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Front drive shaft compatability

Cottontail

Three-De Off-Road
NAXJA Member
Location
Nashville, TN
Going to PAP tomorrow to get a new front drive shaft.

The u-joints in mine are original and are rusted in place. For $15 at the PAP, I figure it is easier to just buy a second one and use my original as a trail spare rather than fight with rust.

I have a 2001 model. It has the LP D30 in it now, but in 2 weeks is getting an HP D30. I really am not 100% on the transfer case I have as the Jeep's undercarriage was covered with some rustproofing goop before I bought it and the t-case tag is not readable.

So, will any XJ front driveshaft work, or do I need something specific. I know, asking this type of question is just like hasta. Just don't want to make the error of grabbing the wrong item.

FYI...the PAP has 19 XJs on the lot. Only 4 are the new body style...3 97s and a 99. The rest range from 1985 to 1996.
 
Long as the engine and transmission match (manual vs auto) you should be good AFAIK.

Might be a difference HP vs LP but I don't think so. Measure your driveshaft from two good reference points and bring a tape measure into the yard to be sure, that way you won't get any surprises. The u-joints are all 1310 series on all XJs, no worries there... oh, and bring a 5/16" 6 point box wrench of good quality for getting the CV joint end off the transfer case. 8mm or a worn wrench will risk rounding the bolt heads off.
 
How do you think I learned :flamemad:

yep, same way... AFTER paying the 20 dollar fee to have the junker put on a stand so I could get at it! To add insult to injury it was the very last bolt.
 
OP:

NP231 Command Trac--2wd/4hi/N/4lo

NP242 Select Trac--2wd/4hi Part/4hi Full/N/4lo
 
Stripped bolt heads on my drive shaft is part of the reason it took me 10 hours to install my SYE. But hey, now I have two nice sets of easy outs to bring with me next time I go to the parts yard (concealed advice).
 
some of the older driveshafts didnt have bolts with 5/16 heads, cant remember which ones and what size they were. But it sounds like your going newer anyways. Also, get yourself a nice 5/16 ratcheting wrench. Helps on SO many levels. I can change out my front driveshaft in about 5-8 minutes with a single wrench.
 
The bolts at the axle end may well be 8mm, I'm not sure and I've never rounded those off with an 8mm wrench. The bolts at the transfer case end certainly are 5/16 though, as they are an SAE fastener... at least on the years I've worked on (90, 91, 95, 96, 98, 99), and I don't see why that would change.

Xamillion on the ratcheting wrench, it makes the transfer case end so much easier. May not fit between the U-joint strap and the head of the bolt at the axle end though.
 
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