My '05 3.0 is now a rear wheel drive.
 

I totally lost the front drive. The last thing I did was replaced both front CV axles and found out later when it snowed that I don't have AWD. I bought the Axles from Napa auto parts and everything installed fine. I do however, get a clicking/ticking noise when turning the wheel, say getting in and out of parking. My question is, could it be that I installed the wrong/incorrect axles? could either axle be short? (unlikely)

I checked the transfer case actuator gear so see if it's bad although I am or was getting the 4X4, ABS signs flashing at the time I noticed losing the front drive.

The history on this car is it towed small trailer for some time.

Could it be a bad transfer case? Anyone having this issue? thoughts?

Thank you for any input you can provide.

I would guess it’s the front driveshaft…which is quite common. The front driveshaft from the factory is too short..and the splines strip over time. Read up on it.

Aren't LCI models with xDrive a bit better regarding this spline problem?

Yes I believe the earlier cars had more of a problem with this issue.. I’d check it anyway.

LCI models have issues with the transfer case actuator. If a little plastic gear fails, then no AWD. They make rebuild kits.

That said, if you can return those NAPA axles, I would. I'd rather reboot an OE junkyard axle than run any of the random aftermarket garbage. Most aftermarket axles fail VERY quickly in my experience.

The gear in the actuator is still good. It might have been changed already (159k now)

I no longer have the original axles but we'll see how long they last. Any recommended places to get the front drive shaft? In case it is indeed the culprit.

Thanks.

Sure sounds like a transfer case issue. However, I am 99% sure that the later (LCI) models have a longer front driveshaft from the factory. Check the RealOEM part number and make sure they are different, which I suspect they are. I've got a 2002 E53 (Pre-LCI) and the last 7 of the VIN are: lh36976, which shows a driveshaft PN of 26207508629

If I'm wrong and you do have a shorter driveshaft I think you can find a used long one on ebay probably or a Pick and Pull. Also, many guys (myself included) swap in the Everbuilt longer t-case end splines, which you can get off of Amazon at https://a.co/d/07VOS94. Not a difficult job and there is lots of info on it here. Happy to give you my two cents/experience if you want to go this route.

I was unable to find someone to balance mine after I had the splines welded in, but I detect no issues in my very un-scientific seat-of-the-pants vibration measuring system. The one driveshaft shop in town that would do it, theoretically, didn't have any way to secure the front diff side of the driveshaft to spin it. They wanted me to pull the yoke out of the diff, which seemed like way too much work.

I used a dial indicator and a woodworking lathe to check my driveshaft.
I first hand rotated it to see if I had any run out and then ran it at low speed. It kept exceeding my expectations. By the time I was done, I spun it up to 2500RPM.
I made a custom mounting plate for the flex disk end pretty quickly and bolted it on and used a live center for the other end. I wouldn't do the project for someone else but my results have been good for quite a while.

So I did some testing today but not sure if this is accurate. I lifted the front wheels and turn the driver and passenger wheel separately and the front drive shaft spins along with it. This leads me to believe the splines on the shaft are not stripped? Could it be the TC actuator motor is bad? and not engaging the front? But when I turn the wheels, I get this clunking sound. Kinda hard to pinpoint which end of the shaft it's coming from. Thoughts?

https://youtube.com/shorts/vhoF_UhaxZ0?feature=share

did you ever figure it out?