I have a '00 Jeep Cherokee AWD. When I got it and was finally able to drive it after replacing all the blown brake lines I noticed a weird chunking noise in the front end only when I made a left turn and accelerated. It progressively got worse and it sounded like a CV joint or something in my front axle or in my transmission. I took my front axle out when it got really bad one night and it seemed to help some. I still had the noise when making a left turn just not as bad. Within the last day it started making the same noise without making the left turn. I drive 30 miles back and forth to work every day and today probably drove 60 miles. I put it in reverse and once I started backing up it felt like I hit something but there was nothing there. Drove for a while to pick my pregnant wife up from work. Once I got there I put the Jeep in park and when I went to put it in reverse to leave once she got in it just locked up completely and wouldn't back up. Any ideas what could be wrong. Could it be the gears in the front assembly or my transmission? Looking for any advice you guys can give me.

 

Just to add I haven't checked my tranny fluid since I took the front axle out. I'm gonna do that first thing tomorrow. I know what to look for with the tranny fluid. Should be nice and red not black or brown and shouldn't smell burnt. The clunking sound seems to be coming from the transmission but mainly on left turns and accelerating and as or recently while accelerating with the wheel strait. What should I check before buying parts or sending to a mechanic. I can do the work myself with no problem if I can just figure out what it is. Please help with any possible information pertaining to this specific problem. Thank you.

 

Would the gears in front differential cause it to lock up when in reverse if they are damaged or wore out? I really don't want to buy a new transmission if that isn't the problem. It was just kind of weird the transmission still had the clunking noise after I took the front driveshaft completely out. Could it be the bearings and if so why would they still make noise after the driveshaft is out? Even the gears in the front differential. Like I said when I took the front driveshaft out it seemed to help for a while, then progressively got worse again. I'm open to any and all ideas to help keep me from replacing the transmission. To me it seems like it's more likely to be something wrong with the front differential. What do you guys think?

 

What do your front U joints look like? Do the rear wheels try to move the vehicle and the front just drags?