• 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.

Front Driveshaft...

GhostDakota

GhostDakota

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Phoenixville, PA | Bethany, DE
So I have had my 5.5" of lift on my XJ for some time now. Problem is.. I haven't had a front driveshaft on it.

When I purchased the Jeep it came with a front driveshaft laying in the back. It had a broken u joint, so it was not installed. I changed out the u joint and went to install it. It's roughly 3" too LONG now. Is this due to the RE kit I installed coming with stock length control arms? If this is the reason, is there any fix to this aside from long arms or adjustable control arms? I really would like to have 4WD back :(

FYI: I have a 91 body, 93 4.0L (not a big deal), an '01 NV3550, and the 91 t-case. Is the NV3550 possibly 3" shorter than the AX15?
 
I am just going to go with the most basic answer first, did you compress the shaft? I am not sure if you know or not that it has a joint in the slip joint in the middle, if it is too long just compress it.
I might be totally of base.
Katarn
 
katarn444 said:
I am just going to go with the most basic answer first, did you compress the shaft? I am not sure if you know or not that it has a joint in the slip joint in the middle, if it is too long just compress it.
I might be totally of base.
Katarn
Click to expand...

It's fully compressed. Trust me, I tried and tried. I work for a very large Jeep Aftermarket Parts company doing tech/customer support :)

Collapsed from center of the bearing cap to center of the FRONT bearing cap on the CV joint is 28". And to the rear bearing cap on the CV joint is 30.5".

The measurement from yoke to yoke on the XJ was roughly 3" shorter than the end bearing cap to the end bearing cap.
 
Then the only thing that makes sense is that the NV3550 is shorter or it is the wrong shaft. I suppose the lift will pull the front axle back alittle bit but not that much.
I will measure my front shaft but I have an AW4 so that is not going to help too much. You could have it cut down.

Katarn
 
katarn444 said:
Then the only thing that makes sense is that the NV3550 is shorter or it is the wrong shaft. I suppose the lift will pull the front axle back alittle bit but not that much.
I will measure my front shaft but I have an AW4 so that is not going to help too much. You could have it cut down.

Katarn
Click to expand...

I'm thinking it's just the wrong driveshaft. It came with the Jeep.. was never installed... so that's highly possible. I called Crown and they gave me these lengths of shafts they stock:

Their "regular" XJ shaft: 29.25"
84-86 shaft: 25.25"

Collapsed from center to center of the bearing caps

If worse comes to worse, I am just having it cut and rewelded. It's the front shaft and I have the vacuum disconnect axle up front so it shouldn't be a huge vibration deal. I still would like to know what the problem is. I am on one of those people. It will bug me until I know why this is happening :)
 
Well, it's probably a mixture of both:
1. When you lift you have to take into account the changed arc of travel of the front axle as well as it's position in relation to the tcase. This means that you would probably need a driveshaft slightly shorter then stock.
2. It's might be a stock XJ shaft that you got, just not for your particular jeep :D

I think you should have it shortened to the length that suits your setup best.
 
Kejtar said:
Well, it's probably a mixture of both:
1. When you lift you have to take into account the changed arc of travel of the front axle as well as it's position in relation to the tcase. This means that you would probably need a driveshaft slightly shorter then stock.
2. It's might be a stock XJ shaft that you got, just not for your particular jeep :D

I think you should have it shortened to the length that suits your setup best.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I was also thinking it could be from a low pinion D30 and AW4 setup.. or even low pinion D30 with an NV3550, etc., etc. It could be off of anything really.

Yah I am just going to do that. Having a buddy here cut/reweld it. Easiest/fastest way to get my 4WD back. It's embarassing getting stuck in the ruts or whatever off-road. Been stuck twice now without 4WD. BOTH times I would've been fine with it.. ugh.
 
Just measured again. Yoke to yoke is 30.5". Driveshaft collapsed from each outer bearing cap is 30.5". So there's no room for it to expand when I flex. Not cool. I'm getting it cut this weekend.
 
low pinion dana 30 XJ's came with the same DS length shafts

all of this data is for a 4.0L engine
the ax-15 being shorter than the aw4 has a shorter shaft -
28.5-31.5

the aw4 front shaft was something like 2" longer than that -

30.5-33.5

which is why it works in a rear application if you have an aw4.


when you get the DS sized - get it to have 2" compression and 1" extension... as you droop, the DS yoke to yoke distance gets shorter...
 
GhostDakota said:
Just measured again. Yoke to yoke is 30.5". Driveshaft collapsed from each outer bearing cap is 30.5". So there's no room for it to expand when I flex. Not cool. I'm getting it cut this weekend.
Click to expand...
XJ Ranger is right. It needs to allow for compression more then extension.
 
GhostDakota said:
Is this due to the RE kit I installed coming with stock length control arms?

FYI: I have a 91 body, 93 4.0L (not a big deal), an '01 NV3550, and the 91 t-case. Is the NV3550 possibly 3" shorter than the AX15?
Click to expand...


Nobody else caught on to this so I am going to make sure you meant what you said. If your at 5.5" of lift with STOCK LENGTH CONTROL ARMS you might very well have issues with your driveline as well as alot of other things. I assume that you meant they were not adjustable control arms not stock length control arms.

If they are stock length I would fix the control arms before the driveline (you might need it lengthened again after shortening it.)

Michael
 
2xtreme said:
Nobody else caught on to this so I am going to make sure you meant what you said. If your at 5.5" of lift with STOCK LENGTH CONTROL ARMS you might very well have issues with your driveline as well as alot of other things. I assume that you meant they were not adjustable control arms not stock length control arms.

If they are stock length I would fix the control arms before the driveline (you might need it lengthened again after shortening it.)

Michael
Click to expand...

I am running the RE 4.5" Super Flex kit with 1" spacers. It nets 5 1/2" in the rear and 5 3/4" up front. The control arms being used are those with the RE kit. Should've just gone with the 5.5" Long Arm, but we have them drop shipped direct from Rubicon Express. We had the 4.5" in stock as a return.. so I went with it.
 
Last edited:
Okay, going to get the shaft shortened Friday most likely. Gotta love Jeeps...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

X
Drop Brackets to fix bent frame mounts?
2
Replies
31
Views
270
Bent
Bent
G
Braided Fuel Line/Fittings Size From Quick Clip to Rail
Replies
2
Views
1K
GraniteCow
G
T
Wheelbase adjustment issue
2
Replies
24
Views
425
RCP Phx
R
E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
X
Making the frame purdy
2 3
Replies
48
Views
727
Xjin85
X
Back
Top