Hi.. new member here. I finally got a maverick, and I got it on Saturday. It's a 1974 2dr with a 250 c-4 engine. everything seems to be running well. it looks great, starts without a problem, and shifts gears beautifully. however, when i drive it, after it shifts into 2nd i hear a soft "clunk" noise that sounds like it's coming from the rear. it doens't happen all the time, just sometimes.. can you help me out with this? also, are there any recommendations of the things i should start doing first to get the mav in top shape? and i read about the auto krafter's shop manual, but where could i get one of those? thanks a ton.
Sara, The clunk sounds like you may have a universal joint beginning to go bad. Put the car in reverse with the window down and see if you can hear it then. A lot of the time you can hear it distinctly this way. If so, then you probably need a new joint.
reverse.. well, i do hear it when i go into reverse. how big of a job would replacing the universal joint. thanks for the help. sara
Sara, It's not really a very big job, just fairly dirty. Are you planning on doing the work yourself or getting someone else to do it? You need a way to press the old universal joint out of the driveshaft, and the new one in. The joint itself (or joints...I would replace both the front and rear while I had the driveshaft out) is not very expensive. I'm sure a local parts store will have them in stock. If you are going to have someone else put them in, I would check with a local high-school or vocational school auto-shop class and see what they would charge you. I'll bet you would be pleasantly surprised. Good luck and let me know how it turns out.
thanks! well, first i gotta make sure that the universal joint is the problem. but yeah, putting it into reverse makes a big clunk noise. a friend of mine might help me do it, but i still need the repair manual. any more info on how i can get one? where? how much? thanks anyhow for the info.. sara
Sara, Youmight check your local library for a manual (Chilton's...etc...) Another way to check the universal joint is to get under the car and move the driveshaft with your hand. I would get back as close to the rear universal joint as I could and see how much play there is. There should not be much at all. But I would almost bet that it's the rear universal joint. Good luck. Also, you might post a message to see if anyone on the board has a manual and could possibly post something about changing the joint.
Its a easy swap, just had to do mine. You need a pair of pliers, a deep well socket that fits in the hole, and a hammer. Take the clips off and center the socket, tap it nice and hard till it slides down. Take the cap off, reverse it and do it again and ital pop right out. instalation is the reverse of removal. Dont think i forgot anything...the bolts holding it on are 7/16 if memory serves.
