Grinding Noise When Pulling Away From Stop.

Was it a really quick sqeak / graunch noise just as you started moving?
If so I haven't got a solution, I've got the same problem!
Just had a 3" lift and done some laning. Had it over the diffs in clean water plus a bit of mud but nothing serious, so doubt if it's water in diffs for me. Almost like a tiny bit of clutch slip when setting off, but if it was, would have expected similar noise when changing up / down, but nothing.
Thought it was AT tyres at first but not a tyre type noise if you know what I mean

If you have disc brakes could also be siezed brake caliper.

could be that your brake drums are full of crud too

Will hopefully find out what the situation is today.

Tried the Jimny again yesterday lunchtime and it didn't do it!

Still no news on this.

Doesn't look like anything is wrong with the diffs or transfer. Oils all look fine and clean.

Has been intermittent all week. Yesterday it didn't do it at all (so I thought something must have been trapped then dropped away), then it did it pulling into the drive!

I'll keep hunting.

here's a very big longshot

mine used to do something similar, but only when reversing on full lock (getting out of my parking space).

after having been off-roading, and bashing my bumper in (no physical damage), I removed the bumper and bent-out the lower brackets, after re-fitting the bumper, the noise has completely gone.

mines a post 2005 with the deeper bumper than yours, but maybe still worth you taking a peak as it's surprising how much of loud "metallic" grinding noise a rubbing tyre can make - like a pharrrrrt noise :blink: