Clunk!! Is my rear going out?

Well i'm getting a little worried about some noise my car is making. Like lets say i'm cruising doing 55, and the speed limit changes to 45. So i leave the car in 5th and let it gradually slow down to 45. Then when i get back on the gas sometimes there is a clunk. I think its comming from the driveshaft or the rear but i cant tell. Also sometimes when i take off or sometimes when i come to a stop i hear/feel the clunk. I cant tell where its coming from. Is this a common symptom of something? What's the best way for mem to find the problem? Thanks,
-GM
 
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i would check the peripheral stuff first. if you have a U joint with slop, it will load up one way upon deceleration, and then reload upon acceleration (and clunk as a result of the slop in the joint). get under and grab each half of the joint and twist them against eachother. there should be no slop. if so, swap it/them out. the rears normally wear about twice as fast as the fronts.

if no dice, could be in the pumpkin. if the backlash is not right on, it can clunk in the situation you list.
good luck.
 
I have this exact same problem, and mine will be going into the shop soon. Mine is definitely the rear end though, I just put brand new aluminum driveshaft and u-joints in it, also just has the rear end rebuilt with my old 3.55 gear. My mechanic seems to think it is the axles loose inside the rear end, but without taking the cover off and checking them he can't say for sure. Also, mine needs to have the pinion angle and backlash adjusted. Let me know if you find out what yours is before I do, and I will do the same. Thanks