drive train issues

it all started when i was told by the dealership that did the abs sensor recall that the tone ring was loose on the hub, making the abs crap out. time to replace the wheel bearing. the other week i heard a pop and figured the cv axle was gone as well. no problem, i'll do them both at the same time. i tried the 4 wheel drive the other night and noticed that the front wheels weren't spinning. i slid underneath it today and noticed that i could turn the front drive axle coming out of the transfer case by hand. the vehicle was in park and 2hi. i'm guessing thats not a good sign since i was never able to before. i jacked it up and engaged the 4-wheel drive and all 4 wheels spin. i know the wheel bearing is crap. the wheel wobbles about an inch or so each way past center. i'm kind of surprised the damn thing didn't fall off. so i guess my question is, where do i start in trouble shooting the 4 wheel drive system? the front drive shaft turning by hand, i'm sure, is not good.

Welcome to AF. If all 4 wheels spin in 4wd, what is the problem, also post the year.

yeah i forgot alot of info about my truck. its a 2000 with the auto trac transfer case. how does the 4 wheel drive system operate? does the front axle electrically lock in when the transfer case does or is the front drive shaft from the differential to the transfer case always spinning. i had the truck in 4hi and the trans in neutral. i had my dad hold the one wheel and i was able to turn the other one by hand. i didn't think i would be able to do that. guess i'll replace the wheel bearing one day this week and see where i'm at with it. the 4wd doesn't seem to make a difference when i'm on stones. the back wheels spin forever and the front doesn't seem to care. but when i had it on stands and in gear, my dad held one wheel and i half-assed tried to stop the other one and i couldn't. maybe its just me....

Souds like it.

bringing this one back from the dead, but the 4wd issue was the clutch pack inside of the transfer case.clutches, beasrings, and seals and i was on my way again. very easy to rebuild.

I know its old, but I'll respond. If you replaced the clutch pack only, have you had any repeat failures?
Reason I ask, is that I used to work at a dealer, and the ones that burnt the clutch pack out needed a shaft also. The general didn't clean out the hole for lube after they mashed the splines out. When they splined the shaft they halfway covered up the lube hole to the pack, so it burns out.
If you pull it again, look at the holes in the shaft, it is easy to spot, one hole isn't "clean".

the lube hole didn't look blocked at either end and judging by the amount of brake cleen flowing through it, nothing in the middle either. no repeat failures but i don't have many miles on it yet. i just did the rebuild at the end of last summer....the same time my transmission took a dump. i did check the fluid about two weeks ago and it was still the pretty blue color and no burnt smell. time will tell i guess but so far i'm happy.