• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

driveshaft measurements??? -LOOKED in search

Ten30

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Murrieta, CA
OK, so I’ve looked through all 46 threads that have to do with driveshaft measurements and none of them, not one gives any type of measurements. What gives? I have a NP231 that I’m installing an AA SYE in, and a 8.8 just got slung under the rear. (with aprox 4” of lift) the problem is that the SYE is not here yet and I need to order a driveshaft. But I need measurements to do so. So you can see my dilemma. Does anyone have this setup that can give me some measurements? I know it’s bad to be too long but is it really that crucial if it is a 1/2 “ or so too short? I mean the thing will have a 8” slip on it. The other problem is the jeep needs to be up and running by the end of this weekend. That is why I can’t just put the T-case back in and measure for the driveshaft. (not enough time) Any help would be appreciated.
 
too many variables...


you have to put the t-case back in sometime...
get it done...
installing the SYE in the vehicle and out was about the same IMO...

for what its worth -
6" lift
Ford 9"
NP231J with AA SYE
35" static load drivesahft
AX-15 (about 3" shorter than an AW4)

yours WILL be different... your pinion is different than mine, your lift is different, and ill bet you have an aw4...
 
Yep, AW4, sorry.

I know the best way is to put the T-case in and measure, but the SYE won't be here until Thur. and that doesn't give me enough time to order a Driveshaft and get it here before Friday.
 
THEGOOFSTER said:
Yep, AW4, sorry.

I know the best way is to put the T-case in and measure, but the SYE won't be here until Thur. and that doesn't give me enough time to order a Driveshaft and get it here before Friday.

it's not the best way, it's pretty much the only way to get it correct
 
I recently put in a PORC HDSYE with the 231 and 8.8. I'm sitting right around 4-4.5" of lift and used a Grand Cherokee front driveshaft. The lowpinion 30 made it longer than an XJ driveshaft. I do have an AW4. It was right about 33" compressed and 36" extended. A tad long but I plan on shackling the rear before the summer is over so it should work out just fine by then. I only have about 3/4" of compression available currently.
 
Cherokee91Red said:
I recently put in a PORC HDSYE with the 231 and 8.8. I'm sitting right around 4-4.5" of lift and used a Grand Cherokee front driveshaft. The lowpinion 30 made it longer than an XJ driveshaft. I do have an AW4. It was right about 33" compressed and 36" extended. A tad long but I plan on shackling the rear before the summer is over so it should work out just fine by then. I only have about 3/4" of compression available currently.

On a side note, I believe all cherokee and GC drivelines are the same. I got a front shaft from an 89 cherokee and it is the same as the front shaft in my 97 which we recently compared to a GC front shaft and found to be identical. After all, there is no doubt that all XJ front shafts are the same and 00-01 had low pinion front. And I had a friend who works at the parts store check what he could and appears all XJ's as well as GC's use the same parts for the driveline.
 
If you go back to those threads, you should be able to piece together the info you need. What axle did you have before? Find the difference in length between it and the 8.8, the length of the AA sye is well documented. So useing the length of your old shaft as a starting point, add or subtract as needed to a good average length for your new slip shaft. Be aware of how your rear end is set up for when ordering. For example, if you were to have a 4-link in the rear you wouldnt need a whole lot slip travel - about an equal amount of 1.5" each way. What kind of leaves do you have in rear? Are the stiff or soft, are they set up for more droop than compression? Or are they about even. Do you plan to lift any higher in the forseeable future? All of these questions will help to determine the amount slip travel in your new shaft.

If all this to much, just call Tom Woods and tell them what you have and they will build you what you need.
 
jpnjason said:
What kind of leaves do you have in rear? Are the stiff or soft, are they set up for more droop than compression? Or are they about even. Do you plan to lift any higher in the forseeable future? All of these questions will help to determine the amount slip travel in your new shaft.
QUOTE]

Right now I have Farly stiff springs, I plan on have some Deavers made soon, but roughly the same lift maybe 5" Drop and Compression is about even.

Everyone is saying that "YOU HAVE TO MESURE" to get it right. But yet there a countless post of people just using the front driveshaft off a XJ or ZJ with no problems even if they don't fit "exactly right" So on one hand I have people telling me it has to be within a gnats ass or it won't work, and on the other, I have people telling me just through something in that is close.

BTW twistedimg & cherokee91red THANK YOU.
 
I understand your situation but the only way to get this absolutely correct the first time is to install the SYE and measure. Then measure 2 more times to make sure you're right before ordering the shaft. Every rig is slightly different with multiple variables thus what works for me might not work for you. You can take a guess and get lucky, but then again you might not and end up with an expensive paperweight. Been there, done that.

If you can't wait, you can measure your current set up and add the amount that the SYE supposedly shortens the tailshaft. That would get you in the ballpark, but again taking a big risk.
 
Well I cant speak for any one else, but heres what worked for me.

I have a 94 with an AW4 auto, NP231J, and Chyco 8.25 (swapped in over a bent D35). My suspention is RK 6.5" long-arm in front and RE 1462 leaves with RE 1.25" shackles in back. I installed an AA SYE and when I measured I got LUCKY, it was the same as the front shaft. So I took the shaft of the front and installed it in the back and it fit like a glove, of course this kicked off a state wide search for a front shaft for an AW4, 231 XJ but thats a whole different story. :mad:
 
THEGOOFSTER Everyone is saying that "YOU HAVE TO MESURE" to get it right. But yet there a countless post of people just using the front driveshaft off a XJ or ZJ with no problems even if they don't fit "exactly right" So on one hand I have people telling me it has to be within a gnats ass or it won't work said:
The point is this: IF you are spending close to 300 bucks for a custom made driveshaft, then it would make sense that you would only want to spend the money once. Put your junk together and measure it. I put my junk together, measured it and guess what - a front shaft fits perfect in mine.
 
Back
Top