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driving on front axle

desertrandy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Simi Valley, Ca
The transmission in my daily driver ('02 dodge ram) just went out and it will be in the dealership for a week. My problem is my '92 cherokee is in the driveway with no rear driveshaft. I upgraded the 8.25 chrysler with new 29 spline axles, detroit locker and 4.10 gears but the idiot that installed them did it wrong and all I get is horrible road noise and grinding. However, I found that if I remove the driveshaft the noise goes away and it is driveable on the front driveshaft only. My question is can I drive it for a week or two around town at the posted speed limit of 35 mph without doing any long term damage. The trips will be around a couple of miles at a time. Oh yeah, the transfer case is brand new with a slip yoke eliminator so there is no problem of losing tansfer case fluid.
 
I bought a new Np231 transfer case from JB conversions. It has the supershort SYE tailshaft. Also, since I live in the desert with no specialized rear end mechanics, I am pulling the 8.25 chrysler rear end and I bought a new Ford 9" crate rear end from Currie Enterprises
 
There should be no issues with your t-case. Since you have the SS kit no fluid will puke out.

The problem I had is, depending on amount of lift, driving around on the front shaft with the slip yoke fairly extended put a lot of stress on the engaged splines and pretty much took it's life from "ok" to "sloppy, not OK" in a very short time.

A stock XJ, or shaft with all the splines engaged would not likely have any issue.
 
In theory you should have no problem driving around, i drove around on my front end for two weeks once waiting for rear end parts.

However, if your rear end is making noise, driving around on the front is still going to tear it up. If you plan to re-use those parts, don't do it.
 
you sure it is the gears? If the sound goes away with the driveshaft removed, it could be a bad driveshaft. Unbalanced or something.
 
i would strongly recomend not driving it untill you figure out what is causing the noise if it is a bad u-joint in the rear shaft fine but if your gears are set up wrong your just asking for trouble driving it even with no load being placed on them.
 
I decided to take it out on the front driveshaft only and there is still a small gear grinding noise in the rear end even while free wheeling with no driveshaft. Hook up the driveshaft and put torque to the rear and the noise is horrible. Definately assembled wrong by the so called rear end expert. My new 9" crate rear end should be here on Monday so I will just pull the 8.25" and sell all the new parts and housing. Thanks
 
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