BBirish

wow you werent kidding about the pretzel thing ouch good thing you had spares

adamisadam

OMG! Is that twisted sister act your front driveshaft? Holly Crow! So you're now in the market for a new front DS too? Hey, since you'll be spending so much time with Evan this week, can you remember to ask him about custom DS's for my Unlimited front and rear?

On a DS related note: I have Joey's old shafts. The rear slides in/out nicely because the boot is in tact. But of course, the end boot on the CV joint is cracked! So that one is no good. Maybe I can swap that boot over to my shaft.

But on his old front shaft, the boot is cracked like most of us from contacting the tranny pan. But i cannot BUDGE that shaft in/out. I soaked it in penetrating fluid, and now I can slam it down and feel it go in a few mm's, but otherwise, it feels like a rusted solid piece!

here's what freaks me out: he was driving this way!!! and even more freaking out ness: I'M DRIVING AROUND with no boots on either shaft! I've been spraying white lithium grease in there but how can I easily check if mine are just as petrified as there were without dropping them? And I would assume that this puts huge stress on the transfer case and differential bearings, no? Timebomb?

Yes, please do ask Evan about the local driveshafts! I"m worried!!!

Suffolk JK

I did. He also uses Nassau Driveshafts. BUT, he said he's been getting okay with JKs now since he gave them some stock shafts to use as guinnea pig shafts. Don't know if he now builds them with Tom Woods style yokes so you can use standard off the shelf Spicer u-joints or what. Might have to drive there and ask myself.

My front shaft had no boot and did slide in and out easily. My OEM used spare had no boot and slid in and out easily. If yours doesn't slide, don't use it. It will add stress at the joint on the transfer case end and cause it to fail, and/or rip it entirely off the transfer case flange. Driving it on the road is ok, but once you wheel and the joint starts to slip, it can cause damage.

If you're worried about it, pull the front shaft. In 2WD, the output on the transfer case isn't spinning. The shafts are causing the driveshaft to spin in 2WD.

After having Evan, Matt, and mself crawl under there to take turns pulling and reinstalling the shaft (since we couldn't feel our fingers after 10 minutes of wrenching) I'm DYING to get yokes under there to use Spicer u-joints. We pulled the shaft, pressed a new u-joint, and reinstalled Mark's driveshaft on Sunday in 30 minutes flat. Took us about an hour for mine.

Raf

Hey guys been a while since I posted but I just got back from Lake Placid. And I must say I drove on some incredible back country dirt roads. And throughly enjoying my Jeep as I drove. I must say it might have been one of the best drives i have ever been on. Not a mailbox for over 20 miles. Just me, the JK and wildlife everywhere.

Sorry to hear about your trip Suffolk. Where did you end up doing this all?

Suffolk JK

Northern NJ trail.

adamisadam

Tatton emailed me back this regarding driveshafts for the JK:

He sells them on ebay. members here on the other threads are running them and like them. What do you think? Will nassau be cheaper for similar design?

adamisadam

oh, and is there an easy way to see/check the driveshaft's ability to expand/contract without removing it? ie, jack the body up/down and put chalk marks on the shaft where the inner and outter meet maybe?

DrewsJK

great shott

racer83l

excellent. Im Joe, I have been dating Gary's sister Kristin for 3.5 years... (and I think you know him but Gary is dating Allie)

BBirish

Adam I know someone who ran nassau driveshaft customs front and rear on a jk and both of them recently failed and he wound up getting tom woods anyway. Save your self the headache and do it right