None of the CV boots are ripped or torn.

I hate to say it but the sound doesn't seem to come from the front axel, it sounds like it's coming from the x-case or right close to it.

Is there some sort of clutch housing or something that the front driveshaft plugs into right in front of the x-case?

Does anyone have a drawing or schematic of this area of the truck?

 

Id get it to a mechanic....you dont seem to know what is going on and ur probaly doing more harm than good guessing what is wrongand driving it around...

 

The problem you are having sounds like the front prop shaft.This is the shaft that runs from the transfer case to the front diff. The reason I know this is because my '01 Quad cab AWD was making the same noise and it started the same way yours did. I thought it was the drivers side CV shaft. I called my mech. and he ordered the CV, but after he inspected it he found that it wasn't the CV. The front prop shaft should have a boot on both ends. Mine was missing on one end. This part is hard to find around here. The local Dodge dealer wants $385 for aREBUILT shaft. Autozone can order you a Cardone rebuilt shaft for $235 + $50 core. It has a LLT warrenty. Advance auto parts was $30 higher for the same Cardone shaft. My mech. removed it for the time being so that I could still drive it, if your truck is an AWD you will have to leave it in 4HI or the truck won't move. I'm ordering mine next week thank god for income tax returns! Good luck, hope this info helps.

 

I think you got it right with this one, I was under the truck this weekend and found that it is this cv joint on the front shaft. Ganna shop around on tuesday when everything opens up again.

 

I guess I need to update what happened.

It was the CV joint on the front propellar shaft. On one end of the shaft is a u-joint that attaches to the fron diff. On the other end is a (STUPID) CV joint that attaches to the transfer case. The boot on that CV joint was worn out.

So, I tookthe drive shaft in and had the CV joint replaced ($228) and went on my merry way. Less than 2 weeks later I started hearing another sound. I look under the truck and notice this perfect line of grease from one side of the truck to the other. Just eye-balling the CV joint shows nothing is wrong but the grease obviously came from there. I remove the shaft and the CV joint made a grinding sound when you pivot it around. I take it back in and they replace it under warranty. I hadn't had a chance to put it back in the truck when I geta call from the mechanic asking me to bring the shaft back in. It turns out that the boot gets clamped under a trim ring and the boot was not clamped good enough. He looks at the shaft I brought back in and sure enough the boot was not clamped well enough on this one as well. Had I put it back in the truck it would have done the same thing. Right now the shaft is still at the shop and the mechanic is waiting for some new CV joints to come in so he can find one that is properly clamped.

 

Same thing happened to me. I replaced my front drive shaft because the CV joint went bad at 107K miles. I got the rebuilt unit from Autozone. I drove to work two days and then out to pick up a load of lumber from our farm (30 miles out of town) . When I got to the farm pulling a small 5x8 trailer, I noticed the light clicking sound. By the time I got home the noise was very loud and much like the noise from the first CV joint. I thought the bad CV joint had ruined my transfer case, but when I looked under the truck there was fresh grease sprayed around the CV joint on the new drive shaft. After seeing your message, I pulled the drive shaft off and yep, it was bad. The CV joint rubber boot had torn and the joint was loose. Back to Autozone. I took my core and the bad one back on the same trip. The original last 107K miles but the rebuilt last 107!! The new one wont be here for a week!

[quote=aakrusen;1223539]I guess I need to update what happened.

........So, I tookthe drive shaft in and had the CV joint replaced ($228) and went on my merry way. Less than 2 weeks later I started hearing another sound. I look under the truck and notice this perfect line of grease from one side of the truck to the other. Just eye-balling the CV joint shows nothing is wrong but the grease obviously came from there. I remove the shaft and the CV joint made a grinding sound when you pivot it around. I take it back in and they replace it under warranty. .........

 

I had the same issue earlier this winter and it was my front driveshaft between the transfer case and the front diff. I first thought it was a CV Joint but it wasn't.

The front drive shaft is quite expensive, from my mechanic, it was 425 $ and that's a rebuilt !

Oh ! By the way, sorry if my english is a lil' smashed. I'm still not quite good !