Drive Shaft for LWB conversion

[b52nav]

Just got done converting my 2wd to 4wd and am looking for advice on the rear drive shaft. I picked up a NP242 transfer that had a Yoke on the rear already, so I am looking for a shaft 50 inches long, that has a slip joint. Took the original 2wd shaft to a drive shaft guy and he said he could not cut it down and add a slip joint because it is a 4 inch dia shaft. He reccomended a donor from a Chevy P/U or he would build me a new one for about $350. Cutting down the Chevy would be about 130 plus the junkyard shaft, probably 30 bucks or less. What do you reccomend? Any body have any experience with this?

 

Just added the Mickey Thompsons Today and need to do some body work and a paint job. But so far so good.

 

[Geonovast]

Have a front shaft retubed to be longer.

[b52nav]

I had a rear shaft out of an XJ that I brought with and was going to have it lengthened but the drive shaft guy said it was too small, he reccomend 3 inch diameter for that length. What diam tube do you guys reccomend?

[HOrnbrod]

Just got done converting my 2wd to 4wd and am looking for advice on the rear drive shaft. Took the original 2wd shaft to a drive shaft guy and he said he could not cut it down and add a slip joint because it is a 4 inch dia shaft. He reccomended a donor from a Chevy P/U or he would build me a new one for about $350.

 

$350 is way too much. I needed a new drive shaft on my 91 LWB because the outer rubber sheath on the OEM shaft was deteriorated and it couldn't be balanced. Called Tom Woods here: http://www.4xshaft.com and he built me a 3" custom shaft w. new u-joints shipped to my door for a bit over $200 . The man does excellent work and stands behind his product.

[mvusse]

My local drive shaft shop estimated about $300, possibly higher for a custom rear drive shaft with a slip joint. Couldn't give me an exact quote without at all individual parts, but I told him not to bother as I don't have a SYE yet.

[Pete M]

Just got done converting my 2wd to 4wd and am looking for advice on the rear drive shaft. I picked up a NP242 transfer that had a Yoke on the rear already, so I am looking for a shaft 50 inches long, that has a slip joint. Took the original 2wd shaft to a drive shaft guy and he said he could not cut it down and add a slip joint because it is a 4 inch dia shaft. He reccomended a donor from a Chevy P/U or he would build me a new one for about $350. Cutting down the Chevy would be about 130 plus the junkyard shaft, probably 30 bucks or less. What do you reccomend? Any body have any experience with this?

 

You've got a SYE on your 242? Cool! Do you know what brand it is? Hack-n-tap or a real kit?

[b52nav]

You know, I am not sure, I was talking to the guy at Tom Woods and he told me what to look for to determine whose converison it is. I need to crawl under it and take some pics and post em up. It looks almost original but I know it is not. It is leaking at the moment so I am going to have to replace the seal, so I am sure I am getting ready to be very familiar with it.

 

Joe

[Pete M]

Yup, post a pic when you can. :thumbsup:

[b52nav]

So here are the Pics, What kind of SYE do I have? It is leaking at the moment so I am going to have to replace the seal soon. Any issues with keeping these sealed?

 

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Just got done converting my 2wd to 4wd and am looking for advice on the rear drive shaft. Took the original 2wd shaft to a drive shaft guy and he said he could not cut it down and add a slip joint because it is a 4 inch dia shaft. He recommended a donor from a Chevy P/U or he would build me a new one for about $350.

 

$350 is way too much. I needed a new drive shaft on my 91 LWB because the outer rubber sheath on the OEM shaft was deteriorated and it couldn't be balanced. Called Tom Woods here: http://www.4xshaft.com and he built me a 3" custom shaft w. new u-joints shipped to my door for a bit over $200 . The man does excellent work and stands behind his product.

 

I have a Tom Woods shaft in my TJ. I opted for the gold seal joints for a LIFETIME REPLACEMENT GAURNTEE. The first one lasted 3 years and about 20,000 miles and cost me $370. I thought it should have lasted longer, but 20,000 on an off-road vehicle is not awful. So I had Tom rebuild it.

Its replacement was the same shaft rebuilt for an additional 300. It lasted two years and almost 1200 miles. I complained and was told my angles where too steep. I supplied pictures and vehicle stats. Ford 8.8 rear axle, S4T Teraflex lift, 35" tires and a 33 Engineering flat belly skid plate. I was at fault, (NOT) and needed a new centering ball and the upgraded forged carrier as well as replacement joints. ALL at MY cost of $300. SO much for the lifetime guarantee. Total so far, $670.

 

That was 2005, and my Jeep became off-road only. I wheeled it ONCE @ Paragon. It was trailered there and back. I drove it almost 400 miles over the next 3 years. Mid 2008, it began clicking again. I called Tom, explained the problems and my concerns. He said ship it to him and he would correct the problem. He did, it required ANOTHER rebuild, ANOTHER centering ball and ANOTHER $300. I strongle complained. I explained my case, again supplied pictures and had a known distributor and good friend of mine pleade my case. No difference, it was too steep an angle and it was my problem. Total $970 for ONE FLIPPING drive shaft.

 

I WILL NEVER BUY A TOM WOODS SHAFT AGAIN!!!

 

CW

[HOrnbrod]

I have a Tom Woods shaft in my TJ. I opted for the gold seal joints for a LIFETIME REPLACEMENT GAURNTEE. The first one lasted 3 years and about 20,000 miles and cost me $370. I thought it should have lasted longer, but 20,000 on an off-road vehicle is not awful. So I had Tom rebuild it.

Its replacement was the same shaft rebuilt for an additional 300. It lasted two years and almost 1200 miles. I complained and was told my angles where too steep. I supplied pictures and vehicle stats. Ford 8.8 rear axle, S4T Teraflex lift, 35" tires and a 33 Engineering flat belly skid plate. I was at fault, (NOT) and needed a new centering ball and the upgraded forged carrier as well as replacement joints. ALL at MY cost of $300. SO much for the lifetime guarantee. Total so far, $670.

 

I WILL NEVER BUY A TOM WOODS SHAFT AGAIN!!! CW

 

Sorry to hear about your problems w. Tom Woods CW. First complaint I've heard about him on any forum. I'm coming up on three years using his driveshaft, and have had zero problems. BUT I don't offroad it and only have a 3" lift, so I don't have sever driveline angles, especially w. the long bed. :D I don't know what your angles are or the height of your lift is, but your pinion angles must be pretty extreme. Need a SYE maybe? Oh, and I like your new avatar. :cheers:

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have a Tom Woods shaft in my TJ. I opted for the gold seal joints for a LIFETIME REPLACEMENT GAURNTEE. The first one lasted 3 years and about 20,000 miles and cost me $370. I thought it should have lasted longer, but 20,000 on an off-road vehicle is not awful. So I had Tom rebuild it.

Its replacement was the same shaft rebuilt for an additional 300. It lasted two years and almost 1200 miles. I complained and was told my angles where too steep. I supplied pictures and vehicle stats. Ford 8.8 rear axle, S4T Teraflex lift, 35" tires and a 33 Engineering flat belly skid plate. I was at fault, (NOT) and needed a new centering ball and the upgraded forged carrier as well as replacement joints. ALL at MY cost of $300. SO much for the lifetime guarantee. Total so far, $670.

 

I WILL NEVER BUY A TOM WOODS SHAFT AGAIN!!! CW

 

Sorry to hear about your problems w. Tom Woods CW. First complaint I've heard about him on any forum. I'm coming up on three years using his drive-shaft, and have had zero problems. BUT I don't offroad it and only have a 3" lift, so I don't have sever driveline angles, especially w. the long bed. :D I don't know what your angles are or the height of your lift is, but your pinion angles must be pretty extreme. Need a SYE maybe? Oh, and I like your new avatar. :cheers:

Thx man.

 

That's my sarcasm, peeking threw. :D My TJ lift is 5", my angles are no way severe, been running a SYe since first shaft. Its a must do with a 20" drive shaft!!! I'm sure you can surmise, I take care of my stuff and build it right. Aft all, the first shaft went 20,000 miles. No appreciable changes between first and now. What kind of guaranty does he offer? How many countless thousand upon thousand TJs out there running the same freaking setup?

 

CW

[WahooSteeler]

b52, welcome to the club. As we say around here, beer's in the fridge, find a seat and get comfortable. Oh, but the tan couch is reserved for Chico, you don't want to sit there.

 

1st, AWESOME looking truck. Hard to tell for sure, but it looks very clean and no outward signs of rust. Where are you located (maybe put in your avatar/sig)?

 

2nd, how much lift is that? Did you do SOA? What size tires? Looks lik 32/33s.

 

3rd, is your screen name representative of what you do for a living?

 

:cheers:

[Pete M]

So here are the Pics, What kind of SYE do I have? It is leaking at the moment so I am going to have to replace the seal soon. Any issues with keeping these sealed?

 

 

 

 

I have no idea what "brand" that is. :???: In fact, I'm inclined to guess that it's not aftermarket at all. It almost looks like a "hack-n-tap" using the original yoke. Which I guess would make it just a "tap" since the output shaft doesn't look trimmed.

[b52nav]

b52, welcome to the club. As we say around here, beer's in the fridge, find a seat and get comfortable. Oh, but the tan couch is reserved for Chico, you don't want to sit there.

 

1st, AWESOME looking truck. Hard to tell for sure, but it looks very clean and no outward signs of rust. Where are you located (maybe put in your avatar/sig)?

 

2nd, how much lift is that? Did you do SOA? What size tires? Looks lik 32/33s.

 

3rd, is your screen name representative of what you do for a living?

 

:cheers:

 

Thanks for the welcome, I am from St Louis MO, Just a few spots of rust but very minor. A couple of dents that I need to take care of but nothing major. I plan on taking care of the body work next and then getting it painted. I just had a Linex bed liner sprayed in, the bed had no rust at all other than very minor surface. The lift is 4.5 inches. I believe it is a Rusty's lift. It has adjustable spring adjusters, track bar and links. The guy that owned it before me did the lift. It was a 2wd at the time. He had added 4:10s in the rear.

 

I bought it and added a front axle and a new (used tranny and transfer case NP242) The Tires are 33's I love them so far, Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ's. I also will be fixing the minor rust under the carpet and replacing the carpet with a rubber floor.

[Sir Sam]

So here are the Pics, What kind of SYE do I have? It is leaking at the moment so I am going to have to replace the seal soon. Any issues with keeping these sealed?

 

 

 

 

I have no idea what "brand" that is. :???: In fact, I'm inclined to guess that it's not aftermarket at all. It almost looks like a "hack-n-tap" using the original yoke. Which I guess would make it just a "tap" since the output shaft doesn't look trimmed.

 

The output housing looks all wrong, the bolts holding it in aren't right. I dunno what that is, never seen anything quite like it.

 

It looks like some kinda bastardized hack n tap.