First off im new. lurked a little around now and then when i have an issue. Usually always find an answer using the search feature. But cannot seem to find anything on this particular problem.

Sooo. i have a 2002 ram 1500 quad cab 2 wheel drive 5.9 w/ 46re trans. 188,000 miles on original motor and trans.

Problem - had a light clicking sound when accelerating and now its a noticeably loud clicking when accelerating up til around 55 and stops unless i really stomp on the gas. the clicking/rattle sound is in sync with wheel spin not engine rpm. so i am guessing its trans or back. u joints appear ok, no play in them. but i do have some play/slop where the yoke enters the trans extension housing. i can push it up and down side to side about 1/8 inch. maybe a little more. that doesn't see right.

can anyone chime in? maybe just a wore bushing? or the slop normal and i should be looking else where.

Ive tried jacking the truck up with stands and front wheels chucked. to get the rear wheels spinning. but could not duplicate the sound. so not 100% sure where it is coming from.

 

sounds like the bearings on the output shaft are having some issues...

I would also take a look around the exhaust manifold and make sure there are no leaks... if a leak is present at the manifold you'll see black soot all over the place...

 

Not sure if this will help or not but my neighbor had a similar kind of noise going on with his Avalanche and he replaced the bearings himself cause there was a little movement going on in his rear end, but the noise was still there. Then he noticed that some of the brackets holding the heat shield above his cat had rotted away and the shield was touching the cat. So when he hit the gas the cat would vibrate the shield so check all that also. You never know

 

Pete, Avalanches rattled and vibrated when they were brand new.....LMAO