Front drive shaft

[Illinoimike]

I’m buying the u joint rebuild kit for the front driveshaft on my TJ.
My question is can I remove that driveshaft and still drive around town/highway without hurting it?
I don’t have to drive it but I might want to before I rebuild it.
Thanks.

 

[derekmac]

I believe I remember @Jerry Bransford saying that all the TJ's can be driven with the shaft removed, and they won't leak fluid. Best to let him or someone else that knows for certain answer though.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I’m buying the u joint rebuild kit for the front driveshaft on my TJ.
My question is can I remove that driveshaft and still drive around town/highway without hurting it?
I don’t have to drive it but I might want to before I rebuild it.
Thanks.

Absolutely you can drive it as long and as far as needed with either driveshaft out.

 

[bobthetj03]

Certainly you can. The front drive shaft is a double cardan shaft with a fixed yoke at the front of the transfer case, so you're good to drive it in 2WD for as long as you want. The rear drive shaft is a different story.

 

[glwood]

There is no slip yoke on the front of the transfer case. There is no reason you cannot remove the front drive shaft and still drive the TJ.

 

[Illinoimike]

Absolutely you can drive it as long and as far as needed with either driveshaft out.

Thank you very much for that answer.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Certainly you can. The front drive shaft is a double cardan shaft with a fixed yoke at the front of the transfer case, so you're good to drive it in 2WD for as long as you want. The rear drive shaft is a different story.

The TJ can be driven without the rear driveshaft in place too. Only the YJ will leak ATF out of the tcase if the rear driveshaft has been removed.

 

[bobthetj03]

The TJ can be driven without the rear driveshaft in place too. Only the YJ will leak ATF out of the tcase if the rear driveshaft has been removed.

Yes, you can. I've done it, but don't know if I'd want to do it long term.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Yes, you can. I've done it, but don't know if I'd want to do it long term.

Of course not but doing so wouldn't hurt or damage anything.

 

[MikeO]

How much play is acceptable in the front drive shaft u joint? Mine play is very little, but not zero. Also, I have a mild chirp coming from somewhere up front. Should I replace the center ball as long as I have the shaft off?

 

[glwood]

Chirp generally indicates CV joint needs a rebuild.

 

[MikeO]

Chirp generally indicates CV joint needs a rebuild.

Thanks. I now see that most of the play is coming from the splines. Not sure what to do with that.

 

[Chris]

I think some play is normal, mine has a little bit of play and always has. It's nothing excessive, just a little bit.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Thanks. I now see that most of the play is coming from the splines. Not sure what to do with that.

You're seeing back & forth play at the splines in your driveshaft, where its two halves slide together? There should be no play there. There should be play by where the entire driveshaft can be rotated slightly back & forth between where it connects between the axle and transfer case.

 

[MikeO]

You're seeing back & forth play at the splines in your driveshaft, where its two halves slide together? There should be no play there. There should be play by where the entire driveshaft can be rotated slightly back & forth between where it connects between the axle and transfer case.

There is definitely play where the spines meet (under the boot). In fact, if I shake it hard, it seems to make the "mystery" sound I have been trying to locate. New drive shaft? Could this have happened when I added the SYE and CV in back and had the TC drop undone. Might they have torqued the spines apart?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

There is definitely play where the spines meet (under the boot). In fact, if I shake it hard, it seems to make the "mystery" sound I have been trying to locate. New drive shaft? Could this have happened when I added the SYE and CV in back and had the TC drop undone. Might they have torqued the spines apart?

That's not a common condition, I'd have the driveshaft rebuilt which usually costs less than a new driveshaft. Though Tom Wood's new driveshafts can be very competitive with rebuilt driveshafts www.4xshaft.com

If you want to price having it rebuilt locally, be sure to search out an actual driveshaft repair shop, don't just take it to your local 4x4 store. They'll just send it out to a driveshaft shop and mark up the cost.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

Thank you very much for that answer.

So right now, my 99 Jeep tj has been sitting since late summer due to lack of funds to do the complete re-gear it needs. So as not to stress the wife, parked and I back it out of the garage once a month, run everything and park. Something in the front Dana 30, open diff, 3.07, is eating itself up, heard it clearly when hard top went back on, and only on deceleration. It needs to run, and all we do is road and ride anyway. I believe it is the front pinion bearing going. So if I pull cover, and it's not just the spider gears, ( based on experience I don't think so), what should I do along with removal of driveshaft from T-case to front diff, to just convert to 2WD, until we can afford to fully re-gear and install the SYE it needs? All U-joints are replaced also, outer hub bearings, brakes, tires, rims, all new.

 

[LONGJP2]

So right now, my 99 Jeep tj has been sitting since late summer due to lack of funds to do the complete re-gear it needs. So as not to stress the wife, parked and I back it out of the garage once a month, run everything and park. Something in the front Dana 30, open diff, 3.07, is eating itself up, heard it clearly when hard top went back on, and only on deceleration. It needs to run, and all we do is road and ride anyway. I believe it is the front pinion bearing going. So if I pull cover, and it's not just the spider gears, ( based on experience I don't think so), what should I do along with removal of driveshaft from T-case to front diff, to just convert to 2WD, until we can afford to fully re-gear and install the SYE it needs? All U-joints are replaced also, outer hub bearings, brakes, tires, rims, all new.

That was 8 years ago, and unrelated.

You might want to start a new thread.

 

[SamwiseGamJeep]

That was 8 years ago, and unrelated.

You might want to start a new thread.

I get the Eight years ago, but thought what I saw, and responded to after my search, was from 2024. And it's not Unrelated, at least to what I thought I responded to.