@kwazadilla your symptoms seem different. Do you happen to have the HD Package?

@houm_wa Yes, 2005 SE V8 4.4 with HD.. 188k miles! new trans at 98k i was just underneath it and the driveshafts (not axles) seem ok too.

New Trans? No...

hahaha

Yeah no kidding! What happened to the tranny? Are you the original owner? Pretty early (98K) for the transmission to fail.

So, I had a clunking similar to what you describe, but only really in a TR mode that would lock the rear diff more readily. It turned out to be the clutch packs in the diff. I described it as more of a "clanking" and it was generally under a load that it would happen. I wound up replacing my diff (LR covered that) and my locking motor (I paid for that but got a good deal) and I changed my rear drive shaft just for the hell of it since the old one had to come out in order to change the locking motor (free labor).

....man, I have a TON of new parts under this 11.25 year old vehicle!

@houm_wa thanks for that info, this points me in a direction that makes a lot of sense.

New Transmission.. I'm second owner, Previous owner had extended warranty to 100k, it was replaced at 98k.. very early.. the previous owner said it was acting up, whatever that means, so the service center was happy to take advantage of the warranty before it expired. It could have needed replaced or not, I don't care if it was justified. If it was not replaced, someone went through a lot of trouble to meticulously and exclusively detail and polish the transmission in every crack and crevice and then apply a patina to make it appear as if it had around 20k miles and mated to a vehicle with all the dirt, grime and oxidation expected at 122,000 miles when i bought it.

I see....well that makes more sense. If I could sneak in a new tranny under the warranty wire I'd do so as well, even if it didn't need it.

...hmmm, except that it conflicts with my "if it ain't broke..." philosophy.

front end clunking low speeds over bumps...+1 on earlier poster lift whole front end up and try to shake the sway bar if there is any play...change both sway bar endlinks....

if that doesnt cure it go for the control arm bushings and ball joints and there is also a bushing on the sway bar that can rattle

the sway bar can cause clunking noises..

Endlink clunking noise is much different than control arm bushings and reproduced differently. Control arm bushing "clunk" is really easy to check for. Idle along and then SNAP the brake pedal briskly. If it clunks, it's the control arm bushings.