Clunk, gear slip in snow in auto AWD, 1996 4.0L

[grantgrabert]

1996 4.0L auto limited AWD, 86k miles.
Wife's daily so this thing is driven gently. We have noticed a speed matching rhythmic clunking when climbing a hill in snow (in AWD AUTO).
It's fine when the roads are grippy. 2wd is fine. I'm guessing something with the transfer case or front drivetrain is slipping.
Any suggestions where to start looking? Thanks for any help fellas.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

1996 4.0L auto limited AWD, 86k miles.
Wife's daily so this thing is driven gently. We have noticed a speed matching rhythmic clunking when climbing a hill in snow (in AWD AUTO).
It's fine when the roads are grippy. 2wd is fine. I'm guessing something with the transfer case or front drivetrain is slipping.
Any suggestions where to start looking? Thanks for any help fellas.

since yours has the CAD, if its fine disconnected but connected and live there is an issue, im wondering if its the TCC. however, when you are climbing a snowy hill i may be completely normal for the TCC to engage to send power to the front, if it doesnt do it in 4L either. sometimes it does it seamlessly, sometimes it will make a clunk

 

[grantgrabert]

since yours has the CAD, if its fine disconnected but connected and live there is an issue, im wondering if its the TCC. however, when you are climbing a snowy hill i may be completely normal for the TCC to engage to send power to the front, if it doesnt do it in 4L either. sometimes it does it seamlessly, sometimes it will make a clunk

Thanks for the info Fix, I can understand one clunk when shifting but this is a rhythmic clunking, as in the clunk is synchronous with the wheel speed. Luckily we haven't truly needed AWD yet but would like all systems to be working for when we will need it.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thanks for the info Fix, I can understand one clunk when shifting but this is a rhythmic clunking, as in the clunk is synchronous with the wheel speed. Luckily we haven't truly needed AWD yet but would like all systems to be working for when we will need it.

hmm i see. my guess is its on the coupling from the case since yours is a cad axle, or maybe diff under load? honestly not too sure

 

[Mbrooks420]

My first suspect would be the clutch in the t case.

 

[grantgrabert]

Thanks for the suggestions fellas. I was hoping for something that I could dig into but those sound beyond my current abilities. Especially since it is the wife's daily.