General "That doesn't sound good, not good at all". 4x4 gearbox probs

[Oingo]

I seem to have lost front (2) wheel drive and gained an almighty clattering. To the untrained ear this sounds a bit terminal. While waiting for a tow, out of curiousty I selected 4 wheel drive and she moves (although I suspect it's only the rear drive actually working) As she broke down less than 1/2 mile away, we decided to creep home with 4 wheel drive selected.
There's some shake in the steering and and the clattering which I can only describe as sounding like a CV joint that is breaking up.
I've not had chance to have a real look yet (only happened an hour ago) and before I dive in with the spanners, decided to put it to the forum ("the font of knowledge to all things Panda")
Any ideas? is it as terminal as it sounds?
Cheers all.

 

[panda-sport]

If it is a CV joint that has gone then you would get the systems you describe. If it is the just replacing the joint should see you back on the road if it hasn't damaged anything else as its whiped itself to death. If your unlucky the it will be the diffs gear cluster and probably cheaper to fit a 2nd hand box. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you ..

 

[Oingo]

Cheers Panda Sport
Now I'm not sure if this is good news or not. On removing the drive shaft (Thanks Alan D for the damage limitation tips on the track rods ends etc) it comes out minus the "spider" ,the splines look all ok so fearing the worst, delve in expecting to pull out lumps of metal. Happy days!!! that comes out in one piece and looking as shiny as the day it went in.
But now comes the rub. I take it there's a some sort of circlip to hold the spider onto the drive shaft and if so.... where's mine?
The only history I got with the car is the previous owners complaining that they had trouble with the garage that fitted the clutch. So this leaves two options, the garage REALLY screwed up and it was never put on, the spider hanging on by a wing and a prayer ever since...or.... somehow it's come off and is now floating loose round the gearbox.
Decisions decisions, Knowing how hard these gearboxes are to come by, do I strip it down looking for a clip that may or not be there, or just fit a new one and put it all back together.
She really only has to last a few months before she gets pulled apart for her visit to the bodyshop for a respray.
Oh well, teabreak and a visit to the motorfactors then we'll see.