I have a loud clicking coming from my Ram, I think it is in the front. Loud from 15-45 mph, clicks faster with higher speed before disappearing around 45 mph. I've had brake pads clatter and rattle before, but they usually go quiet when you touch the brakes. Hitting the brake pedal makes no difference here. What is it?

You'd better check the front axle U-Joints.

Okay, I'll check them out. How bad are they to replace?

It's a lot easier if you have a lift to put the truck on. That way you can get the front hub at chest height to make it easier to take apart. The front hub assembly has to come off to get to the axle shafts.

Could be the u joints in the front drive shaft. I work in a drivetrain shop. We retube, and use a single u joint weld yoke, along with a drive flange to replace the cv. This works very well if the truck hasnt been lifted.
Also check for slop in the slip yoke, if it isnt too bad, many times if you remove the boot, and grease the splines, it will help. The slip yoke and spline only go together one way, so dont force it back together!
It is cheaper to do the single u joint conversion than do a proper rebuild on the cv, if it is even rebuildable. If it isnt rebuildable, and your truck has been lifted, then expect to drop about $350.00 to replace the cv unit alone...
We do about 20 of these conversions a month for Dodges alone.

Probably u joints in the sxle shafts, not a fun job,, the hubs can be a nightmare to remove in the rust belt states.
the ujoints need to cut them out to remove from the castings, and if you tear the grease seals the entire diff must come apart to replace them.
ny 01 has 140k and I am on my third set. The last set has grease fittings in the caps.

Yup, you guys were right on it. Driver side axle U joint is shot, and passenger has seen better days. Just ordered a set of Moog's with the grease fitting in the cap. The fun is probably just beginning.

The good news is you are dealing with a 1/2 ton axle. The 3/4 and 1 tons are ususally the most difficult to get apart. The wheel bearing assembly should come out fairly easily with a few whacks of a hammer after removing the 3 bolts that hold it in place. Leave the axle nut on while you are pulling the hub bearing to keep the two halves of the bearing from separating.

Thanks for all the tips guys. No lift available, so it will be done in the driveway. Stock suspension. I've got some huge wood blocks I can put under the front axle and take the wheels off.

I just finished the front u joints on my 97 4x4 Ram this past weekend. Im on my 3rd set of front u joints after 160k miles.

The worst part is getting the bearing unit apart from the spindle. You can try to leave the bolts half way threaded in the bearing unit, add a deepwell impact socket on the bolt head, and use the power steering to try and get the unit loose. ( when turning the steering wheel, the socket will jam against the axle and push the bearing out ) All in all, not too bad of a job. Definitely a good opportunity to inspect the entire front end.

Got the Ujoints from Rock Auto today. Now time for bloody knuckles and cursing this weekend! My original set made it to 70k, so it sounds like I have made out better than many of you guys (although it probably needed them 10k ago...) Can the bearings be repacked at this time, or are there seals that need to be replaced I suppose? Or sealed unit? I've got a needle fitting for the end of my grease gun that I haven't put to use yet...

I believe the hub bearings are sealed unit assemblies.

Today checked at Auto Zone, Lowes, Home Depot and Advanced auto for the 1-11/16" socket for the hub lock nut. 4 strikes, I'm out!! I'll check Pep Boys or order from Napa tomorrow.

If you're changing the hub bearing assems too, don't be afraid to heat that nut up some. Some folks around this rusty town have trashed the threads(spindle AND nut) forcing them nuts off.

Seems like I just left my hubs on the shaft and pulled it together, didnt have to mess around with the big nut.
I was reusing my not to old hubs and didnt need them off the shaft.

Napa didn't have the socket either. Had to order it from North Carolina, should be in tomorrow. But now you have me wondering if I want to pull the hub or not. With the hub still attached, the Ujoint may be a little more of a hand full. But probably still doable, especially if I rent a Ujoint puller.

I dont think there is enough room to remove/install them without removing the shaft from the housing, but you do not have to remove the axle stub from the hub bearing to change the u joints.
I used a zip wheel to cut them out, they were incredibly rusty, a sawsall would probably work OK, it is simply cast iron.
Removal of the hub bearing was another nightmare, had to use the power steering and sockets to push it out a bit at a time... couple of hours per side..broke a couple of decent sockets with the hammer and the steering..
USE LOTS OF AnTi-Seese.. when you reassemble.

Okay. I'm thinking I'll leave the hub on the spindle (?) and just replace the U-joints that are bad right now. That will test my patience enough for one shot. Course with my luck, hub bearings will go bad 3 months later, but my patience will have recharged by then (but my "to do list" will still be overflowing).