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Driveshaft Disco instead of locking hubs.....discuss

Hmm, this could work well if you had a full floating rear with locking hubs like the red YJ that was posted in a thread the other day. You break a rear shaft, you can unlock the rear hubs, and the rear driveshaft, and stay in 4wd to drive out or on the street in front wheel drive.
 
cal said:
You should fix your front driveshaft then. I'm at 7" of lift and have no vibes?
Click to expand...

Just had Tom Wood spin it up last month to check the balance, u-joints and axle joints are all newer (year old).........pinion angle is perfect, castor is 5.5 with rotated knuckles.

No vibes, you say? At 70-75mph? I know it's the shaft, because the vibes are gone as soon as I disco the shaft.
 
XJEEPER said:
No and no. Unless you have a disco-D30, the front shaft is always spinning, just not driven. So when you lift you rig over 4", the vibes from the spinning front shaft at 70+mph get annoying.
Click to expand...

Uh... the wheels are still going to spin the driveshaft before that disco... are you thinking it would go at the t-case end of the shaft or the axle end? If it goes at the t-case end, you're only preventing the yoke itself from spinning... if it goes at the axle end, you're preventing 3 feet of shaft from spinning, but you have more weight spinning at the axle with the same angle.

Which part of the shaft actually causes the vibes? The yoke at the axle, the yoke at the t-case, or the shaft itself?

Billy
 
That thing is pointless. The only think it will get you is the posibility of having 2wd low range and will only stop the driveshaft from spinning. The axleshafts and universal joints, carrier, and pinion will all still be spinning.
 
not pointless, at least not if you put one on the rear shaft, then you could have front dig, seen the same type of thing on some buggies that didnt have a front dig option in the transfer case
 
Well yes, putting this in the rear makes sense if you tow on a dolly alot.

But I wouldn't even say this could replace manual hubs. If you had a locker in the front that wasn't selectable it would still be engaging if you didn't have manual hubs, and this disconnecting driveshaft would not be a cure for a lack of manual hubs.
 
XJEEPER said:
Just had Tom Wood spin it up last month to check the balance, u-joints and axle joints are all newer (year old).........pinion angle is perfect, castor is 5.5 with rotated knuckles.

No vibes, you say? At 70-75mph? I know it's the shaft, because the vibes are gone as soon as I disco the shaft.
Click to expand...

When you say perfect, what is the pinion angle?

Its been my experiance with stock front shafts that when they vibe, the splined slip joint is worn and has play in it.

And no, no vibes, up to 80+ mph. 7" lift, 35's, 30/44, tom woods shaft in the rear and je reel in the front. I've got a hub kit now, but I keep the hubs locked all the time - i did the kit to get 5x5.5.
 
I do have to agree with Phil about the bulk it adds though. If you're running it in the stock location and haven't modified the exhaust it's gotta hit.

Personally if I were worried about vibes I'd go with the hub conversion, particularly since the price seems to be a wash here.


PS - No vibes at 6" here.
 
Interesting thread...

My 98' doesn't experience front DS issues either, and the slip joint is worn. I keep it greased.

Caster VS Pinion angle debate? No debate, make lemonade and like what you get. Once you lift it, expecting it to feel and handle like a stocky is high expectations.

Locking hubs over a lower yoke disconnect any day. I can just see damaging this thing on a rock and only having 2WD the rest of the trail. I can find a number of things on the Jeep worth the investment of $800+ shipping than this gadget!
 
Since my rig is a dual-purpose machine that I'm currently commuting with approx. 400 mi per week, I'm getting tired of the vibes, which only show up once in over 68mph. I know that it's the front shaft/front end, and for those not familiar with my build......http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=913774&page=4 Perhaps my front shaft is bad, but as stated, it was just checked by Tom Wood's crew ( who built the shaft ) in August and it checked out good and in balance. Slip spline is tight and Double Cardan ball is not worn.

I was hoping to instill the desire for a little more thought and investigation from some who don't focus all their thought process inside the box. I've heard a D44 solves everything........even made the blind see once, :thumbup: but there are many variables to individual rigs, usage and preference that discount this blanket solution for every front end related issue that may arise.

Seems to boil down to these......

Cost: Since the only front driveshaft disco that I Googled fits a H1 specific application, they set the cost for their rig. I post it up for reference only.
Likely this unit could sell for $200-300, making it much more cost effective than a hub kit that'll run you closer to $1K.

Application: The coupler may be succeptable to damage if boulder crawling is where you play. Never had rock rash on my front yoke, but it could happen. Clearance to my Y-links and exhaust are also issues that would be a negative. Hub kits solve eliminate the spinning shaft issue...see Cost.

Shaft:Mine is jacked and needs to be replaced.


D44: Solves everything......:D
 
GSequoia said:
Nobody builds front 44's anymore. Now it has to be a 60/Hi9. :sunshine:
Click to expand...

lol, then you might as well do duece and a halfs
While you're at it, cut off the front frame "rails" and butt weld on some box channel to make new ones while supporting the body with masonry products:looney:
 
DeftwillP said:
lol, then you might as well do duece and a halfs
While you're at it, cut off the front frame "rails" and butt weld on some box channel to make new ones while supporting the body with masonry products:looney:
Click to expand...

he's not joking

attachment.php
 
even if it was for a cherokee i see it being a waste of money.

biggest thing im looking forward to when i put my 44 under my cherokee with locking hubs is being able to break anything in the front driveline and disconnect the hubs and drive home. all this does is disco the driveshaft, but r&p problem, or shaft breakage and your still up a creek without a paddle
 
wishihad1 said:
all this does is disco the driveshaft, but r&p problem, or shaft breakage and your still up a creek without a paddle
Click to expand...


I don't know about you but I experience significant damage rarely enough that I can deal with the extra trouble.

PS - You can always run out on just stub shafts in these scenarios ;)
 
Gsequoia

same here. in my 2-3 years of wheeling on 35s and locked stock axles, ive never broken a shaft. then again, there were a lot of trails i couldn't take, or couldn't make because i had to baby it a little too much.

wanted to build a 44 mainly for 2 reasons. gearing (5:13s), and locking hubs. yes the locking hubs can be had for the dana 30 but i think its stupid to put a warn hub conversion on a d30.

so while my buddies can tear their 30 apart and try to press out rusted old u-joints after a r/p or shaft break, i can simply get out and turn a lock...easy enough
 
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