My bet is it needs one of these if it's not too late already. http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...ase_saver.html

 

Not to late??? What do you mean? I've had the truck for about a month now and its been doing that since I have owned it. I am going to get this anyways just to be on the safe side.

Do you think that the squeaking sounds like the u-joint going into the t-case? Or could it be because it needs the snap ring replaced on the tail shaft?

 

Your first post mentions grinding, and the pic of how far the D shaft is moving in and out, suggest a broken snap ring. As far as the squeaking goes, that is usually the dbl cardan joint on the front shaft. But that noise usually only happens in 4wd not 2wd .

 

Its is a grinding/vibration, Not really sure if it is actually grinding. but the squeaking is when I take the front drive shaft when its in 2wd and when I spin it by hand it squeaks, stops, squeaks, stops, squeaks... and so on. Also when I am driving in 2wd and say im going through the drive-thru at McD's you can hear it sqeaking. I checked to see if it might be the brakes, but its not the brakes.

 

Remove the front shaft and see if the noise is still there.

 

easy to remove the front drive shaft and rear? I removed a rear drive shaft on a 2000 Grand Cherokee to replace a t-case. Is it the same way?

 

before removing drive shaft, check the joints by twisting the 2 halves against each other. there should be no movement and no noise. any movement means they are bad. all the pressure must be off the drive line. block wheels, in neutral, e-brake off, etc.

to remove rear drive shaft on an 01, remove the 4 bolts at the pinion flange. (front side of the rear differential). i like to mark the position of the drive shaft to the flange and put it back in the same place that it came out... with the bolts removed, you might have to smack it with a hammer to break it loose. then catch the front yoke and slide it backwards out of the t-case. hold the front yoke so it doesn't flop down and mash your hand when it comes out of the t-case. a couple of spoonfuls of fluid might drain out of the t-case, but not much.

 

Should I lift the front end up in the air to remove pressure off the front drive shaft? If there is no noise in the front joints the what do you think the squeaking noise is coming from?

I wish I was a mechanic. LOL

 

^no. you don't need to lift front or rear to check u-joints. nor remove drive shaft. you can, but there is no need to.

if you want to operate the driveline, then do lift both ends.

squeaking is almost always u-joints. its the bone dry needle bearings twisting on the dry, rusty crosses. my needle bearings turned to dust...

 

My suggestion to remove the front DS was to see if the grinding went away, to eliminate a problem with the TC. I still think the snap ring is broke.