Drive Shaft Free Play - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bluec10 · 05-31-2012, 03:48 PM

I bought an '05 Sierra K1500 with 80 000 miles a few months ago. Love the truck, but I'm wondering about some free play that seems to be happening where the rear driveshaft exits the transfer case. When I changed the oil last time I had the truck up on stands and the transmission in park. The transfer case was in 2H. I could turn the drive shaft quite a bit with my hand.

Also noticed a bit of a clunk when I take off from a stand-still. Not a big one, but noticeable.

Hope this isn't a disaster in waiting.

usmcchevy · 06-05-2012, 05:31 PM

There is usually a decent amount of play there. Check your u joints and make sure your rear end fluid is at the correct level, not all the way to the fill plug.

clinebarger · 06-06-2012, 10:31 PM

GM has a TSB about the "clunk", They replace the slip yoke with a "special" coated yoke so it will slide in & out of the transfercase more "freely". I just take the driveshaft out & put some good moly grease on the yoke splines.

05-31-2012, 03:48 PM	#1
bluec10 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Manitoba, Canada Posts: 663	Drive Shaft Free Play I bought an '05 Sierra K1500 with 80 000 miles a few months ago. Love the truck, but I'm wondering about some free play that seems to be happening where the rear driveshaft exits the transfer case. When I changed the oil last time I had the truck up on stands and the transmission in park. The transfer case was in 2H. I could turn the drive shaft quite a bit with my hand. Also noticed a bit of a clunk when I take off from a stand-still. Not a big one, but noticeable. Hope this isn't a disaster in waiting. __________________ Present: 2015 Tacoma. Yeah, not a GM, but I love it. 1969 GMC 32,000 - fix, drive, relax, fix... 2019 BMW R1250 GSA - Yahoooooooo 1979 Honda GL 1000 - retro touring at its best. Past: '05 Sierra 4x4 - Had 270,000 KM and running well when it was written-off by a stop sign runner. '94 F-150 from the "F word" company. I'll admit it...good truck. Sold what was left of it for $800 to a guy who came to pick it up at 11:00 PM with cash in hand. Hmm. '79 Sierra Grande (Black) organ donor - perfect rebuildable 4-bolt 350 and a good TH350. '76 Sierra Grande (Orange) - hate isn't too strong a word. Kid who bought it turned it into a hot rod. '68 C-10 R.I.P. - Dad's old truck...too far gone to resurrect. '59 C-50 - with hoist. Truck is gone, wife isn't. Nuff said.

06-05-2012, 05:31 PM	#2
usmcchevy Has more rust than truck... Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ivanhoe, MN Posts: 2,421	Re: Drive Shaft Free Play There is usually a decent amount of play there. Check your u joints and make sure your rear end fluid is at the correct level, not all the way to the fill plug. __________________ 1972 Custom/10 SWB, 4.8/4l80e Build thread LSx Swap FAQ index

06-06-2012, 10:31 PM	#3
clinebarger Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 6,370	Re: Drive Shaft Free Play GM has a TSB about the "clunk", They replace the slip yoke with a "special" coated yoke so it will slide in & out of the transfercase more "freely". I just take the driveshaft out & put some good moly grease on the yoke splines.



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