You will have to make the choice of driving vs towing for yourself.
Pretty hard to diagnose over the internet. A "gear type noise" could
cover a lot of issues.

When was the last time you checked or changed transfer case lube? If
it's low or contaminated with water, you need to deal with that NOW!!

Your front axle is turning at all times so the front axle output shaft
of the transfer case is always turning. As it wears it tends to get a
more and more distinct "whirr". If you have high miles (100k plus) you
might have a transfer case chain that is getting sloppy, that needs to
be attended to fairly quickly.

If it is a "clicking" or "snapping" noise, the U joints might need
attention. You have 6 of them, they rust out. If the noise gets much
worse when turning, that's a sure sign of the front axle spindle joints
needing replacement.

The hard shifting is commonly a misadjusted 4wd shift lever. You get at
the lever from underneath, put it in neutral, insert a pin through the
lever and the bracket. Then adjust the two rods to fit correctly.





Scott in Baltimore wrote:
> The Jeep: '97 TJ 4cyl auto, basically stock.
>
> What's up: It's hard to shift into 4WD & 2WD. There is a gear type noise
> when driving that was never there for the first 14 years. Did something
> move in my driveline? Would it be cheaper to attempt to drive it 25 miles
> to my repair shop or get it towed there? I'd hate to ruin something if it's
> preventable.
>
> Thanks in advance for any helpful responses.