Jeep Cherokee Forum - 97 XJ Questions

Hey Guys!New to the forum! I've checked out the first 5 or 6 pages of threads and still didn't see anything pertaining to the problem(s) that I am having so I just thought that I would post a new thread.First problem. There is a squeaking noise coming from the front of the jeep that sounds like metal rubbing against each other. I'm not sure what that is from. I'm thinking my exhaust is rubbing against something because that's loose but I might be wrong on that. However, I was also thinking it could be my springs/struts because they are pretty worn out. This sound didn't start happening till about a week or two ago.Secondly, whenever I shift gears, it's not smooth anymore. It's like it gets stuck on something and then catches and pulls when it does catch. It's like it hits a wall, breaks through it, and then tries to catch up with itself if that made any sense. I don't know if its a drive train or drive shaft issue or something else. This started happening a few days ago.Any help would be appreciated! Thanks guys!