My gen II has an auto tranny, and it seems like it clunks into gear when I put it in drive. Is this normal? It has been doing it more lately, but I honestly can't remember if it was doing it before. If I have it in park, with my foot on the brake, and put it into drive, it lurches. Is this something I should worry about, or am I paranoid? I need your help, because I usually fall into the latter category.
It also bucks a great deal when I drive over speed bumps really fast, but thats another story. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

your universal joints may be on the way out .

Ditto on the u-joints. My old 92 started sounding like a hammer ringing the bellhousing. I had the BIL-wrench listen and he immediately said u-joints. I dropped the shaft, took it in a $40 and 24 hours later I was happy again.

Hope that's all your is...

So what you are saying is that it is not normal. Dang! I just picked up front row Aerosmith tickets... I can't afford new anythings right now!
Thanks though. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

There's on the way out is all. Shouldn't fall out from under your truck or anything unless they've been like that for a long time.

One thing to note is that all U-joints have a certain amount of "slop" in them but you just may not feel it. Every time you "gun" the engine when you're at a dead stop, the sudden turning of the drive shaft will wear the u-joints more severely than if you started more gently.

Not saying you do that, intentionally or what, but the fact is, from my experience, this is what wears the U Joints quickly.

Another thing that kills them is not coming to a complete stop when changing gears from Reverse to Drive and vice versa.

HTH,

Ray

Also might want to see what kind of shape your t-case rollstopper, transmission, and engine mounts are in.

interesting. My room mate's jeep does the same thing, and it makes a nice knocking sound from underneath when he floors it. I cant stand listening to it when he puts it in drive. CLUNK!

Ill have to look at his U-joints. He was run off the road a while back and had 4,000 damage fixed on underside his jeep, and ever since then its been doing that. from what I understand, the shop used many used parts to fix it, although he was billed for new ones.

just goes to show you that you cant trust everyone.

You can usually feel the slop in universal joints. Get under the truck and grab the drive shaft, try to twist it, also shake it. Do you feel slop, or is it solid?

A roll stopper shouldnt cause a lunge... it will cause really annoying sounds when your driving though.

U-joints only cost about $8.00 I think, so replacing it isn't going to break the bank.

Right. My $40 was parts and pressing them in. I didn't feel like swinging the BFH for $10 per end...