Thank you for all the replies and merry Christmas to everyone!
On the AWD it seems so far like I got lucky. Found a slippery area to stop on. Opened the driver door and watched the back tires while I gunned it. The back tires spun like they should, and no strange bearing noises from the tranny.
nipper, all new tires and psi checked ok. The steering is normal on smooth ground, but on rough terrain like coarse gravel, the steering likes to be a little jerky. I think this may be a sign of ball joints?