adamisadam

Let me ask my fellow JK'ers their opinions on my Driveshaft Dilemmas

(Dealer told me day one, torn DS boots are NOT covered warranty items)

I have stock shafts in my 4dr (TF 2.5" coil lift, 32" tires). Both boots are long gone. I know I need a new front shaft no matter what because it does make contact with the tranny pan at flex. And the rear I've torn twice when I scraped the bottom while going over stuff (breakover angle on a 4 door with 32" tires ain't great! 35's are still just on the wish list).

So my question is this: do you think it's worth it to buy a good, used stock shaft for about $100 shipped to my door so that I can put off buying a new rear shaft at about $425? (I need a front no matter what.)

A) yes, get the stock shaft and try to avoid ripping the boot again,
B) no, drive with the current shaft boot torn and keep spraying white lithium grease on it to keep it lubed, and save my pennies for a new rear driveshaft, and cross my fingers that I don't destroy the xfer case or diff,
C) suck it up and buy both Tatton front and rear shafts for $825 delivered (I REALLY don't want to spend that money now!!! but i really don't want to destroy my xfer case either!)

What do you think?


PS I got Joey's old F&R shafts for free. But...

- The rear boot is good, but the CV joint boot on the end is torn. Can I get that boot off over the ends and move it to my good shaft?

- The front shaft he was running without a boot for a while. IT IS FROZEN SOLID! How the heck was he able to drive like that? It scares the hell out of me becasue I wonder if mine is like that and i'm stressing parts now. So I'm worried!!!


Sorry for the long post, but I'm really stuck between a rock and a $825 hard place.

Slippery

C modified.

Or find the cheapest Double Cardon shafts you can, and change them out, but get rid of the stock shaft crap.

Do it right and be done with it.

adamisadam

Got $825 I can borrow?

Seriously, I don't know the diff between double carbon shafts and what else? U joints? I haven't found a good explanation.

I was going to get these:
http://stores.ebay.com/TATTONS-DRIVESHAFTS

He quoted me $825 for both delivered. ARe these what I want? I've read positive reviews here on his shafts. Cheaper than Woods or Reel. But i'm not sure what's desireable over another.

07RedX

(D) Get a pair of junkyard driveshafts in good condition with boots intact and limit your droop so the driveshaft won't contact tranny pan.

Is it contact the actual transmission oil pan or the tranny skidplate?
If it's the skidplate, then trim the sucker.

No point in throwing more money into driveshafts if you aren't going to fix the cause of their failures.

Good luck

fdmike

Adam, I believe the double cardon will look like two D's back to back with a set of pins on either side, where as the "u" will only have one pivot point. Better for severe angles.

FlameRed

I have/had a similar issue. From what I can tell, the shaft hits the skid plate, then it slides over and hits the pan.

So notch the skid plate, that will give you more clearance (less chance of hitting) and if it still does hit it won't be able to slide over and hit your pan.

I'd get the cheapest front DS you can get and drive it until it fails. A boot being torn doesn't mean it's time for a new shaft, it just means start saving. So if the join'ts are still good and there isn't any slop then just keep driving it, and notch the skid.

BBirish

I agree with FlameRed, if you are looking to save a few bucks or at least put it off notch your tranny skid. But eventually you will need to get a set of tom woods or whatever brand you like

and you should have made this a poll

river2c

The Tatton drive shafts would be a nice upgrade but you shouldn't be tearing drive shaft boots with a 2.5" lift on a 4 door. Check your bumpstops and droop.

adamisadam

let me clear up a few things:

I have a skid row tranny/engine skid so there is no contact between DS & skid. my front DS boot clamp just touched the tranny pan like others have experienced. so I know a new smaller DS will fix that issue for good. (but which is the cheapest I can get away with?)

As for the rear, I'm tearing boots on rocks & stuff. so eventually that needs be replacement too.

Now, the tattons are CV shafts. what's the difference and what r the options out there for my DD'er (20k miles per year) with my lift?

meatsandwich

I tore my front stock shaft boot many times before I got a JE REEL...

You could try using a roll of electrical tape with "what's left" of the boot to keep the dirt out..... then repeat


It worked for me & I just cleaned & re-greased each time