My issue started about a week ago when my truck developed a horrible creaking noise in the front end. It sounded like a metal on metal rub, and from searching on here I narrowed in on the balljoint. I lifted the passenger side of the truck and noticed that the lower balljoint boot had some slits in it. I figured this was my problem so I pumped it full of grease. No change initially.

Then I happened to spin the tire (suspension is at full drop since I lifted by the frame rail) and it does not spin easily. The halfshaft seems to fight against the center section and actually causes some deflection as it rotates. I also noticed some grease that appears to have been spit out of the upper CV. I then proceeded to pump that area full of grease as well. No change initially.

I then lifted the truck by the lower control arm so the suspension was compressed, and the tire spins freely. So it appears that the CV cannot handle the max angle it is put under when the suspension drops completely. Is this normal, or a sign of a bad CV? The drivers side spins freely with the suspension at full drop. Would driving in 4wd for a few snow storms without grease in the CV cause my issues?

Now that I have driven the truck for a few miles with the grease it no longer creaks. Any thoughts on if I should replace the halfshaft and/or balljoint?

 

At full droop you will notice that it is a bit more difficult to spin the tire than is lifted by the LCA.

 

I could understand a little more resistance at full drop due to CV angles, but my issue is more than that. Drivers side at full drop I can't even tell a difference in force to spin the wheel compared to when the suspension is compressed. Passenger side is very noticeable. Not constantantly harder, but easy/hard/easy/hard as you rotate the wheel. Feels like the CV is binding up every 1/8 of a turn or so.