Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

I do not use the Patrol often off road. About two years ago I did a Namib trip and found that on pulling hard a strange cluck sound comes from the front drive train from time to time. However, it is not associated with a feeling on the steering or anything, just the sound. Other Patrol drivers told me it is normal, it can be the autolock hubs resetting or whatever.
The last weekend I did a round trip through the Baviaans and Grootrivierpoort towing a trailer and found the sound, however intermittent, quite annoying. I manually locked the hubs with no change. I met another 4.8 Patrol owner in the Kloof who told me he discarded the Patrol hubs totally.
Does anybody have any same experience and a solution?

I replaced the Auto hubs on both my patrols with the manual free-wheel hubs. I got them from David Volschenk.

Make sure it's not just worn front control arm bushes. They make an intermittent cluck sound under load if they are worn out, which will get more and more frequent as time goes on.

This is not normal and certainly points to an issue.

However what that issue is I can't say from this description.

I would say start with checking all the suspension bushes as suggested by Russ, but also steering ball joints, wheel bearings and swivel hub bearings. After that maybe look at the hubs. It could possibly also be the chain in the transfer case slipping a tooth (it happens if they are stretched).

The auto lockers are a hassle. Convert your auto hubs to manual hubs. Costs you 30 minutes of your time, max. No money involved.
I seem to recall posting photos of the procedure some time back but I'm not sure. But basically you remove the hub, take out the big ring that looks like a giant washer, maybe put in new grease, and close up again. Then when you switch to "auto" you're switched to unlocked aka "freewheel".
I did this ages ago and still working fine.

edited to add: I can't find where I may have spoken about it, but Michael posted photos in this thread viewtopic.php?f=45&t=5425

edited again: I've seen guys break after-market "upgraded" manual hubs but have yet to hear a complaint from anybody that just did the minor DIY conversion to manual hubs

I personally prefer the Manual hubs over the Auto, I would go as far as saying I see them as an absolute upgrade...

But before you go throwing parts at the problem, maybe do as suggested above & do a propper investigation into exactly what is the cause of the noise.

Hi Danie

Did you ever work out where the clunk was coming from? I think I have the same issue with one of my bakkies?

Hi Kevin
Not yet, the Patrol is mainly the wife's car and is actually seldomly used. I would probably wait till I want to go somewhere and then hastily do something.