On the way to work a few days ago i rounded a turn and got the worst sound of metal grind i had ever heard as i used my brakes. I stopped and got under it and couldnt see anything so i got back in and drove it to the side of the road. It made a horrible clunking as i limped it along slowly, but got worse when i took my foot off the gas or used brakes.

I got it jacked up and spun the rear passenger side wheel, i heard and clunking so i looked under and the yoke on the rear diff is moving all around causing a strange grinding and clunking. Is this a sign that my rear end is ruined? is there a way i can disconnect my rear drive shaft and put it in 4wd to get it to a mechanic or something? im very low on funds.

95 jeep cherokee country automatic 4.0 4wd

 

you cant unbolt the rear driveline unless you have a slip yoke eliminator otherwise the driveline will slide out of the rear of the transfercase and youll loose all your transfercase fluid and yes if the pinion yoke on the rear is moving all around there is a good chance your rear end is toast

 

Sounds lie a typical D35 spider gear failure. No need for a mechanic.
Grab a set of spider and side gears from a JY donor and put them in.

Better still, swap the axle for an 8.25" out of a 97 or newer XJ. Grab the drive shaft, u-bolts and plates, e-brake cables too and you're good to go.

 

so i gots me a 87 cherokee also, shes gots some suspension crap goin on, and my brother put my battery in backwards for some reason and blew some fuse or something trying to start it so should i..
replace the gears in the rear diff
replace the entire rear end
take the parts or rear end from the old jeep and put it in the 95? if thats possible
or go back to the old jeep entirely and fix that up and moth ball the 95?
on thing is the 95 is a much nicer machine but the 87 is rusting bad ...