I bought my 2001 dakota last october and we got the snow dumped on us this year so 4 wheel drive was used alot. I first noticed that when turned on the 4wd and I went around cornersthere would be a clicking or clunking sound coming from under the truck towards the front. Once I straighten back out the noise would go away. Over the last few months it has gotten worse to the point that it now makes the noise when I go straight. When the 4wd is turned off I have no problems. I climbed under the truck today (finally no snow on the driveway) and I couldn't see anything that looked broken or cracked. I grabbed a hold of the drive shaft that goes from the transfer case to the front diff and I could turn it about 5°-10° before it would stop. Then I could turn it about 5°-10° back the other way. If I did this several times it made a noise that sounded similar to the noise I've been hearing. Coming out of the transfer case is some kind of small housing that the driveshaft plugs into (not the u-joint on the diff side). The sound that I make when I turn the driveshaft seems to be coming from that area.
Should I be able to turn the driveshaft that much?
Should it be making any noise when I turn it?
Could it be something else that is making the sounds I hear when I'm in 4wd?
Could the front diff be shot?
If someone has a diagram I could point out where everything is that I am talking about.

 

change ur half shaft (s)

 

Ok, I'm going to need a little more info than that. I know what half shafts are but I need help understanding why you are certain that is the problem.

 

not to try to steal your post, but mine makes the same clicking noise, and seems to go in and out of gear when you let off the gas then get back on it. I try to use 4x4 as little as possible, but think that my T-case is on it's way out. I also get a grinding noise like the gears arn't meshing right when I put it into 4x4, it clunks, and then is good to go, until i let off the gas and coast a bit, then it'll clunk again. Time for a rebuild? Can anyone help us out more?

 

It sounds like you've got a more serious problem than what I am experiencing. However, your problem may be an advanced condition of mine.

Does anybody have any thoghts?

 

Clicking when you go around corners is usually a sign of bad CV joints (in the front) which are part of the half shafts. Very common problem in front wheel drive cars. The suggestion above is probably the right one: replace the half shaft(s) and the noises will stop.

 

That's kind of an expensive guess, don't you think? Is it possible to check if the CV joints are bad without taking out the halfshafts?

Today I had a friend drive with me while I put the truck in 4wd. We were driving next to a barrier wall so the sound would bounce off the wall which made it easier to hear. He said it sounded like it was coming from the transfer case area. The whole time I was driving, the truck was going straight, so that makes me think that it might not be the CV's.

 

yea, is there a clicking when you turn full lock left, or right? Also if ya ever drive in 4x4 on non 100% mud/ice/snow you will shoot them to hell...

 

Yes it "clicks" when I turn the wheel wether I'm on snow or pavement or whatever. My question is about why it makes that sound when the truck is going straight.

 

boot riped got sand and crap in it destroyed the nuckles.., ne who ya dont wana just keep driving it...