i hear a ticking.
its only when the truck is in gear, and i can hear it best at slow speeds. its a steady, evenly timed, repeated, kind of high pitched, metal on metal ticking.
driveshaft u-joints? or did i REALLY screw somethin up?

also, i dont know if this is related, i have glass packs and i got under the truck after i heard the ticking and i am 90% sure that my glass pack mufflers were ticking, and the truck was off, but i think it was a different sound. something loose? when i hit the mufflers, the noise stops, and then slowly starts again.

Sound like a correct diagnosis, squeal is u-joints, ticking is cherry bombs.
(Golf clap)
Can you grease the joints? Temporary fix?

u joints are really easy to preplace. and cheap. all you need is a vice, a socket slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the ujoint caps, pliers, and a hammer. remove the clips and press on one side till the opposite cap comes out. then just remove it and put it back in the same way it came out. i dont have it infront of me right now but take time to be strategic about (at the slip yoke end or flange end) which end you dissasemble first. if you do it out of order it will make it much harder. it helps to have a second hand to hold the other end of the driveshaft when your pressing the oposite end in the vice

ok... well cool ill go get some ujoints and a press right now.. and why do my glass packs tick?? any real reason or???

Just the metal shrinking back down as they cool, Harleys' with mufflers do it too.