4x4 drivers side front wheel drive shaft moves.

[flamepattern]

So..
I was driving home the other night and noticed a strange rattling coming form front of truck when I went over bumps in the road, stopped and looked at the wheels couldn't see anything. Next day heard it again and took it to my Dads and we both looked at everything. I ended up finding out that I can take hold of the big (rubber?) end of the drive shaft (where it enters the wheel on the inside)for the drivers wheel and pull it back about 4 inches.

When I jiggled it it was the same noise I was hearing on the road. Thinking something was wrong in the hub I took it apart. Everything good there. The locking ring was on the end of the shaft. The passenger side doesn't do this at all. Do I just need to buy a replacement driveshaft or is there a different problem I need to address, any help is appreciated.

As a side note does anyone know where I can get one of the black grills with the honeycomb style wire mesh on the back of it for this truck. Alll I can find online is the chrome looking ones.

[Desert Rat]

Sounds like the CV is toast on that halfshaft. Reman'ed shafts can be had for under $100 at most parts houses with your core, and they're not terribly difficult to replace.

Get the front of the truck up on jackstands so both front wheels are off the ground and make sure the steering wheel is unlocked
Unbolt the caliper and hang it out of the way (not by the brake line)
Remove the hub and snap ring.
Unbolt the 6 bolts holding the inner end of the halfshaft to the axle flange
Unbolt the upper balljoint and let the whole assembly hang from the lower control arm.

From here you should be able to wiggle the halfshaft out of the truck.

Reassembly is the reverse procedure.

[flamepattern]

Ah, ok thank you. time to go shopping.