i'm new here obviously, been searching this since it started last saturday.

bought a 99 LS with the usuals, 3 button transfer case (will get NV ### off it later) 174k mi, no slop in the drive train front or rear in N. 4wd works although some times 4hi gives a grinding sound but putting it in to 2hi or 4 lo and then back again and its gone, thats not the main concern though but it may be related.

crusing down the road in 2wd, regular cirty driving mabe 45 50 ish and i get a random clang that sounds like its comming from the rear of the car. thought it was the switch going bad trying to engage 4hi while i was driving but i tested the switch and it still does it, took the switch out and it does it. no check any thing lights on the dash, no stored codes, fluids are in need of change but they arent sludge yet.

the clang usually happens when warmed up, rarely it happens cold. it does it more when theres a bit of load (like going up hill) the trans shifts fine and the clang usually happens after its well established in a gear. meaning it doesent clang when it shifts. i was thinking it could be torque converter but i noticed it doesent affect the revs at all unless it catches me off guard and i let up off the gas a seccond.

but like i say it starts runs shifts fine. turning doesent make it happen more/less often its purely at random but seems to happen more often (not always) when theres a bit more of a consistant load on it (like a hill)

any thoughts?
need any more info let me know, i'm pulling the skids off tommorow so i can get at all of the gear boxes

theres more of a story behind this car but the basics is the lady i bought it from lied about most of it and i didnt pay a whole lot for it and frankly i havent been happy with it from the get go

edit:

i forgot to say TCCM is in good shape, no corrosion, broken wires, or cross talking wires from a wire insulator going bad or cracked

 

its not wheel bearings, U joints, CV joints, shocks, struts, suspension busings or broken components either, still trying to figure it out.

 

have you checked transfer case and differential fluids? We had similar sounds on a Dakota that had a leaky differential and would make the noise when it was empty of fluid.

 

yea every things full, needing a change but full

 

The 3 button switch means that you have the NV233 transfer case.

Have you checked your transmission mount?

Do bumps affect things?

 

all the mounts look good, bumps dont affect it. its purely random and happens more often when warmed up

replaced all the fluid in the transfer case and about half of the transmission fluid and its still doing it only now i hear a squeee sound like a belt slipping but its not a belt (just a similar sound) and then BANG it does it so mabe its a band in the transmission?

after i get this fixed, if i can get it fixed this things so gone, i shouldnt have trusted the lying ***** i bought it from. i only now know shes lying because that transfer case "that was only done a few hundred ago" had black fluid in it like it had never been changed, thankfully theres no sparkles

 

a couple mechanics are saying they think the chain in the transfer case is loose and jumping when its under load, i thought about repairing it but seeing the price for a guarenteed used junkyard transfer case i am just gonna buy one of those and swap it out. they have one with 77k mi on it from the same year and model even.

i dont think i'd have to worry about spline count and connectors on these in any year but its nice

 

The chain shouldn't be moving when in 2wd...