confusing driveline noise, running out of ideas.

my jeep:

1990 xj 4.0 automatic
np231, dana 30 with universal joints, not cv
4x4 is annoying vacuum actuated 2 piece inner passenger axle shaft system
other than the noise it drives fine

I originally posted this:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1015098

I have a horrible clanging shutter that emanates from my front end whenever i go over any slight disruption in the asphalt, its almost too much noise from such minuscule bumps. i hit a slight crease in the road and a loud shutter emerges.

Heres what i did either to remedy the situation or replaced recently anyway:

new motormouts (brown dog polyurethane)
new transmission mount (oem rubber)
new control arm bushings (all eight are polyurethane)

i opened the front differential and it was bad (read the link above for more info on that),
so i removed the driver side axle, but left the stub end so the bearings don't fall out. i removed the front drive shaft, but i did not remove the inner passenger shaft that connects to the diff because the front drive shaft is out and 4wd disengaged so that system should be closed off.

so now my jeep is 2 wheel drive, which sucks; but what sucks more is that its still making this noise.

it made the noise before i put in the poly control arm bushings so its not drive line vibration being transmitted through them, i had the motor mounts for about 5000 miles before the noise started so its not them either. the u joints were good, though ones removed now, so its not them, and this noise is way worse than a bad u joint. i took out the front drive shaft its not that. the hub bearings are good so its not them.

i am at a loss, and i really don't have the time or work space or appropriate tools to rip the whole front end apart in my front yard, i had to pay a mechanic just to do the control arm bushings. maybe the mechanic did a bad job but its not too hard to do and they're all in as far as i can see, i must be missing something.

When I think of a shutter (shudder?) I think of a vib/feeling rather than a sound so I don't know exactly what sound to think of here.

If it only happens after you hit a bump I would check for anything loose along your sway bar or trac bar (sway bar could give a good clunking if it's sloppy).

Could also swap in a new axle... it wouldn't hurt to do it now if the front control arm bushings were done recently. If you do it now (before the bolt's freeze back up again) it should be a fairly easy project.

Also while down checking stuff, check your ball joints and hubs. Can't hurt to check them as well.