Well AG, it would appear that you are correct. There's something wrong with my front diff/axle. Checked both the front hubs, no play. Checked the uni's, uni's tight however have play in r/h axle shaft
Driving home from work this morning I heard a loud metallic snap from the front diff. This with all the grinding and the clunking which has just begun, can only mean bad things.
Removing axle this arvo and praying it's only the axle bearing and not a snapped axle. This will teach me for drag racing on dirt airstrips