driveline slack after removing CV/output shaft

[brentmiller]

I had a CV axle come unthreaded and fly off (don't ask), banging around, breaking the diff cover and tearing up a bunch of the flange. I replaced the diff cover, tweaked the bushing bracket back, removed the output shaft to clean up some threads on it, put it all back together and I now have a new slight clunk when the driveline is slack and the clutch is let out. does the output shaft not just press back in? there's no clip or anything holding it in right? if that's the case, could the driveshaft U joints have gotten damaged from lowering the diff just enough to get the top two cover bolts out?

TIA,
Brent

[Jared]

I'm assuming you took the diff out to work on it... This happened to me, what it was is that the four bolts above the diff that bolt the diff to the frame, they hadn't hooked in completely right. I know that sounds stupid, but they weren't cross-threaded, and trust me they were tight. When I took the diff off again and then replaced it (using a lift this time instead of jackstands), that was enough to erase the clunk.

[brentmiller]

makes sense...I'll try it (meaning I'll put it on my list of other things to double check tonight)

thanks,
Brent