SYE and removing transfer case drop

[Thunder Mass]

My brother has an '04 TJ X manual, on 2" of lift with factory control arms, and a tcase drop. The Dana 35 died, and he's having a Dana 44 installed. Problem is, he needs a new driveshaft. I origionally thought Tom Woods, but I forgot that needs a SYE. I'd love for him to get rid of that tcase drop, but I don't think adjustable control arms are an option at the moment.

So, my questions are:

-does he need adjustable control arms to get a SYE and Tom Woods, and remove the tcase drop?

-if he leaves the tcase drop, can he still get a SYE and Tom Woods without adjustable control arms?

-would he just be better off with a locally made "custom" drive shaft without a SYE?

-if the tcase drop were removed, nothing additional would need to be done, like body lift and tcase shifter cable, because it's going back to factory, correct?

Thanks guys.

 

[joe98tj]

No and didn't think a tcase drop was needed with a 2" lift.
Yes
Most likely would be fine
Yup.

 

[Cedar128]

My brother has an '04 TJ X manual, on 2" of lift with factory control arms, and a tcase drop. The Dana 35 died, and he's having a Dana 44 installed. Problem is, he needs a new driveshaft. I origionally thought Tom Woods, but I forgot that needs a SYE. I'd love for him to get rid of that tcase drop, but I don't think adjustable control arms are an option at the moment.

So, my questions are:

-does he need adjustable control arms to get a SYE and Tom Woods, and remove the tcase drop?

-if he leaves the tcase drop, can he still get a SYE and Tom Woods without adjustable control arms?

-would he just be better off with a locally made "custom" drive shaft without a SYE?

-if the tcase drop were removed, nothing additional would need to be done, like body lift and tcase shifter cable, because it's going back to factory, correct?

Thanks guys.

Tom Wood's has custom length standard shafts.

 

[JMT]

My brother has an '04 TJ X manual, on 2" of lift with factory control arms, and a tcase drop. The Dana 35 died, and he's having a Dana 44 installed. Problem is, he needs a new driveshaft. I origionally thought Tom Woods, but I forgot that needs a SYE. I'd love for him to get rid of that tcase drop, but I don't think adjustable control arms are an option at the moment.

So, my questions are:

-does he need adjustable control arms to get a SYE and Tom Woods, and remove the tcase drop?

-if he leaves the tcase drop, can he still get a SYE and Tom Woods without adjustable control arms?

-would he just be better off with a locally made "custom" drive shaft without a SYE?

-if the tcase drop were removed, nothing additional would need to be done, like body lift and tcase shifter cable, because it's going back to factory, correct?

Thanks guys.

I can make you a really good deal on a Dana 44 driveshaft that went to a 231 TCase that I ran on a 2” lift before I did a tummy tuck. I had no TCase drop with that setup.

yes, you’d need rear upper and lower adjustable CA’s with an SYE and DC shaft.

 

[Blackjack]

At two inches lift you can stay with a stock style shaft and use adjustable uppers to eliminate the belly drop.

 

[Thunder Mass]

No and didn't think a tcase drop was needed with a 2" lift.
Yes
Most likely would be fine
Yup.

I was pretty sure you needed adjustable control arms. But that's why I'm asking.

The tcase drop was put in by the previous owner.

Tom Wood's has custom length standard shafts.

This is true, forgot about that.

I can make you a really good deal on a Dana 44 driveshaft that went to a 231 TCase that I ran on a 2” lift before I did a tummy tuck. I had no TCase drop with that setup.

yes, you’d need rear upper and lower adjustable CA’s with an SYE and DC shaft.

Did you have adjustable control arms? You're in Washington, right? His jeep is in Arizona.

At two inches lift you can stay with a stock style shaft and use adjustable uppers to eliminate the belly drop.

I'm gonna assume he needs a new driveshaft since he's going from a Dana 35 to a Dana 44, but I'm not really certain.

He's not really planning on adjusdtable control arms at the moment, but if that's cheaper than a SYE, maybe.

 

[Blackjack]

I was pretty sure you needed adjustable control arms. But that's why I'm asking.

The tcase drop was put in by the previous owner.

This is true, forgot about that.

Did you have adjustable control arms? You're in Washington, right? His jeep is in Arizona.

I'm gonna assume he needs a new driveshaft since he's going from a Dana 35 to a Dana 44, but I'm not really certain.

He's not really planning on adjusdtable control arms at the moment, but if that's cheaper than a SYE, maybe.

I believe you will at the minimum need to have the Dana 35 shaft shortened a little. I suggest adjustable uppers because if his build plans change they will be needed anyway and I do not like the idea of lowering the belly of something I am lifting.

 

[Thunder Mass]

I believe you will at the minimum need to have the Dana 35 shaft shortened a little. I suggest adjustable uppers because if his build plans change they will be needed anyway and I do not like the idea of lowering the belly of something I am lifting.

Agreed on not wanting to lower the tcase, but it was already done by the previous owner.

Swapping in the Dana 44 and regearing the Dana 30 to match was the necessary stuff, but now I'm wondering what do do about the driveshaft. I'm all for removing the tcase drop, just wondering if it's gonna take a sye and driveshaft, adjustable arms, or both? Or, could the current driveshaft just be shortened and run with that for the time being?

 

[Blackjack]

Agreed on not wanting to lower the tcase, but it was already done by the previous owner.

Swapping in the Dana 44 and regearing the Dana 30 to match was the necessary stuff, but now I'm wondering what do do about the driveshaft. I'm all for removing the tcase drop, just wondering if it's gonna take a sye and driveshaft, adjustable arms, or both? Or, could the current driveshaft just be shortened and run with that for the time being?

No real reason you can't just shorten the shaft and run it as is for now. Any choice you make in the future will require adjustable arms so I would plan for that. There is a way to put a double cardan on a NP231 without using a SYE and that is using a CV slip yoke https://www.powertrainindustries.com/story/3103-27CV?catalog_table=dsp_transmission_yokes I must stress that this only works with lift heights of 3" or less so if future plans are more lift than 3" do not go this route.

 

[JMT]

I was pretty sure you needed adjustable control arms. But that's why I'm asking.

The tcase drop was put in by the previous owner.

This is true, forgot about that.

Did you have adjustable control arms? You're in Washington, right? His jeep is in Arizona.

I'm gonna assume he needs a new driveshaft since he's going from a Dana 35 to a Dana 44, but I'm not really certain.

He's not really planning on adjusdtable control arms at the moment, but if that's cheaper than a SYE, maybe.

I have adjustable control arms now with the SYE and DC, but when I was running the Dana 44 shaft to the 231TCase, I had stock arms, 2-2.5" of lift and no TCase drop. Yes, I'm in WA, but I ship parts to people all the time on here. I'm thinking total price $35 shipped. I'm not trying to make money on it.

 

[JMT]

Agreed on not wanting to lower the tcase, but it was already done by the previous owner.

Swapping in the Dana 44 and regearing the Dana 30 to match was the necessary stuff, but now I'm wondering what do do about the driveshaft. I'm all for removing the tcase drop, just wondering if it's gonna take a sye and driveshaft, adjustable arms, or both? Or, could the current driveshaft just be shortened and run with that for the time being?

FWIW, you can probably run the Dana 35 shaft with the Dana 44. The reason is because you have 2" of lift, so you need a slightly longer driveshaft to accommodate the longer distance due to the 2" lift anyway. The Dana 35 shaft is about 1/2" longer than the Dana 44. So it is about right.

 

[joe98tj]

You want adjustable control arms to set the driveshaft angle. At 2 inches of lift you're angle would not be too far off but i may have been wrong and the sye might change that and require you to have adjustable arms.

 

[JMT]

You want adjustable control arms to set the driveshaft angle. At 2 inches of lift you're angle would not be too far off but i may have been wrong and the sye might change that and require you to have adjustable arms.

If no SYE and DC, up to 2" of suspension lift, then you only need STOCK ARMS and the pinion parallel with the TCase output shaft. If you get in the 2-3" range you will need a 1" MML, which helps with the driveshaft angle.

If SYE and DC, then you want ADJUSTABLE upper and lower CA's so you can adjust the pinion to point directly at the TCase output shaft.

 

[bobthetj03]

Call Davey's Jeeps and order a factory style ds for a Dana 44/NP231 combo. Take the t-case drop out and try running without it. You may find that it wasn't needed and the PO just installed it because it came with the lift kit.

Or, take @JMT up on his offer to pay that DS forward for shipping. It was a Cali DS, wink, wink.