Drive shaft question

[Svarbo]

A quick question. Should the rear drive shaft be in a straight line from the output of the transfer case to the rear axle or is there somewhat of an offset? I don't mean the horizontal angle of the drive-shaft but rather the vertical angle left/right.

 

[Chris]

EDIT: I stand corrected. Looked under my rig and it's not offset at all.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

With a factory Dana 35 or Dana 44, there should be no left/right offset between the transfer case output shaft and the axle's pinion shaft. With either of those two axles, the only reason there'd be an offset is if you had installed a suspension lift without re-centering the axles with an adjustable length trackbar or trackbar relocation bracket.

There's an offset with the Ford 8.8 axle which is often installed in the rear but there shouldn't be for the factory axles. At least not one that I've ever been able to notice.

 

[Svarbo]

That is odd, the axle is a factory one and i have all factory control-arm/track-bar (not adjustable). I can definitely see an offset. I have never seen that on any other vehicles.

 

[Chris]

That is odd, the axle is a factory one and i have all factory control-arm/track-bar (not adjustable). I can definitely see an offset. I have never seen that on any other vehicles.

Post a photo if possible.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

That is odd, the axle is a factory one and i have all factory control-arm/track-bar (not adjustable). I can definitely see an offset. I have never seen that on any other vehicles.

Does your TJ have even a small suspension lift installed?

 

[Svarbo]

I don't have a suspension lift. Only a body lift. Here is a picture. It's difficult to see, but I tried to illustrate/exaggerate with the yellow line to show what I clearly see when I look from the rear axle to the TC output shaft.

 

[Svarbo]

When I put the yoke level I can also see more space on the right than on the left of the u-joint. The yoke is not exactly level, but the red arrow indicates where I can see more space than on the other side. I was hoping it was just an optical illusion.