I own a 2001 ram 1500 4x4 and the 4 wheel drive wroked wel all winter. i go to school in nh and i took it out in every storm and had no trobules. I had a few misfiring cylinders so i took it to my mechanic and he fixed that for me in march. About a week after i got the truck back i noticed a cliking noise when i was driving down the road. it starts once i hit 20 mph and only happens when i am driving straight. when i take turns the clicking stops. it is definately coming from the front of the truck. also, when the truck is in 4 wheel drive and i turn the wheel either way there is a grinding noise and i can feel the vibrations in the steering wheel. anyone have any thoguhts before i take it to my mechanic? the ticknig noise is incredibly annoying and part of the reason i bought the truck was for the 4 wheel drive. thanks

 

The CAD isn't engaged or disengaged completely. Check for vacuum leaks and make sure your transfer case shift lever is all the way into 2wd.

 

Over the winter i did find a cut hose that was attached to the front axle.....it fell off in my driveway and i have no idea how long it was ripped....even with the ripped hose the 4 wheel drive still worked and when i brought to truck to my mechanic he said it was probably a vacuum hose and he would replace it. I took a look at it the other day and he did in fact replace the hose except it wasnt hooked up to anything; it was a new hose that was just wedged in the front axle so it wouldn;t hang down on the ground. i've tried putting it in 4 and then disengaging it into 2wd and that seems to stop the noise for a few minutes but inevitably the noise returns. thanks for advice i'm going to take it to him get that hose reattached. i have no idea where it goes

 

Then it doesn't go to the CAD. If it did, you'd either not be able to engage or not be able to disengage. It is more than likely the breather hose which just plugs on and then routes up to your fender. If it was cracked and falling apart, your CAD lines are probably in poor shape as well and is probably where the problem is. It could be a u-joint or something else but CAD leaks are probably the most common.

 

could the u joints be causing the grinding when i turn in 4 wheel? The u joints on both sides are loose and they both will click if i grab them and twist a little which makes a clicking nosie similar to what i ehar when i drive. i don;t know anything about 4 wheel drive i;m still a newbie to the truck world. Where would i go about finding the CAD lines?

 

4 wheel on these truck is no like the all wheel drive on cars. 4 wheel is for really nasty stuff. Hard turns, like going into parking place, is not good for them.

but then again all wheel drive will not mud like your truck.

Get yourself a hayes or chilton manual. Best $15.00 you will spend on your truck. It will tell you where that hose goes.

Jeff

 

Then you need to get the u-joints replaced.
The CAD is on the passenger side of the axle. The big think with hoses come off of it. Two hoses and a wiring harness connected to it.

 

i was talking with one of my buddies about it and he said there was a chance my four wheel drifve was not disengaging when the shifter was in 2 wheel drive. is this a likely possibility? this has been happening since the end of marche and since then i have made about 5 trips from nh to ct driving on the highway

 

That hose is most likely just the vent hose. You should try and find the original end of it because there is a check valve in it to keep dirt and moisture out of the axle. Mine is a 98 but the hose runs from the shift motor out to the passenger side wheel well, up the side of the frame to the left of the coil spring and into the engine compartment. And is mounted to the top of the wheel well.

 

MOST DEFINATELY THE U JOINTS i had the same exact problem clicking and the turning problem replaced the ujoints and both went away!