How to get slop out of driveline?

[GetImpact]

Decent stock power since I'm at sea level and it's been cool out, shifts good too... but the driveline feels kinda sloppy like a loose old truck. Is this mainly about smushy stock bushings (NVH stuff)?

The body flex doesn't bug me (yet), just the tranny/rear seems to spring around a good bit, which annoys me.

I'd like to know how to fix this up inexpensively since I'm saving mostly for a Kenne Bell (intercooled 9 lb.).

Full suspension mods will have to come later, because I don't want to cheap out on that.

 

[Roush21]

May try gettin some HD U joints. I got mine and it tighten things up a bit...of course they needed to be replaced, also you could get a pro 5.0 shifter maybe ur feeling some slop w/ a junk stock shifter? That makes things feel much better

 

[turbokid]

yeah my car does that too a lot. I feel light clunks every tym i down shift and left off the clutch for slowing down purposes. it feels like a hammer hit the bottom part of my shifter.... anyone know whats wrong???

 

[GetImpact]

I have a Pro-5.0 shifter installed with the handle it came with. That seems perfectly fine (though it does move a hair under engine torque, which seems normal to me).

What I am experiencing *that I don't like* is when I blip the throttle while in gear I can hear and feel slack in the drivetrain as it rocks around between the mounting points... like the bushings are too tender. No banging, just slack.

I like stuff good and tight on a performance car. I realize this isn't a Lincoln, but did Ford remember that? Too smushy... like they designed it to appeal to old farts too.

Maybe they make an inexpensive poly bushing kit that tightens things up a little. I'll search.

 

[Mr. Potato Head]

anything ever come of this old thread? I have a lot of slack in my drivetrain as well and I don't know what it is. It's bad when coasting in gear. Like a cross between surging and the driveshaft moving back and forth.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

To get the slack out of the driveline it is necessary to trade your Mustang for a different car

 

[hotmustang331]

I heave heard a carbon fiber drive shaft pulled 9X% of that "cluck" out of the drive line. Im sure that aluminum will help too.

 

[cvgtpony03]

Here is my opinion from experience

My car had the clunkityclank from the day I got it when it was completely stock. When I upgraded the suspension-UCA's, LCA's, springs, add on adj. swaybar, Illumina shocks (all this on the rear)-it got worse. I double and triple checked every bolt and nut and that everything was on correctly. It was. So I added an aluminum drive shaft. It got even worse.

Here is my theory. The Mustang is designed with slack in the drivetrain. When you tighten up things around the slack, this lessons the ability of the suspension to absorb some of that slack so you hear it even more. Pretty crappy, huh? IF I am correct on this theory then the only thing I can do is when I have the rearend rebuilt, have them set the tolerances a little tighter than stock. I know this can be done safely. That may alleviate some of it but I think some will always be there. I believe it is in the design of the upper and lower control arms. When you press the gas and this puts force on the drivetrain it causes the differential to buck up and down at the front where the driveshaft connects to it. OR should I say rock up and down. The pinion angle changes. If you stiffen up the suspension, it can't absorb this rocking like it used to. IF you stiffen the driveshaft....same result....less absortion.

I have to make sure my pinion angle is exact on. I have not done this yet. I know it is within range but have not been able to check it for exact degree yet. Been lazy. This may help a little. I have new engine a transmission mounts to go in. Getting around to it sooner or later. May help some. Have to wait and see.

What I find hilarious about it Is that when I am hammering the piss out of my pony she is rock solid and doesn't make a sound. BUT if I am cruising down the interstate and let off the gas to slow down and then press the gas again, it sounds like the rearend is falling off. If I "blip" the gas peddle....Holy Cow it is like the rearend FELL OFF. Too funny.

I'm tired of typing now.............Ken

 

[Shiroelex]

I just did a centerforce dual friction clutch, throwout, pilot, and new gears in my friend's 99, and the clunk has been reduced greatly. When I had the driveshaft off of the diff, I twisted it back and forth on the trans, and it barely moved.

Man, the centerforce feels great, compared to my crap O.E. replacement clutch. Crappiest part of the install was having to grind down the ring gear to get everything back together (4.56).

 

[Dorsai]

It seems to me that a good deal of the slop is from the tranny and not the rearend. I believe Shiroelex is on the right track with how to reduce the slop.

 

[Mr. Potato Head]

I think cvtg is also on to something because I recently installed U/LCAs and it got a lot worse. The car already has a T5z and FRP alum driveshaft and 373s. It also has a failry new (6 months) king cobra clutch, etc. It is exactly as cvtg describes. Great when on throttle, but steady throttle or off throttle is very unsettling.

 

[VPStang]

ttt