Just driving along today and started to hear a knocking sound so I pulled over to a buddies house and checked it out to see where it was coming from and the rear axle had a little bit of fluid around the pinon seal. So I started to go back and forth in his drive way and the axle would knock at a certain stop and feel like my truck was boucing slitly. And about a year ago I had a pinon seal leak on my rear axle and fixed it. So if any body had some addice on where I should start or what the problem is I'd apperciate it before I start taking it apart. And does the sound mean the gears are done for??

95 4runner 35x12.50 w stock 4.56
Going to go ahead and get the 5.29's if the gears are F'ed up.So help!!

I would take a look at the U-joints. Sounds more likely than something in the rear diff.

See if you can determine what frequency the clunking noise is at. If it happens once per wheel revolution, then it is likely a ring gear issue. If it happens once per drive shaft rev, then it may be u-joint or pinion gear related.

I had a similar issue in my VW and finally determined it was a once-per-wheel-rev clunk and as it turned out it was a bad ring gear in the transaxle.

well i took my drive shaft off and spun my back tires and it seemed ok. Then i spun the circle part the drive shaft connected to and it was locking up. any thoughts?

Sounds like it's time to open it up if the pinion flange isn't moving. I take it that's the round part you're referring to?

yea it is. I never thought how hard it is to take off drum brakes . dAMN

Using two little bolts to back the drum off is key.

And...if the shoes are set snug with the drum (like I have mine) the "two bolt trick" won't separate the two without first manually backing off the shoes through that little access hole in the back.

Got it all taking apart and got the brakes redone now just have to get some 5.29's and itll all be done. My gears where broke and have a few metal pices in the axle. Any advice when im putting the 3rd member back in?/? and wheres a good place I can get a complete setup to pop back in before I get one off of marlin crawler.com

did you try the for sale section here on the wire? I'd also poke around your local craigslist and fleabay.