I have a 95 300 4x4 running 25" superswampers in front and 26" in the back. The previous owner ran 27" Vampires all round, for how long I dont know. I bought it with the factory tires installed, once I put the swampers on, when coasting the front end hummed quite a bit from the differential gears... I figured it was play from having the vampires on there previously. After a year of weekend mudholes, the front end finally quite pulling. At first it sounded like a busted bearing when I tried to turn, then finally it quit pulling all together within an 80 foot distance through a couple of moderate holes. When cruising say in 3rd gear no noises can be heard, but open up the throttle and it creates a rattling sound from the front differential.
I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with busted front ends and what is most likely to have gone out... the pinion gears in the differential? Or the splines on the shaft from the gearbox? Or could it be something else? I'm in Louisiana and wont have time to tear it down for another week or so cuz we are preparing for hurricane Lilly, so I just wanted to get some feedback on this while I wait.

95 300 4x4 bored .25 over
oil cooler
stick stoppers
floor boards
brush guards
twist throttle
2" lift
warn winch
super swampers