CV Joint?

[Verification]

I've had this 2002 for a month or so. As far as I remember, it always had a cable stretching ratcheting sound after shifting into drive or reverse. According to many threads on noise, I thought this was normal.
The other day, I heard some heavy gear meshing sounds. This seemed to happen over minor washboard surfaces mostly.
I took the front driver side wheel off and played with the disk back and forth and the metallic grinding sound happened again plus was clunky.
The boots are great. The sound almost sounds beyond the large cv joint bearings. Hoping I'm wrong.
If it's the cv joint, how hard are they to replace? I know I will bring it to a shop when I know for sure.
A cv joint costs about $190 with tax in Manitoba and ordering from the US will surely cost the same with duty and taxes.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Check the CV boot on the transfercase end of the front driveshaft.

 

[Sephiroth]

Does the noice increase the faster you drive? The front drive shaft will start clicking when it goes bad, The ratcheting noice after shifting is normal mine has done it for the past 9 years without any problems. If you have ever done a break job your should be able to pull a CV without problems it is not hard. If the noice happens only on washboard or bad road surfaces I would check ball joints, endlinks and the other bushings first.

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[Verification]

I checked every ball joint and bushing. The noise also happens up and down driveway. The cv joint to front diff has play and sounds bad. Not sure why it acted up on mild bumbs though. Going into the shop Friday to have them check it out and order the proper parts. I don't have the proper tools nor the joints in my body to do the job.. If it's just the cv joint/half shaft, it will cost $300 with taxes.

 

[Sephiroth]

That's what I paid to have mine replaced a few years back, I did not know that there's a kit to fix it much cheaper JBA sells it you should look into that if that's what's wrong, but it doesn't sound like it to me, they usually start clicking and they click faster as you drive faster.

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[Verification]

I just drove to the shop to have them look at it tomorrow. No noise when turning or accelerating but comes on suddenly and increases until I almost stop. This is going slow as it is. The noise sounds like something is going to snap if I keep going. I could say it's like a missing large ball bearing grinding sound. There is vibration as well until I slow down. Will know tomorrow and keep posted. A cv joint would be awesome. Transfer case, not so much.

 

[Verification]

It was the driveshaft going into the transfer case not the cv joint half shaft. $500 fix

 

[Royy]

It was the driveshaft going into the transfer case not the cv joint half shaft. $500 fix

Sounds like you paid about $450 too much. The CV joint on the end of the front driveshaft (the part that goes into the transfer case) is what always goes bad on these. You can get those joints for 50 bucks or so, no need to replace the entire driveshaft.