Clunks;Whirrs and Vibrations - Advice Needed

[NoStringsAttached]

Hi from New Zealand,
I purchased a 1998 XLT SOHC 4 litre as a project a while back and replaced the driver's (right hand side) upper and lower ball joints to enable me to get a Warrant of Fitness for the beast.
Using the truck offroad on my rural property (Matamata AKA Hobbiton) in winter I noticed that when the vehicle would make and break traction on the left front wheel I would hear and feel a number of clunks underneath as this happened.I suspect that this is caused by an issue between the wheel hub and the front diff.
Using the truck on the road there was some noise which I initially had put down to tyre noise as it has some fairly chunky tyres on it.However, the noise has been increasing gradually and today as well as the increased noise I can now feel a vibration coming through the driver's seat.
I have run the truck up onto ramps and had a look underneath but nothing obvious and the front diff is full of fluid.I suspect it may be a worn out universal joint or CV Shaft ? as the truck has done about 285000 kilometres.
I am going to jack the thing up tomorrow and have another look but would appreciate any ideas on how to inspect/test components from the front diff to the wheel hub as my idea at the moment is to swing off the wheel hub and see if I can replicate the noise.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d suspect the front driveshaft first, and then probably the clutch in the transfer case.

 

[NoStringsAttached]

I’d suspect the front driveshaft first, and then probably the clutch in the transfer case.

Thanks for your reply.The thumps definitely come from underneath on the passenger side and I can feel the wheel on that side reacting to loss of traction going uphill in what was a muddy patch between paddocks.Off to jack the car up and do something delving underneath.I will check out the front driveshaft while I am there.