Ok wizards I could use some help. 99 LS Ext cab 5.3 4x4 short bed with 197k on orig motor/trans.

Mechanical noise, as opposed to electrical or engine, associated with wheels/driveshaft turning in the front end. Metal "tink, tink, tink, tink" sound like a ball peen on an anvil gets faster/slower per accel/decel and stops when truck stops moving. Had an LOF done yesterday and tech said that the u-joints looked ok.

Due for a trans fluid change as well. My experience has been either u-joints or yoke associated with this noise if I remember correctly about 15 years ago.

Thoughts?

My first thought was wheel bearings, but if you had work done they definitely should have noticed them. Might check, but I don't know otherwise.

start with jacking the front of your truck up so the tires are off the ground. give your tires a shake you should only be able to turn them not shake the top in and out. were you doing anything to put a lot of load on the diffs before the tinking came about? just thinking you amy have stressed something.definatly drivetrain related... does it sound like it coming from the fire wall area or is it coming from the front diff? does it still make the noise with the front tires off the ground and truning them by hand?