Nah I didn't go nuts on them. My Service manual called for a torque of 95, so its at that now or damn close.

 

starter: you need to install a set of starter contacts. check your engine ground under and behind the ps pump first. make sure it tight.
this is a common failure. cheap but most of the time only the dealer stocks them.
takes 30 mins at most to put in once the starter is out.
the x fer case i would service it and put in the correct fluid for it. myne is filled with +4 at 153k miles and i only occasionally get a little clash. for me it's easier to stop go to N hold the foot brake go to drive (output shaft on the trans wont turn at all this way) then go to 4lo and take off. my only issues are sometimes it takes it a bit to come out of 4 hi. i figure a weak spring or something but no biggie.

 

Yea contacts are one of the things I figured it could be.
Plus I've noticed that when i get in the truck, turn the key and wait until all my stuff has been on for a few seconds I get a clean start. So I don't think its the starter itself.

 

if the starter just clicks and doesn't engage then it's loseing power. either contacts in the solenoid or a bad ground or any number of things. if by clean start you mean it starts easier then i would suspect an injector or the fuel pump leaking down. if it doesn't seem to miss i would lean more towards the pump. easy to test. just hook up a pressure gauge fire it up and shut it down. if pressure drops rapidly and it doesn't miss when you start it back up it's most likely the pump. if you pull the fule rail up and watch the injecters youll see if one leaks.
loss of fuel pressure and haveing to build back up is the main cause for slow starting cars anymore. no carbs to flood it out points to wear mechanical pumps to fail. unless you really neglect a tune up everything else pretty much works or it doesn't.

 

Its not the engine thats having trouble though.

I hear my starter click and then I lose power in the truck. I'm positive its something to do with the cables or contacts.