The last CV you'll ever need....maybe

[Marlin]

LOL, just wait till you blow your front drive shaft. Zu wants 500-600 for em. I took my spare to a driveshaft shop to have em rebuilt. No go. They said the boots are flanged on and there is no way to repair them. Dunno if I believe that, but I know my currently installed one is clattering. My spare has a torn boot, and apparently my original has had torn boots for quite some time. I mention it in this thread only because it has CVs at each end of the shaft, the drive shaft guy said it was a weird design, and not very strong. I agree, considering our rear Dana44 has axles the size of our wrists, yet our puny front drive train is lacking.

Long story short, there are a few routes::
One-Get em from the yards, I believe any TOD zu will do. Will find out this weekend when I go yard scouting.

Two-Fork over the 600 bones for a new one

Three-Install non-TOD transfer case and swap to the Zu front driveshaft with universals vice CVs.

Perhaps I should start a new thread...........

[Triathlete]

Marlin, mine is shot also. My plan is to have a shaft custom built to fit using ujoints. I'll let you know what I find out.

[Marlin]

Marlin, mine is shot also. My plan is to have a shaft custom built to fit using ujoints. I'll let you know what I find out.

Hmm, not a horrible idea, I have some jeep friends that use square tubing for driveshafts, they just weld U-joints to the ends, if you tear one up, no worries...its easy to make a new one and they actually balance out just fine.

[Triathlete]

Square shafts don't balance well at all. Those that have them generally only use them for off road. Mine will use round tube for tod use on the highway when needed.

[RamAirZ]

I don't know if it was on here or Planet but I had discussed building the same thing Billy. Use yokes at each end for ujoints, weld a yoke in place of our cups and a yoke to the end of the splined part of the CV shaft. The main issue would be binding when turning while flexing since the u-joint would be trying to go 2 directions I think but in theory it should work. Be real easy to replace ujoints too.

[Triathlete]

The front drive shaft shouldn't see much movement on an IFS. So binding should not be an issue...I would think. Going to have to get it to a shop and see what they say. I spoke with someone in Moab that had done it on his Trooper so it should be possible.

[RamAirZ]

driveshaft or CV shaft? I was talking about replacing the CV. And what's everyone's issue with front driveshafts? They are a dime a dozen in the yard and don't look that different than any other shaft IMO.