Accidental GRIND

I have a 2001 Cherokee 4 door 4x4 with select track and auto transmisson. It's sitting with storage insurance in my underground parking so it's not being driven right now. Last night I started my JEEP and decided to engage the 4 wheel drive...but somehow it slipped gears and after I put it in D it made a few grinding sounds...and then I tried to adjust it out of 4wd and it made some more!!
I was supposed to be in Neutral when engaging...and I didn't know this.
Wondering if I could have done damage. I hope not. None of my other Jeep have done this.

Thanks.

I'm confused, you are Suppose to be in Drive when going to 4x4. Only in Lo should you be in Neutral

I was in P when I selected into 4HI.....then after putting it into drive it started grinding or something. It all works now...if I engage while in D...or in N.

You can shift from 2wd to 4hi or back at any legal speed--usually a little rolling is good things seem to mesh better. Trans in neutral, rolling about 2-3 mph for shifting into and out of 4lo.

So I'm guessing there's not much chance that I harmed anything last night....
It does shift smooth now....the only thing I can do is change the fluid. I just have no idea what that sound was...it couldn't be good for it.

Trans in neutral, rolling about 2-3 mph for shifting into and out of 4lo.

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This is what I've read as per repair manuals, and the in-car manual that comes with vehicles. However, in practice on jeeps and otherwise, any time i have ever shifted into, or out of, 4LO at anything but STOPPED. I have gotten crunch's, grinds, and the general sound of chaos from the transfer case. I've yet to have any issue when stopped going into or out of 4LO, except for sometimes you might have to roll forward a foot or so and try again if it didnt want to go in/out initially.

As for 4 wheel HIGH, in jeeps and otherwise, shift into and out of it at any speed of about 50mph and lower and never had an issue. Out of practice, (manual tranny) i will just roll along in neutral doing the switch, or at least clutch in. I dont like shifting the 4wd with load on the drive train. But thats personal preference. Not a requirement.

The transfer case does like the vehicle to be rolling when it's shifted. I use four wheel drive mostly for snow, and with a 231, you're shifting in and out often, depending on road surface. Quite often, even though the shifter is in 2 wheel, the case will lag behind, only fully leaving 4 High after letting off the throttle and coasting a little bit. I'm guessing yours got stuck either between gears, or partly engaged. You shouldn't have hurt anything with a little grind, but obviously it's something to be avoided.