i have a 94 jeep cherokee sport with 220k+ miles on it. everything runs amazing. i drove to school today just fine and right as i turn into the parking lot a wierd noise/feeling starts occuring in the rear. It feels like it might be coming from the axle area...maybe bearing? loose bolts? im not good with this stuff yet..maybe someone can help me out!

Jack up each wheel and see if there is play in the bearings and spin the axle and listen. If the feel and sound good, pull the diff cover off and inspect, metal in the bottom is bad.

Ron

Does the sound happen when the wheels are turning or when you go over bumps.

If it happens over bumps I would check all of the suspension attachment points. Couls be a worn bushing or a loose bolt.

If it happans when turning the vehicle it would most likely be something in the axle. You might also want to check your lugs as well, a few loose lugs will cause tire will clunk when turning due if the loose lugs are next to eachother, the wheel slaps back and forth as the loose point goes from top to bottom.

Also check out the driveshaft if it happens when you go from power to coast and back, my '99 sport had issues with the u-joints slightly binding and my local tech at the jeep dealer said this is more common than not... especially with softer springs or add-a-leafs, as they allow a little more axle wrap, there fore allowing more yoke contact.

the loud grinding noise and vibrations have stopped for a few days completly...alot of hard hitting in the rear cause my suspension is real loose. i turned down one road today and it really made the noise/feeling bad again for a few minutes. ive looked around underneath and made sure everything is tight and what not, there appears to be a differential leak of some sort. but i cant figure out why its doing what its doing. it seems to only be on turns though that sparks it

definately pull the diff cover off. check for metal chavings in the bottom, gear teeth, anything that doesnt look right. If everything checks out....hey i guarantee you needed to change ure diff fluid anyway :)

Jack up each wheel and see if there is play in the bearings and spin the axle and listen. If the feel and sound good, pull the diff cover off and inspect, metal in the bottom is bad.

Ron
Try as this guy says, I had a prob years ago in a old ford kinda like this, it was one of the Wheel/axle bearings had gone south and the axle was moving around.