• 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 vibration issue

Stormwalker

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Minnesota
A couple of years ago, I swapped a Chrysler 8.25 rear axle into my 1993 XJ daily driver. The Dana 35 had inexplicably blown up so I figured I'd put a little better axle into it. At the time, I got the driveshaft off of the donor 99 XJ along with the axle, and I mated the older slip yoke to the newer axle. This is because the 93 driveshaft is just a little bit too long for a 8.25. I put it all together, and it all worked great for a long time. Until recently.

Not too long ago, it seems the driveshaft started having vibration issues, anytime I would let off the throttle. It progressively got worse until the truck pretty much became undrivable. I figured that it might be the driveshaft u joints, so I replaced them. I took it for a spin, and the vibrations were still bad. Also, I must not have gotten one of the clips in there properly because the front u joint on the driveshaft totally let go. I had to disconnect the driveshaft and get a tow home. While being towed, it was smooth as silk without the driveshaft hooked up.

Today, I went out and picked up a different newer type driveshaft, in case I damaged mine, and to rule out a balancing issue with that particular driveshaft. Do I need to get the driveshaft balanced somehow if I mate a different slip yoke to it? Or is what happened to me kind of a fluke, and I should go ahead and put it in? I'll throw up some pictures to help explain:

IMG_3888.jpg

This is a comparison of the old D35 driveshaft to the newer 8.25 driveshaft. Old is on bottom. The one on top got dragged along the road, and won't be used again.

IMG_3889.jpg

A picture of the driveshaft I picked up today. What I need to do is put the older slip yoke (bottom) onto the newer driveshaft.

IMG_3890.jpg

The slip yokes are different, and the slip yokes for the newer Cherokees won't work in my 93.

IMG_3892.jpg

Also, when the u joint popped out, the slip yoke fell out of the transfer case and bounced along the road a bit. It picked up a couple of pretty good gouges. Can I reuse this, or do I need to go find an older driveshaft to get the older slip yoke off of?

IMG_3891.jpg

Another picture of the old slip yoke. I could not convince my camera to focus on it rather than the floor, unfortunately.

I'm no mechanic, so if I'm missing an important step somewhere, I'm oblivious to it. I figure there's gotta be other people around here who have swapped an 8.25 into an older Cherokee before, so any input would be appreciated! Thanks!
 
After swapping mismatched parts rebalancing the driveshaft is definitely needed. As for the damaged yoke you should not use it again. I say this because it has to slide into the transfer case where it has a seal which could be damaged as well by the rough surface.
 
Upon closer inspection, the splines on the inside of the slip yoke are indeed damaged. So I'll be picking up a different slip yoke. So once I have the driveshaft together, I need to bring it somewhere to get rebalanced? The old one worked fine for a couple of years and then developed a vibration. I assume this is because I didn't get it balanced when I put that one together?

How does this work? Do they attach external weights to it?
 
Back
Top