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Clunk when going from reverse to drive

48K views 21 replies 11 participants last post by  marvinstockman 
#1 ·
I've noticed lately that when I go from reverse to drive and vice versa, you can hear and feel a "clunk" from approximately the area of the differential on the back of the transmission. If I have been driving forward, then come to a complete stop & shift into reverse, then give it a little gas, I get the 'clunk' right before it starts to move. Same thing if I do the opposite - stop, shift into drive, and then start to give it gas - 'clunk'. It shifts through all gears just fine while driving. Transmission seems just fine otherwise. If I have been going forward, stop, then go forward again, no clunk. Only when changing between drive/reverse.

I'm thinking it is something in the differential, and may even be normal. Thoughts? Thanks!!
 
#2 ·
Check for play in your tie rod ends, inner tie rods or drive shaft joints.
Hank
 
#4 ·
Another maybe related question... with both front wheels off the ground and the transmission in park, if I try to turn one of the wheels, it will turn just a little bit forward and reverse before I feel the transmission gears stop it. When you turn it, you can hear/feel all of the various gears in the transmission differential turning before (I'm guessing) it is finally stopped by the input shaft/parking gear. How much forward and backwards should I be able to turn the wheel before it is stopped by the parking gear?

Also, if I put the tranny in neutral with both wheels off the ground, if I spin one wheel, there is a momentary delay before the opposite wheel reacts. You can feel/hear the gears turning before the slack is taken up and the opposite wheel responds. Under this same principal, if the transmission is in park, you can turn one wheel slightly forward and the opposite wheel slightly reverse before they both are stopped by the transmission. How much of that is normal?
 
#5 · (Edited)
have you checked/ruled out the rear trans mount? do you see any excessive movement of the engine&trans if you open the hood and shift R-D/D-R?

In park, with both wheels off the ground, you should be able to turn one wheel clockwise with the opposite wheel turning counterclockwise as many full revolutions as you want. the play between the two wheels should not exceed an angle of 5 degrees max (more like 2-3 degrees).
 
#6 ·
when rocking the front tire back and forth on the ground, like you said in previous post, look for play in the control arm bushings. have someone rock the car when in park and look under. I had a clunking/snapping sound that ended up being that. I was able to see the control arm play back and forth in the old rubber bushing.
 
#7 ·
I had my wife sit in the car and shift it... it did not make any clunk sound when shifting, but when I had her give it a little gas (with foot on the brake, so she didn't run me over LOL) it would make the clunk one time in each direction. Shift into drive, give it a little gas, "CLUNK"...shift to reverse, give it a little gas, "CLUNK".

The front and rear as well as the left side mounts are all brand new. When doing this test, I noticed more movement in the front mount than I did in the rear.

I'm wondering if it is the front mount. See my post, here: http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/showthread.php/25044-Motor-Transmission-Mount-Alignment where I was worried about the alignment of that front mount.

I wanted to investigate it further but it started raining hard so I had to stop. I will try and check it more thoroughly later.
 
#8 ·
UPDATE: I put both front wheels in the air and did the same test...I could definitely hear the sound coming from the driver's side, which is the side where I just replaced the CV axle. So I took the driver's side wheel off and shifted park-drive-reverse, giving it gas when in gear, and I could hear/feel the "clunk" from either the inner CV joint or where it enters the transmission. I checked all the other suggestions, but it was definitely coming from inner CV/transmission area.

I guess my next step is to swap out the new CV axle under warranty for another one and try changing it out to see if that eliminates the problem. I can't think of any other way to isolate whether it is the CV or transmission causing the noise. I'd much rather re-do the CV than to R&R the transmission!! :)

Other than the clunk, I'm not getting any symptoms...no vibration, no clicking, no other noises, tranny shifts smooth..
 
#9 ·
Hi beachlover

Not sure if I missed it in the above posts but what platform / model year / type of vehicle do you own?
 
#10 ·
Oh now after see the link you provided, I see its a 2005 T&C.

The clunking noise may be a result of one of the following conditions:

A torn seal boot on the inner or outer joint of the half shaft assembly.
A loose or missing clamp on the inner or outer joint of the half shaft assembly.
A damaged or worn half shaft CV joint.

When installing the c/v joint, the inner CV joint seal boot MUST be positioned on interconnecting shaft so the raised bead on the inside of the small diameter end of the seal boot is in mating groove on interconnecting shaft.

Be sure to not hit the outer tripod bearings in an attempt to install spider assembly on interconnecting shaft.

Seal boot must not be dimpled, stretched or out of shape in any way. If seal boot is NOT shaped correctly, be sure to equalize pressure in seal and shape it by hand.
 
#11 ·
Thank you everyone for your help. I finally got it fixed! I had it in to the dealer and decided to break down and just pay them to diagnose it. Turns out it was the axle nut. Even though I had torqued it to the specifications TWICE (180 ft/lb) with TWO DIFFERENT torque wrenches, somehow it still wasn't tight enough. The S.A. at the dealership said there was some older bulletin with a revised torque spec? I searched and couldn't find anything about it. Maybe he was just trying to make me feel better? :) Either way, at least I can mark that one off the list! Thought I'd post a reply in case anyone else has to deal with that problem.
 
#12 ·
Glad to hear that the concern has finally been resolved!
 
#13 ·
I had the same issue with the hub nut. I was torqing the nut to the 180 ft lb as the shop manual listed but it kept failing and causing the poping noise. After 3 sets of hub bearings I finally torqued the nut to 120 ft lb and it has been fine for 30k miles. The 180ft lb setting is way too much for the bearing and was causing damage to the bearing. Took me a month to figure this out.
 
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#14 ·
I was torquing the nut to the 180 ft lb as the shop manual listed but it kept failing and causing the popping noise. After 3 sets of hub bearings I finally torqued the nut to 120 ft lb and it has been fine for 30k miles. The 180ft lb setting is way too much for the bearing and was causing damage to the bearing. Took me a month to figure this out.
So, are these TWO problems?


Beachlover said 180 ft lbs wasn't tight enough, you are saying 120 is correct....


Just need clarification.

We get a very slight clunk or knock when changing direction. I don't know if the axles on our van were ever messed with (the LF was in an accident when the father-in-law owned it, but I don't know the extent). Haven't done anything about it....for all I know it's the brake pads clunking on their pins...
 
#15 ·
I can tell you my personal experience. I am the only one that works on my 2004 T&C Limited. I completely rebuilt the front suspension about 2 years ago. I replaced the halfshafts and had 3 sets of hubs fail. The torque was 180 ft lb then a failed set of hubs. The first hub lasted about 2 weeks before it started clicking. I replaced the hub and again it failed within about two weeks. I could see the hub was being crushed by the nut and causing the damage to the race in the bearing. I checked and rechecked the listed torque settings and the factory shop manual (electronic version) and Chiltons both listed 180 ft lb. The third set I torqued the nut to 170 ft lb and it failed (both). The final set I installed was torqued to 120 ft lb and they have been good ever since. Now I am not a mechanic but if there is a Dodge or Chrysler mechanic here that can chime in I would defer your to their experience.
 
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#16 ·
I'm about to undertake a wheel hub bearing replacement on the front of my 2005 T&C and happened to spot this thread...I think the torque spec info definitely needs to be resolved b4 I feel comfortable starting this project so if anyone has contacts with reputable chrysler service ppl...I'll be most interested. I hate to learn the hard way that 180 is too much as 2EZ above has found out.
 
#17 ·
I know it is not uncommon for the axle nut to be extremely tight on various vehicles with FWD and similar designs. I used to have a Ford sedan and it was 184 ft/lb. Our tiny Chevy Cavalier is 148 ft/lb. 120 sounds low by comparison, but I'm no engineer. Obviously you want it tight enough that the torque output of the wheels turning doesn't loosen the nut and cause the axle to separate from the hub, but I've never personally heard of that happening.

I just know in my situation, I had tightened it to 180 ft/lb with two different torque wrenches, and our service tech at Chrysler said it wasn't tight enough and that was what was causing the popping sound I was hearing.
 
#18 · (Edited)
180 ft.lbs. works on my 2002. Replaced front hubs about two years back December/January.

The instructions with the hubs will say to torque to vehicle manufacturers specs and not use an impact wrench, but most shops will use an impact wrench anyway and not bother checking torque ie they throw the instructions away. An early bearing failure is normally attributed to over tightening, but who knows. The bearing manufacturer would ask for a lower or higher torque, I would think, if a different torque was called for.

Edit: On an Atlas Edge wheel bearing box for my 2002 GC Sport:
- a warning to not use an impact wrench, use torque wrench only

- Warranty
This product is subject to the limited warranty published in the current catalog. Please see your shop manual for proper installation torque specification as per your application. Warranty void if not torqued to specification.
 
#20 ·
I have the hubs on both of my vans torqued to 200 ft lbs. I had this clunk in forward and reverse that finally was solved by tightening.
Hank
 
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#21 ·
Hmm. My 2005 Gd. Caravan (86K) has this type of clunk in it since I bought it last year. Very little driving of it so far, and short distances. I'll have to investigate this. Happens when starting up, taking out of park and shifting into gear, backing up, and then going into drive.
 
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