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Bent Rubicon Express hack and tap with video

twodoorXJ

twodoorXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
northern new jersey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyLlfrlURoU

Needless to say, i will not be replacing it with another hack and tap of any sort. I would also no recommend the RE hack and tap to anyone. Save your time and money and buy a real SYE.

Im not sure if its the flange that is bent, or the output shaft, or both. Either way, its weak, and dumb, and i know that anything other than a hack and tap would have bent.
 
I just dont see the point in putting $100 Hack n tap on a 231, You can get TRUE "SYE's" for less then $200
 
I botched the first one I installed in my rig, hole was off center and the flange wobbled around.....my fault entirely. I ran the second attempt for years without any problems other than a lock-ring that popped out...my fault as well.

As far as I know the person that bought my old H&T SYE never had any problems either and is still using it.

Watching the video, it sure looks like the retaining bolt is not centered in the shaft.

Any chance the shaft itself is bent? It happens.
 
What did you do to cause it to bend? It looks like the shaft is bent not the HnT.
 
The bolt has nothing to do with it being bent, the hole in the hnt is bigger than the bolt itself so you have some lee way.

I think it is the bent shaft, either way its weak. i did the hnt over 2 years ago, i was making 7 bucks an hour and i needed to get it done.
 
If the output shaft is bent, then the fault does not lie with the H&T.

I have installed several H&T with no problems, and no issues after lots 4x4 use. Use an undamaged T-case, cut cleanly and squarely, drill and tap correctly, and it there will be no problems.

You seem to have a case of Operator Error.
 
Tim_MN said:
If the output shaft is bent, then the fault does not lie with the H&T.

I have installed several H&T with no problems, and no issues after lots 4x4 use. Use an undamaged T-case, cut cleanly and squarely, drill and tap correctly, and it there will be no problems.

You seem to have a case of Operator Error.
Click to expand...

I'll defend 2doorxj in this... My hackn tap worked itself loose after 2 years. I'm not talking the center bolt (it had lock tight), the splines wore out, allowing lateral, rotational play. The result was a (very mild) wobble like his video shows. It was certainly not user error.

I needed to fix it BAD, with little funds. So I JB-welded the splines/washer/bolt to the output, and now it's totally smooth and fine. (I will have to cut the part off if I need to split the case, and then I'd install a real sye.) Ghetto, but it worked.
 
seems hit or miss. i have had zero problems with mine. busted a rear driveshaft and the flange is still fine.

unfortunately for us 242 guys, we dont have a choice
 
twodoorXJ said:
The bolt has nothing to do with it being bent, the hole in the hnt is bigger than the bolt itself so you have some lee way.

I think it is the bent shaft, either way its weak. i did the hnt over 2 years ago, i was making 7 bucks an hour and i needed to get it done.
Click to expand...
Wait...
What?

You can't have it both ways friend.

If the H&T is bad, you can't blame the bent shaft.
If the shaft is bent, can't blame the H&T.

Replace the shaft with a known straight shaft and continue to use your RE H&T with confidence.
 
Frank Z said:
Wait...
What?

You can't have it both ways friend.

If the H&T is bad, you can't blame the bent shaft.
If the shaft is bent, can't blame the H&T.

Replace the shaft with a known straight shaft and continue to use your RE H&T with confidence.
Click to expand...

I agree, don't jump to the conclusions the H&T is bent because you have a bent shaft. And if it is a bent shaft, the H&T is no longer in the equation of the issue you have. You had to have done something pretty gnarly to just bend the flange on the H&T. (Its not made of tin foil after all).

My H&T outlasted my transfercase. I had it issue free (I didn't even retighten any bolts after the first install) for 5+ years, and it is now being run on a friend's Jeep for 1.5+ years without problems.
 
IMO i would only use a HnT on a 242 since there's no real sye for that case, 231's there are plenty of sye's for a reasonable price so..
 
10 years ago, I watched Rick Norman break, coming out of Mickey's Hot Tub. He didn't break his H&T, he broke the pinion yoke on his 8.25. He's also not known for being light on the throttle.
 
twodoorXJ said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyLlfrlURoU

Needless to say, i will not be replacing it with another hack and tap of any sort. I would also no recommend the RE hack and tap to anyone. Save your time and money and buy a real SYE.

Im not sure if its the flange that is bent, or the output shaft, or both. Either way, its weak, and dumb, and i know that anything other than a hack and tap would have bent.
Click to expand...

Well sell me your HnT so I can fix the vibes on my dd with a 242
 
Okay considering I had no vibes when I fist installed it over two years ago, and when it was first installed, it was completely true, there was no wobble whatsoever, and now there is, then something is too weak. I don't think you guys are completely understanding what I'm saying here. The hnt is a bad design overall because it is weak, and that is a fact. Tom woods didn't want to sell me a ds because I had one, they are notorious for breaking and bending. Whether its the output or the flange that is bent it doesn't matter. What does matter is that it is bent, and I know a real sye wouldn't have bent in the same way.

I can't complain too much because I did get two years of good use out of it, but I wish I had gone with a real sye in the first place.
 
twodoorXJ said:
Okay considering I had no vibes when I fist installed it over two years ago, and when it was first installed, it was completely true, there was no wobble whatsoever, and now there is, then something is too weak. I don't think you guys are completely understanding what I'm saying here. The hnt is a bad design overall because it is weak, and that is a fact. Tom woods didn't want to sell me a ds because I had one, they are notorious for breaking and bending. Whether its the output or the flange that is bent it doesn't matter. What does matter is that it is bent, and I know a real sye wouldn't have bent in the same way.

I can't complain too much because I did get two years of good use out of it, but I wish I had gone with a real sye in the first place.
Click to expand...

I don't think you're completely understanding us here. It is not a fact that the H&T is a terrible design, and its weak. I don't get how you can randomly claim that when so many people have had success with it. And tell me, what makes it such a bad design? (I'm curious as to actual design points) They are not notorious for breaking and bending, as people keep telling you they haven't had issues. The few that do, are usually not installed properly.
I don't know what the issue is with yours, and I'm not saying that something couldn't have bent the flange, but its not like everyone puts them in and they bend a day later.

I also don't get why you don't think its a "real SYE?" It eliminates the slip yoke (aka Slip Yoke Eliminator). Its definitely not a fake SYE, as once you put it on, the slip yoke is completely gone, and a CV shaft with slip joint is required. It doesn't put a heavy duty main shaft in the t-case like the other kits available for the 231, but it certainly isn't fake.
 
The best option assuming you have the cash is a full SYE kit because it comes with a stronger shaft than the stock one. That being said, if you is po' like me then a hack and tap can last a long time if it is done correctly.
 
How exactly can you fault the H&T when it's obvious that your t-case has a bent output shaft?

You're doing a disservice to a lot of people by bashing the product when it is not the cause of your problem.

As far as short shaft kits are concerned, yes they are plentiful but not everyone is comfortable opening up their t-case. "Easy to install" is a subjective term at best.

Both short shaft kits and H&T kits are variations on a theme. Both work, both eliminate the slip yoke....and both will wobble if the output shaft is bent.
 
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