D44 Swap With D35 Drive Shaft. Too Long...

[8valvehero]

Hey gang, here's where I'm at:

 

A couple months back I swapped a D44 in to my project (88' 4L LWB 2WD) and used the stock D35 shaft. I knew that d44's have a 1" longer pinion, but I figured that because I have a 3" lift, the yoke wouldn't bottom out. Everything went in smoothly and it drives great, but I never really measured.

Yesterday I went to take the shaft out to do the front (trans output end) U-joint which had been going out since before the D44 swap, and with the wheels off the ground, I still couldn't push the shaft in to the transmission enough to drop out the rear! The yoke slides about 1/4"-1/2" and stops.

This must mean that when i'm sitting at ride height, it's bottoming out. Right?  :hmm:

(edit- i ended up just popping the bearing caps off to get an extra 2mm clearance to get it out.)

I've got about 500 miles on it in this configuration, and nothing seems to have exploded yet, except maybe the front u-joint got worse.

I reckon I'll just take it up to the drive shaft shop and have them shorten it 1"

I searched of course and it seems that you can't just shorten the yoke because it bottoms out internally on the output shaft rather than the seal. That must be why my transmission isn't leaking.

It's so weird though-- it drives fine. What (if any) would be the symptoms of a bottoming out yoke? U-joint vibe?

Is it possible that it's bottoming out before my suspension does and halts the spring flex? Or would the axle just travel slightly backwards to accommodate?

Help me CC geniuses!

 

Thanks for reading and cheers!

:cheers:

[86FUBAR]

Just lift it till it fits ! That's what I would do !! Or you could drill new axle centering holes in the spring perches and move the axle back an inch or so.

[mnkyboy]

Just lift it till it fits ! That's what I would do !! Or you could drill new axle centering holes in the spring perches and move the axle back an inch or so.

My D35 shaft fit perfect with my D44 and a SOA.

[HOrnbrod]

Yes, I tried re-using the D35 shaft w/o modification when I swapped in the D44. Same 3" lift as you except I have an AW4 tranny. In checking clearance it looked like I had a good inch or more slip at the tranny, so I reused it. Drove it for awhile docilely breaking in the new D44 gears, but the first time I really got on it and smoked the tires, I got a big BANG from the shaft bottoming out when the rear end squatted down. I limped it home, pulled the shaft, and luckily there was no visible damage. Needless to say I swapped the D35 shaft for one an inch shorter with new u-joints. Maybe there is more slip clearance inside the BA-10 tranny, I don't know. But I'd get it shortened if it were me.

[8valvehero]

thanks hornbrod.

I was hoping you would chime in on this one.

:bowdown:

edit- local jeep spot will shorten & balance for $100+tax.

sounds good!