Hack and Tap Options

Ok so I am wanting to run a stock driveshaft front and back , as to carry only one spare. (and save some $ for gears/lockers)

I Was going to wait untill i could afford to do a full HD from A.A.
But am deciding to go with a hack and tap with the yoke style output so i wont need the adapter from the flange output of some of the H n Taps..

I figure if im unhappy i could allays change it later when more $ is available. but it seems that all but the most Abusive are pretty happy with theirs..

My rig is a DD 01 with 4" of lift and a np231 case . and is being built as an adventure rig, Not Huge ROCK MONSTER . i do like rock but am not really heavy on the skinny pedal. And am on 31/10.50's.. But i dont plan on ever going bigger than 33/10.50's locked front and back (selectable)..
I think maybe i wont ever break the H.n.t. with that kind of use.

Anyway since im looking for the cheap options please reccomend any good value ones you know of. or offer an opinion on why this is or isnt a good idea to go this route..

I found Iron rock offroad $119.99
or Dirt Bound $109. and it comes w all hardware bits/tap

So far Dirt bound seems to be the best value but i had a hard time finding alot of other options through google or ebay ..

I may have talked myself out of the hack n tap out of fear of cutting crooked or drilling/tapping crooked haha

OutkastBoss said:

I may have talked myself out of the hack n tap out of fear of cutting crooked or drilling/tapping crooked haha

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It isn't that bad, trust me. It doesn't even matter if you drill off center as long as you can get the bolt to seat, because it will be seated on the splines of the shaft. The bolt just keeps it from coming off.

I know it sounds aweful, but i've done it on 2 jeeps with no issues. Just take your time and use good drillbits with lube. An angle grinder is better than a sawzall for the cut...

Ben

Edit: As for your original post, can't comment on those, have only run the RE kit (with and without oil seal).

IRO seems to be the best deal in my opinion. You get the kit, drive shaft, and the drill bits/tap for 220. There are a lot of write ups on how to keep everything square.

Thats tempting but that means paying $80 for the refurbished dshaft? Seems steep compared to the J-yard.

I did notice on the porc site they had a full Hd for
PORC HD 231 SYE Kit PORC52231 PORC $165.99

Now that Seems like a good deal pay an extra $30 and get a full hd..
I wonder if it ends up the same length out as the H.N.T. so i can still use stock front (auto) shaft

Of course at that point the advance adapters one is $40 more..

Does anyone know if the Porc one is of a reasonable quality?

I am not sure what IRO does as far as refurbishing but I would think that they replace all the joints and check the centering ball and replace that if necessary. So take a $20 junkyard shaft and three new joints some sandblasting and painting I don't think $80 is to bad.

Definitely get the PORC SYE, well worth the extra $50. Drilling and tapping is a pain in the ass, IMO.

I broke a tap off the first one I did, ruined the mainshaft.

if you take your time and use quality drill bits and tap you should have no problem doing a hack n tap. theyre very simple, and youll break u-joints and other things before you break a hack n tap, even the flange style.

So $80 bones for the d-shaft doesnt sound to bad when you put it that way..

Maybe ill order just the shaft from them and do the porc s.y.e.
If i do a full h.d. i suppose that would be a good time to uograde to the Stronger Dakota T-case chain for the 231..

Web dog from Dirtbound said i could be at a total price of $98.99 if i buy this month.. wich is a good offer but i think im going with the full h.d. as even though it costs a little more seems easier to do.

OutkastBoss said:

I may have talked myself out of the hack n tap out of fear of cutting crooked or drilling/tapping crooked haha

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You cut the shaft as its spinning. that will keep the cut true and mark your center. I haven't done it yet but check this site out for some pictures.
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoSYEconversion.htm

And here is a good thread on here about the home-brew hack-n-tap
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1015603

pantherchams said:

It doesn't even matter if you drill off center as long as you can get the bolt to seat, because it will be seated on the splines of the shaft. The bolt just keeps it from coming off.

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Still I would shoot for dead center. anything running eccentric at speed will undoubtedly add stress to your bearings.

Gaius said:

I broke a tap off the first one I did, ruined the mainshaft.

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I'm sure you already know this, and some times it doesn't protect you but, "Magic Tap" oil is well....magic. I won't tap a hole without it (giggity!)

s14unimog said:

Still I would shoot for dead center. anything running eccentric at speed will undoubtedly add stress to your bearings.

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You said yourself you haven't done it yet, wait until you do before you comment. The bolt doesn't matter at all, the DS still sits on the splines, EXACTLY like it does when you have a slip yoke. The bolt just keeps it from "slipping".

Ben

OutkastBoss said:

I may have talked myself out of the hack n tap out of fear of cutting crooked or drilling/tapping crooked haha

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Go with the HnT. They are easy to install and it doesn't have to be perfect. The splines of the shaft center the output flange, not the bolt. The bolt just holds the output flange tight.

pantherchams said:

You said yourself you haven't done it yet, wait until you do before you comment. The bolt doesn't matter at all, the DS still sits on the splines, EXACTLY like it does when you have a slip yoke. The bolt just keeps it from "slipping".

Ben

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What he is talking about is if the bolt is off center, it will act like a wheel weight in the wrong place and could lead to a worn bearing on the output shaft.

Did the H&T from rubicon. Followed their directions. Cut the shaft with a cut off wheel,not a grinding wheel, while it's turning, I had a buddy in the drivers seat. Take your time,we did it in 4 or 5 sessions. Don't over heat the shaft, let it cool in between sessions. Slip the flang on the shaft, use a good felt marker to find center. Pull off flang off and use a good center punch to mark center of where you marked it. Sharp bits, start small, I think we used three sizes, and lots of cutting oil. When you use a tap remember two turns in one turn back out. after 8 or 10 turns back the tap out all the way and clean your cuttings out. Buy a good tap,the HF stuff is crap.

Im going with the porc w/ refurb D-shaft for $200..
Ill post up how it turns out

Update the thread with your thoughts and experiences if you could!

TRCM said:

What he is talking about is if the bolt is off center, it will act like a wheel weight in the wrong place and could lead to a worn bearing on the output shaft.

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Nothing significantly changes.... The hole you drilled in the tailshaft for the bolt, gets filled by the bolt itself. No significant change in rotating mass, unless you want to get down to the molecular level of different weight densities between the bolt, and the material you drilled out of the tailshaft to accomodate said bolt.

The added "mass" part of this equation is the head of the bolt itself, which in its own right is pretty close to rotating center to begin with. I bet I have more mud hanging on my driveshaft right now, that would weigh more than the added weight of a bolt head.

Ivan said:

Nothing significantly changes.... The hole you drilled in the tailshaft for the bolt, gets filled by the bolt itself. No significant change in rotating mass, unless you want to get down to the molecular level of different weight densities between the bolt, and the material you drilled out of the tailshaft to accomodate said bolt.

The added "mass" part of this equation is the head of the bolt itself, which in its own right is pretty close to rotating center to begin with. I bet I have more mud hanging on my driveshaft right now, that would weigh more than the added weight of a bolt head.

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Ha ha...never said I agreed it was a problem, just explaining what he meant

mud, what's mud ?

outkast7222 said:

I am not sure what IRO does as far as refurbishing but I would think that they replace all the joints and check the centering ball and replace that if necessary. So take a $20 junkyard shaft and three new joints some sandblasting and painting I don't think $80 is to bad.

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They use this goofball wikipedia definition so they don't have to admit that they only visually inspect them and spray paint them black. The Spicer parts (OEM) to rebuild that driveshaft would retail at close to $80. There's no way they can afford to do anything other than acquire the used driveshaft and paint them black for that price.

If somebody can take one apart and prove me wrong I'll buy one in a second.

pantherchams said:

You said yourself you haven't done it yet, wait until you do before you comment. The bolt doesn't matter at all, the DS still sits on the splines, EXACTLY like it does when you have a slip yoke. The bolt just keeps it from "slipping".

Ben

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Ben, I understand how it works. But that bolt is like a wheel weight; it has mass and would be eccentrically spinning. I'm not suggesting getting the bolt off center would put the yoke off center....come on.:looney: