Jeep Nation,
Just got some bad news on my beloved WJ. It's a 2004 Laredo 4.0 4x4 Columbia Edition with 185k.

Body and interior is clean. Apparently, underneath not so much. Didn't seem too bad to me, I've definitely owned Jeeps that looked worse. but I brought it to a trusted mechanic when i began to hear a grinding noise out of the rear end. I thought it was a bearing but my guy says it's worse and likely need work on the rear differential, and he reccomends not putting the money in it, as the rust level on some of the "parts that hold it together and keep the wheels on" are rusted beyond hope. I don't have much into this truck from a financial perspective, but I recentlly replaced the brakes all the way around and installed a new water pump and fan clutch..Despite owning several Jeeps over the years, and having a little mechanical accumen, I still consider myself a newbie. My gut tells me to listen to the mechanic and find another Jeep to love, but i thought I'd run it past the community to see if any of you with more knowledge about these type of issues had an opinon or advice. Thanks in advance.

Tears in my eyes and a grinding in my rear end

 

Sorry to hear that, man. That's a tough one.

Listen to your mechanic. If the critical suspension and frame mounts are truly gone, it's a safety issue. It's not about the diff itself, but the rotten metal that holds it all together. No repair is safe or cost-effective if the foundation is dust.

It sucks, especially after putting those new parts in, but a broken brake line or the rear end deciding to exit the vehicle is not worth the risk. Time to start looking for a new project.

 

Thanks Jayson. I went to the shop and my guy put it back on the lift and pointed out the issues. It is definitely sketchy. It's a whole different perspective when the vehicle is up in the air vs. what I could see creeping underneath. Oh well, If i've learned anything from owning Jeeps, I learned sometimes you just have to move on. I got a good run out of it. Just sucks because the engine purrs like a kitten.