Jim. Thanks again for the reply. With some further research I have
discovered that my drive shaft is one of the early double cardon type, with
u-joints rather than a CV joint, meaning it is realtivly cheap and easy to
eliminate as the source of the noise. I understand that with the shaft out
of the picture other components will act differently. Knowing that the
U-jionts seem smooth and unbound with the shaft out of the car, do you think
that THEY would act that much differntly with torqe applied? I am going to
try the U-joints. Just wanted your opinion.

Thanks


"Jim Warman" > wrote in message
news:vIiOi.14624$JA3.7135@edtnps89...
> OK... for some reason I had A4WD stuck in my head..... and, for some
> reason, I had to go to the 97 WSM (workshop manual) to find your transfer
> case... This is good only in the sense that there doesn't appear to be a
> front output flange nut.... (You can tell we don't see this system in our
> area).
>
> Removing the front driveshaft isn't going to reveal much.... with this
> shaft out of the picture, a lot of components are no longer transmitting
> torque and this "relaxing" effect will likely keep the faulty component(s)
> from complaining loudly enough to be heard....
>
> With the parts you have already replaced and the thought that you are
> considering a driveshaft, I'm left to wonder if the noise is, indeed, from
> the transfer case or from another source.... operating the vehicle on a
> hoist *may* reveal the source but it is more likely that you may be left
> to find a shop that has a set of "chassis ears".... This is a group of
> microphones that are clamped to suspect components or areas - the operator
> can toggle between the microphones to localize sounds. In this way, it
> should be possibly too positively identify the transfer case as the
> culprit or not....
>
> I realize that this isn't much help but this transfer case is quite a
> departure from any others that I normally see (including a planetary
> gearset even though it isn't used for the usual HI/LO range shift - yes,
> it does have a chain).
>
> I did briefly scan through TSBs without noticing anything.... If you'd
> care to PM me your VIN, I can run OASIS on this concern for you....
>
>
>