First off, I want to say that I have not crawled under the truck since hearing the issue. It hasn't gotten above 24 degree, so I will wait for some warmer temps before unbolting things.

But...want your suggestions on what you think my "ticking" sound could be. When driving the other day in snowy conditions, I decided to put it into 4wd at one point. When at 30-40mph it sounded like the engine was much louder. Almost like the was a hole in the muffler. But I know that isn't the case. It was just a loud front end. Like a rumble. Then, when doing some slow 8-point turns on the tiny hunting road, I could hear some light "tick tick tick tick" sounds coming from the front end while in 4wd.

More info: While doing the breaks a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my front pass tire has some top-bottome play...l believe this is a sign that the wheel bearing is bad.

So, knowing that there may be a wheel bearing issue, that this is a 97 1500, what do you think could make the ticking and rumbling sounds from the front end? Bad U-joints? Dry Diff? Spit tooth in gears?

 

The ticking sound was probably the U joints when the system was binding up in a turn.

Ball joints are what usually causes play in the wheel.

 

Ball joint and wheel bearings are both foreign to me. I will learn more about them as after Christmas passes.