and putting it into gear. But as I said...when it is under duress...not just putting it into Drive at curbside.


Gary Haupt

garyhaupt wrote:
Oh man..thank you...I was afraid I was the only one! Mind does it when it's under stress. Like..if I am grinding up a hill in 4x4 and I have to get out to check the line. Or backing up my angle ramps to park at home and I have to check alignment.


Gary Haupt

I think you're talking about a different issue. I believe everyone else is talking about a "clunk" while shifting in or out of Park (or Drive), not a noise while driving.

carringb wrote:
Are you using your parking brake?

Nope

One time our GM van squealed when in drive. I took it to a transmission shop. The mechanic came out to where I parked and listened to it. He walked all around the van, then put his boot on the exhaust pipe - and the squeel stopped! I would have been happy with a $100 visit to a transmission shop but there was no charge. I brought a dozen doughnuts for the guys, went home and adjusted the exhaust hangers to get rid of the squeal.

Might be worth crawling under and listening carefully to just where it clangs. A mechanic's stethoscope would be handy.

Oh man..thank you...I was afraid I was the only one! Mind does it when it's under stress. Like..if I am grinding up a hill in 4x4 and I have to get out to check the line. Or backing up my angle ramps to park at home and I have to check alignment.


Gary Haupt

One of the Ujoints may be dry, see if they have any Zerk fittings at 75k I'd suspect they need to be lubed or replaced if they're sealed, zerkless.

2012 winnebago E450 (11 running gear) have same issue every now and again. Not really worried about it. Some of the various vehicles have the same type of issue not just ford.

Are you using your parking brake?