Ok so the fluid level is correct and no I couldn't partly open the drain plug to dribble out some fluid, it's in or out! (you can imagine the rest). Naturally correcting the fluid level didn't affect symptom at all but at least it's now correct.

UJs. All seem fine and the good news is that there are 5 grease nipples. both shafts have one in front and one rear and there is one on the front shaft split spline. However they don't look to have been greased by the shop recently so I will do them myself from now on and make sure that fresh grease comes out of the seals. Should I use hub bearing grease or something else?

The rear shaft feels completely rock solid locked, can't twist it at all. The front shaft however can be rotated easily by hand maybe as much as half inch of play (not the UJs the whole shaft in unison). That seems a bit sloppy to me but what does it indicate, if anything?

Rotoflex. Didn't see one! is this possible? RAVE claims the rear shaft is 2 piece shaft with a split spline and Rotoflex at the diff. As far as I can see my rear shaft is one piece and has a regular UJ at the diff. Whats up with that, is it me going blind? Should I look again?

 

The '97 and '98 came with u-joints all the way around, no rotoflex.

My front driveshaft does the exact same thing, been doing it for a year now.
If you shift into neutral 20ft or so before you stop it wont clunk,(but you MUST come to a complete stop before shifting back into drive) you can also shift into reverse without it clunking that way too.
If you run it in 3rd gear while in the city it wont clunk when you come to a stop then either.

 

Mine doesn't clunk in any of the forward gears and doesn't in reverse from a cold start.

My theory is that when the tranny fluid heats up it affects whatever happens in the box. I recall the old Borg Warner boxes you could "feather" this out by adjusting the brake bands from adjusters on the outside of the box! Can you imagine? It was great -and they call it progress.

I am relieved to know I don't have a Rotoflex and that I do have grease points so some good has come out of it I guess

 

I too have the clunk, I've resigned myself to acccept that I may always have the clunk. I have searched here and there is no known cure for the clunk. Perhaps the clunk was just meant to be.

 

I know what you mean. Had it on my 99 XK8 just the same. I think it's the same ZF box too. Shop sold me a replaced Rotoflex, didn't do a damn thing to change "the clunk".

 

It is safe to say that since you don't even know that your u-joints have grease fittings, that you should probably plan on replacing them all and then greasing them with every oil change as you are supposed to.

 

Nothing to do with the Rotoflex, and HIGHLY unlikely to be the driveshafts as if they clunked that much, the vibration in normal driving would be tremendous, Not the gearbox either imo,

If its a D1 clunking, then its the rear "A" frame bush that is worn............

 

That is a good point, and he needs to do something with his unserviced u-joints also.

 

If it was the A frame bush wouldn't it clunk every time I selected reverse and not just after it's warmed up? It goes in perfectly smooth first thing in the morning when I reverse out of my garage....

 

Good tip, I forgot about that.
I will have to get one on the "to order" list.