Front End Rattling Noise

[2000MountyAWD]

This past Saturday afternoon I started to hear a rattling/clunking noise coming from the front end of my 2000 Mountaineer AWD with 4.0. As the easiest way to diagnose a potential issue as to where the noise could be coming from I decided I would remove the drive shaft from the transfer case to the front differential. This did not change anything and the noise is still there. Tomorrow I am planning to drop the front diff and check it out to see if there are any visible issues with any of the gears or the front axles.

My question is if there is a visible problem and I have to wait on parts or something would it be ok to put the front end back together and drive it without the diff and cv axles? I don't mind the extra work of having to take stuff apart again I just don't want to mess anything else up.

 

[drdoom]

I would check the sway bar links before doing all that. As for your actual question, I'm not sure how that hub is going to do without the halfshaft torqued in. I recall reading of the wheel coming off.