# Rear Differential Problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** wrangler, jeep\ **Created:** [November 14, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-differential-problem/39454 "2009-11-14T03:00:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jaygatsby25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@jaygatsby25](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaygatsby25)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-differential-problem/39454/1 "2009-11-14T03:00:04Z")
My rear differential is broken, a piece of one part broke off. My mechanic tells me that I need to replace the entire differential. Is that true or can I simply replace the broken piece? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-differential-problem/39454/2 "2009-11-14T03:07:37Z")
Once a piece breaks off it can grind against the others, damaging them. While diffs can be repaired, it is much easier to just replace the whole thing with one from a junk yard, shouldn’t be hard to find for your jeep. I did it in a parking lot to my '72 Duster in a day. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-differential-problem/39454/3 "2009-11-14T03:09:20Z")
Most likely, your mechanic is correct. A broken-off gear tooth, for example, can do an awful lot of damage to everything else in the diff. There is a lot of labor involved in properly rebuilding a differential, and the price of individual parts can be very high. The most cost-effective fix is often a complete axle assembly (including the diff) from a salvage yard. However, your post is a wee bit short on information, like what kind of car you have. ---
**Author:** ![jaygatsby25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@jaygatsby25](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaygatsby25)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-differential-problem/39454/4 "2009-11-14T03:10:39Z")
1997 Jeep Wrangler ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-differential-problem/39454/5 "2009-11-14T03:16:54Z")
Oops! Just saw the tag on your original post. Yep, a salvage yard axle assembly is the way to go, IMHO. But get an estimate for this as well as for rebuilding your current diff.