Driveshaft findings...

[rockhardzj]

Well, I was going through my garage today, checking out driveshafts in my garage from my mom's old chevy van's that we had kept around.

Plan is to use the tube from one of them for my MJ, and then just have it balanced professionally.

 

Well, I find the perfect driveshaft, and turns up, it uses a larger (stronger u-joint) between the slip yoke, and the shaft itself. Best of all, this yoke fits perfectly onto the 231's output shaft, and even better yet, it has an extra 5/8" of slip splines to play with.

 

Only downfall is the slip yoke itself allows for less u-joint travel than the stock one. This can be solved by easily grinding a small area away, and gain back some, or even more u-joint travel.

 

The other end of the shaft only needs to be shortened, and a different yoke welded on. The tube is the exact same inside diameter, but a slightly thicker wall, meaning a stronger tube.

 

Cost to make it street useable?

Whatever the d-shaft shop charges to balance it, which should be quite cheap.

 

Oh, and the tube I'm using is in near new condition, no rust, just some road debris scratches, still has good paint on it.

 

I figured this info would be great info for all you redneck engineers out there, as chevy vans and trucks are dime a dozen in the JY.

[possum]

Yup I sourced mine from an 84' chebby van.

[HOrnbrod]

Well, I was going through my garage today, checking out driveshafts in my garage from my mom's old chevy van's that we had kept around.

Plan is to use the tube from one of them for my MJ, and then just have it balanced professionally.

 

Well, I find the perfect driveshaft, and turns up, it uses a larger (stronger u-joint) between the slip yoke, and the shaft itself. Best of all, this yoke fits perfectly onto the 231's output shaft, and even better yet, it has an extra 5/8" of slip splines to play with.

 

Only downfall is the slip yoke itself allows for less u-joint travel than the stock one. This can be solved by easily grinding a small area away, and gain back some, or even more u-joint travel.

 

The other end of the shaft only needs to be shortened, and a different yoke welded on. The tube is the exact same inside diameter, but a slightly thicker wall, meaning a stronger tube.

 

Cost to make it street useable?

Whatever the d-shaft shop charges to balance it, which should be quite cheap.

 

Oh, and the tube I'm using is in near new condition, no rust, just some road debris scratches, still has good paint on it.

 

I figured this info would be great info for all you redneck engineers out there, as chevy vans and trucks are dime a dozen in the JY.

 

Did you ever get the Chevy van driveshaft adapted to your MJ yet? I went to the driveshaft shop today with my 91 long bed and the tech said although my driveshaft checked out straight with the dial indicator on the truck, he recommended to have it balanced (his shop did not have the machine to do it). He also recommended adapting a similar length or longer Chevy or Ford shaft to gain another 3/8-5/8" length on the AW4 slip yoke to compensate for my 3" lift. I guess a lot of 80's era Ford and Chevys have the 3.5" Spicer-type U-joints with the outside clips. I'm still having slight vibes between 35-45 MPH, but not nearly as badly as before since I changed the U-joints. But still bad enough to be annoying. Any suggestions as to the best non-MJ driveshaft to try in my MJ longbed w. AW-4 tranny?

[rockhardzj]

No, shaft is in the bed of my truck, awaiting it's sunny day.

 

I still don't have the project running, and i just got put off a week with this trip to high-roller-USA here in White Plains, NY down near NYC.

 

When I get back home this weekend, I will be getting more jack stands and the YJ will be loosing it's axles for a week or three while they get overhauled at the shop my buddy words at, so that is taking time away from my MJ...

 

It will get done, eventually...

 

If you try this, You MUST make sure you cut the tube at a perfect 90* angle, so check it 15 times or more before laying any beads. I might experiment with my own driveshaft balancing act, and see just how precise I can get it with some hose clamps.

 

I figure once I get the yokes on, I'll just tack them on and check and re check a bunch of times, and keep doing so until all the tacks become one weld, and then install it, and see if I can slowly balance it by working its way on speed and positioning of the clamps to find where weight is needed.

[pingpong]

Where I am at to have a driveshaft retubed and balanced is only around 125-150

[JeepcoMJ]

I'd have a professional d-shaft shop do everything.

 

no offense, but if you're not a professional welder or have not done it ALOT then you shouldn't be building driveshafts. at least with spring perches you have the fallback of the ubolts to hold the axle on, but with the d-shaft, if it breaks, it's gonna go flying.

[rockhardzj]

I'd have a professional d-shaft shop do everything.

 

no offense, but if you're not a professional welder or have not done it ALOT then you shouldn't be building driveshafts. at least with spring perches you have the fallback of the ubolts to hold the axle on, but with the d-shaft, if it breaks, it's gonna go flying.

Not that I am, but Who ever said I wasn't?

I also don't plan on this being a permanent solution, more of build it to work for sticky situations, like if I kill a good one on the trail. I may just cut the tube to size though, and have the shop finish the job with new yokes. It's up in the air right now, but it's gotta start before it can go anywhere...

[oldjeep]

I've welded all of my own driveshafts, never had one come flying apart. It's like anything else, pay attention to what you are doing and know your limitations.

 

You just grind away the weld at one end until you can remove the yoke, rotating it in a chop saw works well - if you have a lathe it's even easier.

 

Cut the tube to length and then pound the yoke back into the tube. (making sure that it is in phase with the yoke at the other end)

If you don't have a lathe - which I don't, the easiest way to get it straight is to install it with the vehicle on jackstands and put one tack weld on it. Spin by hand with a dial indicator on the shaft until it is straight and then tack some more. Double check and then weld it 360 degrees.

 

And I'm a professional software developer ;)

[rockhardzj]

I've welded all of my own driveshafts, never had one come flying apart. And I'm a professional software developer ;)

Well, there ya go, He's a professional! :D

[opsled]

Shortening, lenghtening or retubing driveshafts, PTO shafts, axles, axle tubes, etc is not hard or complicated work and you don't have to be an aircraft certified welder to get it done. I've done quite a few in my day and if you are working on a tractor, mud truck, POS beater vehicle or something like that alot of this stuff isn't that critical but if you want it to go down the freeway at speed without vibrations or your talking about something that is going to be running under severe loads you need to have it right. The quality of the job is based on the needs of the application.

 

opsled

[Duner]

Are driveshaft shops scarce in other parts of the country?

Here in Houston they are numerous and the shop my dad uses was in business when he was a kid. They are extremely reasonable in pricing and can make anything that you want. Plus they can usually get done in about 1 hour. I have now had both the front and rear shafts shortened and rebalanced and painted (AW4 front shaft is longer than the AX15 front shaft) for 45 bucks each while we had lunch around the corner. They build custom shafts starting at 100 bucks depending on what parts you are supplying.

 

Fast Friendly inexpensive service so I have no reason to do it myself.

Now on the ranch thats a different story everything on the tractors has been rebuilt and re-engineered at some point mostly by us sometimes from the repair guy in town.

[rockhardzj]

Are driveshaft shops scarce in other parts of the country?

Here in Houston they are numerous and the shop my dad uses was in business when he was a kid. They are extremely reasonable in pricing and can make anything that you want. Plus they can usually get done in about 1 hour. I have now had both the front and rear shafts shortened and rebalanced and painted (AW4 front shaft is longer than the AX15 front shaft) for 45 bucks each while we had lunch around the corner. They build custom shafts starting at 100 bucks depending on what parts you are supplying.

 

Fast Friendly inexpensive service so I have no reason to do it myself.

Now on the ranch thats a different story everything on the tractors has been rebuilt and re-engineered at some point mostly by us sometimes from the repair guy in town.

Not at all, I know of probably 5-6 locally, but I haven't made any friends at any, so deals most likely can not be had... :(

[oldjeep]

Locally it's $60 to have one shortened. But why pay $60 for something I can do in 20-30 minutes?

[rockhardzj]

Locally it's $60 to have one shortened. But why pay $60 for something I can do in 20-30 minutes?

in my case, going from 2wd to 4wd, i need more length... :oops:

[Pete M]

Can't you just have your 2wd one cut down to fit?

[rockhardzj]

Can't you just have your 2wd one cut down to fit?

I probably could, but it's that damn luxury style one with the rubber. It's in my opinion most likely a bad thing for offroad.

[HOrnbrod]

I've been having vibes for about a month between 35-45 MPH, and have eliminated the wheels/tires ("borrowed" a different set, no change) and the steering and suspension. I changed my rear U-joint and the vibes nearly disappeared, but they are still there and at the same speed. Went to a local driveshaft shop and they checked the shaft out with a dial indicator, and it ran true. He also pulled the driveshaft to check the U-joints and they were okay. The tech recommended balancing (they did not have the capability - machine down) and also to replace the front slip yoke with one about 1/2" longer to compensate for the lift. According to the tech, the pinion angle was okay, and this makes sense since I have had my 3" lift for a couple of years with no vibes until recently. And on the way home, the vibes were worse, plus there was a new one at about 70 MPH. When I got home, I pulled the driveshaft, rotated it 180 degrees, bolted it back up, now the vibes are very minimal again.

 

So, as opsled pointed out in my previous posts, my vibes are almost certainly a driveline problem, and I'm going to get the shaft balanced. But first I would like to put a 3/8"- 5/8" longer slip yoke up front into the AW4 if such an animal exists. Does anyone know? I've heard a TJ yoke was slightly longer, but do not know any details. Thanks for all the help guys.

[carnuck]

I don't know who sells the longer slip yoke, but the bushing in the trans tailstock is getting worn, which is allowing the driveshaft to play crack the whip, or the leaf springs have twisted a bit, throwing off the Ujoint angles (I'm at this point right now. I blew the doors off some turd who was trying to pass me on the right. I side stepped the clutch and got @ 5 feet of third gear chirp out of my 33" tires. The slave and master started leaking soon after that. :driving:

[HOrnbrod]

I don't know who sells the longer slip yoke, but the bushing in the trans tailstock is getting worn, which is allowing the driveshaft to play crack the whip, or the leaf springs have twisted a bit, throwing off the Ujoint angles (I'm at this point right now. I blew the doors off some turd who was trying to pass me on the right. I side stepped the clutch and got @ 5 feet of third gear chirp out of my 33" tires. The slave and master started leaking soon after that. :driving:

 

I have a new (to me) YJ slip yoke coming, about 1/2" longer than stock, so I'll install that w. a new joint, then have the shaft balanced and hope it helps..........