If you have a 1997 Sportage you do not have vacuum engaged front hubs. They started in 1998. Your hubs are a mechanical locking design and they do wear out and break over time. You can install Warn manual locking hubs. See other recent post concerning Warn hubs and how to order them. They are the same part number regardless of the year Sportage you have but the installation is slightly different if you have mechanical hubs or vacuum hubs. But the installation instructions explain the differences.