D30 shaft identification

i'm looking for some new shafts for when i step up to 33s this month.. i have a stock non disco d30 in my 87 XJ.. my understanding is that these are 260x u-joints... at what point did they switch to the 297 and 760 u-joints.. and how do i identify them without a readable tag on the diff cover??
anyone got some spares??

mike

Well the early XJ's with ABS had the 297's and the D30 went to 297's in 96 or so. The 760's I think come in in the last couple of years. So I doubt you will find them in an XJ. Do a search for "tone rings" I posted some images of the eraly abs shafts not too long ago.

Here it is...http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18334&highlight=tone+rings

Mike, the easiest way to figure out if an axle has 260 or 297 series u-joints is to measure the end cap diameter, the 297 is larger.

Ghost is right, you probably won't find shafts with 760s. Those have only been out a couple of years, although if you find a late model TJ in the boneyard, you might get lucky.

I'm reasonably sure that you can use ABS axles, I don't think there's any interference with a non-ABS hub & knuckle. If there is, just cut the tone right off (it's a shrink fit on the outer yoke.)

thanks guys.. i knew about the ABS shafts but i figure they are as hard to find as the 760s in a scrap yard... i wasnt sure about the year they got rid of the 260s though.... what about YJ axles? how weak are the 260s? i am regearing to 4.56 open diff and stepping up to 33s with a detroit in the rear.... i'd rather upgrade while i have it apart but how imminent would a breakage be??

mike

I think all YJ's were disconnect. Adn the only one with 297's was 94 or so with abs. i have the 90 abs axles in a 86 housing with the 86 hub and rotor.

I am using 297 (non-disco) ABS shafts and they fit the non-ABS hubs fine.