Need some serious help with driveshaft stuff

Hey all,

I just read a post where people had talked about using a Hack n Tap with front driveshaft in rear.

I currently have 6" of lift with 33's but I have not put on my Hack n Tap yet, but god I need to. So here's my situation, when I bought my lift from a local wheeler, included was a nice double-cv Woods driveshaft (picture below)



but not sure exactly how long or short it needs to be for the lift. I measured my current stock driveshaft (shown)



and as you can see, from end the transfer case to the middle of the u-joint (yoke?) on the other end of the shaft is 35". But from the middle of the u-joint (yoke?) near the TC to the u-joint/yolk at the end the current measurement of the driveshaft just sitting is 27.5".

Then, I took pictures of the front, didn't get measurements at stock height, is this how it is supposed to look?



So all this leads me to several questions:

1. is my front driveshaft length okay?

2. I know I need to install the Hack N Tap and I am going to, but once I install it and measurement from the Hack N Tap to the yoke? I take that new driveshaft to a driveline place and tell them what? Will they know how much driveline should be showing at sitting height, etc?

3. Or better yet, how do I know if the new driveshaft is too long. Meaning, let's say it fits after I put the SYE on, how do I know how much driveshaft should be showing, if it is compressed to much or has too much driveshaft showing?

4. And last, let's say my dront driveshaft is too short, should I have that lengthened or should I just switch that one to the rear like people have done and have the Woods shortened for the front?

I realized some of these are newb questions, but I guess I am when it comes to driveline stuff, so please try to help as much as you can, just trying to do this stuff right the first time.

Some specs that might help are:

97 XJ 4 door, 4.0, 8.25 rear, D30 front, daily driver, 6" lift approx, 4.56 gears front & rear, locked front and rear, 33" TrXus, adj lower's and uppers, RE drop brackets



Thanks,

Chris

what tranny do you have?

1) I would look into a longer travel front shaft - the length is fine, it still needs to compress to where it did at stock heigt, but needs to be able to get longer when it droops.

a really good friend had a front DS made for his yota that was too long, when he compressed his suspention, it pushed on the t-case and seperated the front output from the t-case - the same could happen to you undr extreem droop.

2) Tom Woods (even if this isnt their stuff) will help you out here. Call them and ask them how to measure for a new driveshaft being that you have a Cherokee without an SYE and all that - they will be able to give you the two points to measure too.
IIRC - its the end of the boot and the center of the u-joint on the pinion side.

3) you could also install the components and see how it fits, then with your newly sealed rear output, drive to a ramp, pull the rear driveshaft, in front wheel drive low, ramp out the rearend on both sides, and measure compressed/static differences and see if that drivewshaft can take it...

also consider loading up the rear end and measuring how much the suspention can compress, then empty out the rear end, block the front tires, stick your hi-lift in your reciever, and jack both sides of the rear end up till the tires are off the ground, and measure the distance then - that being the longest distnace your d-shaft would have to be.




4) i dont know what you are asking


I run a 35" u-joint center to u-joint center driveshaft in the rear (35.25") with 5.5" lift and an ax-15, and a ford 9" rear end - but your 8.25 has a different pinon center to tube center length than my 9" im sure, if you have an aw4, your driveline is 2" longer than mine, bla bla bla

give tom woods a call and tell him your situations and what you are putting in, and ask him where to measure and all that...

also - if you have anything done to that TW shaft, have TW do it, and ask him for the waranty - its well worth it....

With the paint and huge pics, it almost looks like you bought it from Ranger :laugh3:

Tranny is the 231? Pretty sure, 97 XJ.

I thought Tom Woods wouldn't even talk to you (or maybe it was sell you) about a Hack N Tap and his driveshafts.

So you're saying do the Hack N Tap, put the new driveshaft in, even though it may be too long?

Thanks,

Chris

Chris,
231 is the transfercase,
if it as auto then AW4 ,
or is it a stick???

My bad, it is an AW4, auto.

Chris

From looking at your pictures, that yellow shaft may be a tad too long to use after you install the H&T.

You might be able to switch the front shaft for the yellow one - measure and compare both of them extended and collapsed (not including the H&T flange adapter).

XJ_ranger said:

what tranny do you have?

1) I would look into a longer travel front shaft - the length is fine, it still needs to compress to where it did at stock heigt, but needs to be able to get longer when it droops.

Click to expand...

this is not nessarly true depending on the length of the arms they look to be adjustable ca and they could be adjusted out too far. i would suggest pulling the springs and cycling your suspension to full droop and full compression to see what the driveshaft is doing but right now it looks a little short.

Unless I seriously mismeasured, the arms are around stock lengths with the RE drop brackets.

the front driveshaft compresses when the suspension droops, i believe

I just had my drive shafts done.

Install the H & T and measure from the H & T rear facing surface where your shaft would bolt on down to the flat surface of the pinion yoke which would also be the center of the u-joint.

Take that measurement to the driveline shop.

The drive line shop will measure and cut and lengthen or shorten your shaft based on that measurement.

Oh yeah, take the measurement at normal ride height.

Starboard M said:

With the paint and huge pics, it almost looks like you bought it from Ranger :laugh3:

Click to expand...

Nope - my DS is still TW black...

though the paint is flakeing... might need a good shot of some "School Bus Yellow" Ace rust-stopper machine and impliment paint....

The front will compress as the suspensin droops and it looks like you've got lots of room for that so it looks fine.

What is your 35" measurement on the truck from...the pinion yoke to what???

Double Down said:

I thought Tom Woods wouldn't even talk to you (or maybe it was sell you) about a Hack N Tap and his driveshafts.

Click to expand...

Yes TW would not even talk to you or sell you a DS for a H & T

then I believe... , till about a year ago I think .....when Tom woods finally decided to make (sell) a hack and tap himself..

dont quote me on this ....ot might be bad info
but Im 99% sure

As far as the front you are OK

IMO forget the H&T
and go with PORC sye


NOT because of the strenght issue.....I ran one for over two years with no problems

a: you can screw up the cutting of the shaft
B: tapping the thing is a PIA
and c:mostly
its becasue the DS is a royal pain to remove on the trail..
with the H&T flange on there..

and also

if you tear up the rear and have to switch it out
you can use the front as a spare without having to switch the flange over to the the other shaft.
or if some one has a spare to loan ya.


I understand that the H&T is cheaper
and if cash is an issue the hack and tap will work

but to remove the DS is 4 bolts and nutsthat are VERY difficult ro remove once installed
as opposed to four 8mm bolts that attach the strap to a u joint(front and rear)
as far as if it will fit..
the BEST way is to install the SYE and try it..

Bender said:

The front will compress as the suspensin droops and it looks like you've got lots of room for that so it looks fine.

What is your 35" measurement on the truck from...the pinion yoke to what???

Click to expand...

my SYE yoke to pinion yoke center measurement is 35" at static

It may be just the photo,but it looks like the front slip-yoke is trashed(its angled compared to the shaft).

Thanks all, appreciate the help. I might just try the Hack n Tap first and see what I can do with it, but I'm now thinking about selling it and doing the PORC sye instead, just hope I can do that install. How long SHOULD it take

Thanks,

Chris

the PORC install is probably about the same amount of time - instead of cutting and tapping, you will be removing and replacing...

http://www.4xshaft.com/NP231SHORTSHAFTFIXEDYOKEKITv2.pdf

buy some of these:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...EARS&sid=I0008300030000100085&pid=00947386000

and some RTV

dont forget about the 12point bolt at the top, and its a fairly easy job...

XJ_ranger said:

the PORC install is probably about the same amount of time - instead of cutting and tapping, you will be removing and replacing...

http://www.4xshaft.com/NP231SHORTSHAFTFIXEDYOKEKITv2.pdf

buy some of these:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...EARS&sid=I0008300030000100085&pid=00947386000

and some RTV

dont forget about the 12point bolt at the top, and its a fairly easy job...

Click to expand...

yup
x2 on the LOCK ring pliers not snap ring !

I took apart my 1st Tcase on my back in the dirt with no directions and it only took me 3hrs to replace the chain.
Go slow and make some notes ..MY hack and tap prolly took me about 3 days
cause I screwed up and broke the tap inside the shaft
ended up spending more money on aused sahft to do it over and I had to remove it anyways..Had I know how easy it to remove the shaft I would have just done that but mine was a pre 97..on youirs I beleive you could get away without removing it ..BUT if youi remover the shaft to do the h&t it will simplify the cutting and tapping immensly!

once again theres nothin wrong with the h&t IMO

doing a h&t this afternoon finally. i'll let ya know how it comes out