SYE Upgrade Questions - driveshaft length

DonRuslo

DonRuslo

New Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
4
Location
North Texas
Looking to do the classic SYE upgrade, probably an Advance Adapters SYE paired with a Tom Wood's on my 2001 sport with a 2.5" suspension lift. I have a pair of Core 4x4 T2 rear upper control arms on the way. I have read I also probably need rear lower adjustable control arms, right?
It seems the consensus has evolved to suggest that is the case.

Then, my big worry is in ordering the right driveshaft length from Tom Wood. Is there enough tolerance in length for the usual pinion angle adjustment as well as slight wheelbase adjustment (if I opt for lower control arms)?
What if I eventually upgrade to a 3" lift?

There seems to be an estimator on their website for measuring "stock" setups (SY) without having to install the SYE first, measure, then order. Am I worrying too much about the length at play in different scenarios?

For what it's worth, my intended use for the Jeep is just "light" trails on the ranch. Thanks guys!
 
Last edited:
I bought my kit from them, the guy was very laid back, asked exactly what I was going to do and then he told me where to measure based on what I told him. Just give them a call, they will fix you up. I had my kit within the week. FWIW, I only used the upper adjustable arms, with a 4" lift.
 
Check our Adams Driveshaft website. I just ordered the Advanced Adaptors SYE and driveshaft kit from them. They ask you to measure from T-case housing to yoke - pictures of exactly what they’re looking for on the website.
Quick shipping and everything installed without a problem.

I highly recommend this company.
I installed mine in the driveway without taking the T-Case out of the Jeep.

it wasn’t a bad project and I had fun doing it.

My $.02
 
Thanks for the feedback! I am leaning towards keeping the T-case in. That's what Jerry suggests as well from my reading. Now to track down a good pair of lock ring pliers!
 
I found a pair at Advance Auto here locally.

I was able to fight my way through getting the old lock rings off with a screwdriver and hammer LOL
But I definitely needed the pliers to install the lock rings.

made me wish I had just gone and bought a pair to begin with they made the job so easy!

think they were like $15 or something.

good luck! It’s a fun project!

I’m trying to figure out what’s next on mine!
 
I have almost your same setup. Just installed an AA SYE, TW drive shaft is getting here on Tuesday, and I have T1 Core 4x4 uppers front and back. Currently at 2.5" lift, thinking about moving up to 3.25" or 4.00" in the future.

Talk to Shawn and the guys at Tom's. Any questions you have, they'll be happy to walk you through and explain everything, even at a beginner level, without talking down to you. Their customer support is second to none.

They have me going to a longer spline shaft that gives me a little extra wiggle room when it comes to raising my rig in the future, but if my lift grows a little beyond that, they can adjust the length of the shaft after the fact for less than the cost of a new one. I didn't ask for specifics, but I'd guess that means that they just replace one part of the shaft instead of the whole thing.

For a 2.5" lift, you should just have to adjust the rear uppers, and not too much at that. Your lower adjustables compensate to keep the wheel centered in the well, and shouldn't really be too necessary until you get to higher ride heights.

Also, lock ring pliers were the biggest "right tool for the right job" issue I had during the whole SYE install. Be sure you get the right kind. The ones with the protruding pins are for circlips that have holes in the ends, and those simply won't do for the shaft rings. You need the pliers that have the small flat paddles on the end. I was able to eventually get mine off with needle nose that had been ground down on the tip, but it was way more work than it needed to be, and ended beating up the old rings (and costing me an old set of needle nose). Fortunately, they got replaced with new ones.

Obviously, after that last little narrative, take any of my amateur advice with a grain of salt. I'm no Mr Blaine or Jerry.
 
I hate to really speak to a specific brand, since I've not evaluated them, but an example would be pliers like these from Mac Tools. Note the flat facing on the ends of the jaws.

SRI1225-90.jpg
 
I have a 3 inch lift and a tummy tuck and all I had to adjust was uppers. Lowers are stock length. For 2.5” of lift Adjustable uppers should be adequate.
 
keggertx said:
Check our Adams Driveshaft website. I just ordered the Advanced Adaptors SYE and driveshaft kit from them. They ask you to measure from T-case housing to yoke - pictures of exactly what they’re looking for on the website.
Quick shipping and everything installed without a problem.

I highly recommend this company.
I installed mine in the driveway without taking the T-Case out of the Jeep.

it wasn’t a bad project and I had fun doing it.

My $.02
Click to expand...
There are more complaints about Adams driveshafts than Tom Woods...on here and other places on the web
 
Top Bottom
Back