ive had my 97 ram 1500 for a couple months now and i just started hearing kind of a clicking noise from the passenger rear. when i was checking to see what it was i was pushing on the rear wheel side to side to see if it would make the noise and it did. it almost seems like a wheel bearing with the truck on the ground. but then i jacked it up and took the wheel off and noticed it looks to be the axle is going in and out of the rear end about 1/8 of an inch or less and when it stops it makes the click. the other side on the rear end doesnt do this. is this normal? i know nothing about rear ends so what is causing this?

 

thats normal, it's going to have a tiny bit of play in it because of the axle shaft that slides into the axle.

but i doubt its what you're hearing its most likely the bearing

 

axle sliding in/out a little is normal.
check for clicking in brakes, drive shaft u-joints, front axle u-joints on 4wd.

 

+1 id say u-joints

 

hmm it just confused me because only one side of the rear end has play in and out with the axle. i guess ill see if its the u joints now

 

well if its an open diff that may be why. think about it, with open diffs the rear doesnt have both tires locked up, and when you turn , if you have noticed, the drive tire switches....so it needs some play to be able to shift.....its hard to explain