Hi Pete ....

Nope U Joints are fine .... My money is on the rear shaft being too long ... the sounds I am getting when loaded are VERY solid and to me sound like the ends of the U Joint housing contacting some of the tunnel structure ... the weird thing is that as often as I have looked for the evidence of where and what it may be striking ... I haven't been able to locate anything. I have even had the rear shaft out when I was installing the steady bearing grommets and found nothing. I am certain that the shaft is installed correctly as I marked it ..besides ... there is no vibration at speed which I would expect if the shaft were not oriented correctly. The sound that happens is so loud and solid that it sounds like someone hits the undercarriage of the car with a hammer... when it happens during "sporting type driving" ;-) .. When it happens during normal driving with camping gear and 2 200+ lb occupants, the rolling sound that I identify as the ends of the U Joint housing rolling against the inside of the tunnel .... still a very "Solid" type of sound and usually only happens when pulling away in low gear .... and of course if I "speed shift" to second we get a replay ..only faster.... but usually know better than to do that ;-) (Damn this getting older takes all the FUN out of immature behaviour you always have to think of consequences)
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Brett Sutherland & the 1.5 million mile 122 Canadian