'02 Town & Country U-Joints

The constant velocity joints in fwd drive shafts are just as much "universal joints" as the one in the steering column.

Yep - they are a certain type of universal joint. All constant velocity joints are universal joints, but not all universal joints are constant velocity. In the same way, the inner CV joint is a DOJ (double offset joint), but it also is a type of CV joint (DOJ is a type of CVJ, but not all CVJ's are DOJ's).

^^^^^^^^^

Why did you spoil your response by including the word "so"?

A joint or coupling used between shafts that aren't in line is "universal". The cross type (Cardan) is one type and is used commonly in rwd prop. shafts, and in some steering columns. You can't, however, say that the various types used in fwd drive shafts aren't universal joints themselves....they're just different.

Yeah, right, "loosely"...the same way Merriam-Webster define it:

universal joint (noun)...."a shaft coupling capable of transmitting rotation from one shaft to another not collinear with it"

So, do I cut the old boots off or loosen them and slide them over the old joints? Are there replacement boots I can buy?

NES

I believe the noise I'm hearing is coming from the steering, not the axels.

NES

Thanks, I'll look.

NES