Front Driveshaft Thickness

[53guy]

So I turned my Jeep into a huge lathe today. I have never been able to fully flex and since I have trimmed my fenders, I have been. I'm noticing things that I've never noticed before such as......your front driveshaft doesn't like huge ass bolts in the Full Traction kit. So yeah, anyone know how thick a stock front driveshaft is? I don't plan on keeping it, but I'd like to know so that I can run it until I get a new one. Thanks!

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={210CB4F6-0FFC-4492-A4EF-E1327563B15E}&exp=f&moddt=38902.0647572222&ssdyn=1
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={B9FB8CCE-7CC7-4CF3-BA22-30A647A52B2F}&exp=f&moddt=38902.0653858681&ssdyn=1
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={98B9A773-E318-43B0-89E2-69D3BBF12C62}&exp=f&moddt=38902.0654509838&ssdyn=1


It happens when I do this....
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={E93A25EE-D733-45B5-8DA2-2BC3CEF1ACA1}&exp=f&moddt=38902.0646073032&ssdyn=1

[FELIX]

Can you reverse the bolt & have the nut on the inboard side?

Rob

[53guy]

Yes, but it would be hard as hell to get it in, seeing as it's about 9.5" long. I just never trimmed the bolt off to the end of the nut because I never needed that clearance. I do now! I need to trim it off, but I was wondering if that shaft is still good do you think?

[Capt. Nemo]

Can you reverse the bolt & have the nut on the inboard side?

Rob

The bolt is about a foot long. There's no way to get enough room to go the other way.

One of the first things I did after installing the lift was to cut the ends of those bolts. What clued me in was that my exhaust on the pass. side was vibrating against the bolt (now I have no bolts... ;) )

With flex comes other issues. Be sure that your front driveshaft isn't binding at the pinion, your brakelines aren't strung as tight as a banjo string, and that your pass. side TRE ins't going to prematurely wear from binding. Flex is way over-rated - get locked front and rear and leave the flexy open diff'ed guys at the bottom of the rock pile.

Your driveshaft is fine.

[53guy]

The bolt is about a foot long. There's no way to get enough room to go the other way.

One of the first things I did after installing the lift was to cut the ends of those bolts. What clued me in was that my exhaust on the pass. side was vibrating against the bolt (now I have no bolts... ;) )

With flex comes other issues. Be sure that your front driveshaft isn't binding at the pinion, your brakelines aren't strung as tight as a banjo string, and that your pass. side TRE ins't going to prematurely wear from binding. Flex is way over-rated - get locked front and rear and leave the flexy open diff'ed guys at the bottom of the rock pile.

Your driveshaft is fine.


Nemo, you were a FT guy at one point, what happened? What are you running now? Yeah, I still have to check my u-joint angle again at full stuff, but I'm too lazy. I've had the kit on for about a year and a half and am just now getting to all the issues. Its not that I haven't had flex before, it just that I have room for all my flex now instead of half of it. :)

[FELIX]

Yeah, drive shaft will be fine as mentioned above. I've done something similar to my front shaft w/ a Rusty's skid. I was able to notch the skid to solve my problem though. Looks like it's at least a nylock nut, so you should be ok cinching it up & cutting it flush, but it may still rub on it.
Good luck with it.
Rob

[old_man]

That front shaft isn't all that thick. IIRC it is about .080. I will see if I can measure one tomorrow for you.

[Capt. Nemo]

Nemo, you were a FT guy at one point, what happened? What are you running now?

I started having a clearance fettish after being hung up on the brackets too many times. I'm now running TnT's front stuff.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/d-side.jpg

[Dr. Dyno]

So yeah, anyone know how thick a stock front driveshaft is?

I don't know how thick the metal is but the front driveshaft is 2" in diameter. The rear driveshaft has a diameter of 2-1/2".