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Hack & Tap

P

PSoffe

NAXJA Forum User
Location
So Cal
So, I saw an ad the other day for a Hack & Tap SYE. I have seen a LOT of guys doing these on You Tube (some very creative). The ad basically is saying (if I read it right) that with there kit you can run the same drive shaft in the rear as in the front. I'll be honest it sounds pretty intriguing.

Now i understand that obviously the right way is with a proper SYE and driveshaft but what do you guys think of this advertised set up?

Go!
 
I did the hack n tap similar to the one offered by iron rock offroad. You can infact run a front shaft in the rear. I have since noticed constant vibs after a hard hit in reno two years ago. I believe i bent the hnt yoke or wore the splines a bit. It is no longer plumb. I am now switching to an advance adapters sye and ordering a hd cv shaft. Found a package deal online and got the shaft and sye for 430 shipped.

If i had the choice to do it again i would have just gone to a real sye. And yes if you have an automatic you can still run a stock front shaft in the rear with a standard sye kit. Not the super short sye ones though. They are about 2" shorter than the standard sye kit.
 
I have been running a Hack and Tap for more than half a decade. when I did it, it was significantly cheaper than a tailhousing conversion, and I was on a tighter budget. I've had no noticeable issues.

prices of tailhousing conversions have come down drastically, so now I don't recommend it.

don't get caught up in the whole "run the front shaft in the rear" thing. its not the greatest idea. the slip/spline on a XJ front shaft is not really up to the task and you should be running a larger shaft in the rear.
 
If you do a 231 hack n tap your supposed to be able to use a front driveline. I did one on my 242 I ordered up a used front Drivelive from an automatic XJ. That's what Iron stated in there website. Nope mine took a manual front Drivelive which is 2 inches shorter. So in theory you can use a front Drivelive but which one is the question


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Nearly all H&T failures are from poor workmanship during installation. I ran one for a few years and eventually changed to a HD SYE.

The stock front drive shaft is up to the task, and works just fine on the rear, and fits most auto trans XJ's.
 
rockclimber said:
don't get caught up in the whole "run the front shaft in the rear" thing. its not the greatest idea. the slip/spline on a XJ front shaft is not really up to the task and you should be running a larger shaft in the rear.
Click to expand...

First time I've ever heard that. Can you explain what you mean by "not up to the task."
 
There was nothing wrong with the workmanship on mine. It will never be a durable as an actual sye kit. I substantially bent my rear driveshaft on a rock(a stock front shaft at that) even after changing to a balanced rebuild shaft. It has never been the same.

I was of the same opinion until mine failed. Stock front shaft will work for some. But in the long run failed to hold up to the abuse over time. Imo
 
Hack n tap and front shaft will work fine for 90% of jeeps. I wouldn't be worried about running one if on a budget, especially if you have an np242
 
I have to agree with rockclimber. While a front shaft can be used in a pinch, from a longevity and durability standpoint, a HD shaft is a much better solution. I did the AA sye kit and Tom woods combo. Was a great kit and has held well over the years.
 
Not all of us beat the snot out of our XJ. HD is always better than not, but a H&T and a stock front driveshaft will work for majority of XJ owners.
 
Cottontail said:
First time I've ever heard that. Can you explain what you mean by "not up to the task."
Click to expand...

the material size of the slip spline is simply too small to hold up to the added abuse of being used full time in the rear. they will wear out much faster and then be impossible to balance.
 
rockclimber said:
the material size of the slip spline is simply too small to hold up to the added abuse of being used full time in the rear. they will wear out much faster and then be impossible to balance.
Click to expand...


I have not found this to occur with tens of thousands of miles on my SYE and stock driveshaft, including several trips to Fall Fling in Moab that involve +2,400 miles of highway travel there and back. As a plus, spare XJ front driveshafts are $17 each at the U-Pull junkyard.
 
Tim_MN said:
I have not found this to occur with tens of thousands of miles on my SYE and stock driveshaft, including several trips to Fall Fling in Moab that involve +2,400 miles of highway travel there and back. As a plus, spare XJ front driveshafts are $17 each at the U-Pull junkyard.
Click to expand...

I have 2 driveshafts sitting here that cannot be balanced because the slip/spline wore out on them

both of them were JY shafts, pulled by me and rebuilt by a well known driveshaft shop close to me.

within a year each one had worn the slip/spline to the point that they developed vibrations and can no longer can be balanced.

the guy at the driveshaft shop told me exactly what I am telling you. so I went and bought an HD shaft from Tom woods (not the local shaft company) and its been on for 3 years with no issue.

I keep the other shafts as trail spares.
 
So was the excessive wear caused by the usage with an SYE, or by a previous owners lack of routine maintenance ? I don't doubt that the slip splines can wear, or wear out, what I doubt is that they are not up to SYE usage.
 
both shafts were in good shape when I pulled them.

they were rebuilt, which included pulling the slip/spline apart to check for damage, plenty of grease, and a new seal. they both balanced out just fine.


the consensus is that the increased load on the shaft from being in the rear, and the fact that most jeeps running SYEs are running bigger tires and more weight, the slip/spline simply does not have enough surface area to accommodate the increased load, so it wears faster. once you wear through the dip
 
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