not ready for SYE yet

Hey ,

ive been reading SYE threads for the past few days and decided that Im not ready for an SYE yet, for the reason that i dont have enough funds to skids and and sye... and for the fact that i dont know how much its going to cost to get a drive shaft made... Which leads me to my next point

I have a 1995 cherokee with an AX-15, NP231, and an 8.25 axle, with 3" lift. Ive read that you cant use a front driveshaft with an ax-15 because the transmission makes the drive line to short for the shaft... so i thought about hold off on an SYE for now.

But this is where i need help, i know that you can shim your rear axle to help with the angle, (right now my T-case is dropped an inch, because i got mild binding during high points of travel.) But my question is, did jeep make different length drive shafts for different combination transmissons/axles?
such as an ax-15/d35 drive shaft being longer?

Some other Jeep models have longer front drive shafts. Measure to see what you need for an SYE. Check this info -> http://www2.dana.com/pdf/J321-CV.PDF

The local drive line shop will shorten or lengthen a drive shaft for $75.

okay.. i think im understanding the diagram a little.. but the only real way to find out would be to basicly take mine off... and see how much travel i really need...

what i was hoping for, is for someone who might have already done this, or possible had some direct information for me.

use a v8 zj front driveshaft with a SYE and a ax-15.

asp387 said:

use a v8 zj front driveshaft with a SYE and a ax-15.

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is this pretty much bound to work? cause i saw that it was a 32"?

i use it and i know at least 4 or five others that have too.

edit: nevermind, this is with a SYE only.

i know you say you don't want to do the SYE but it's the only right way to go... i don't think a longer driveshaft would help very much. it's the extreme angles in the ujoints that make the vibration, not a lack of spline engagement. having a double cardan jointed driveshaft makes the angles less severe.

well.. im going to order a T-case skid on thursday,

and im going to look for a v8zj to take the front drive shaft from... if not, i just talked to my local driveshaft shop, they said that if i bring them a front cv shaft, they would charge me $100 to put in a larger tube(assuming that they would make it longer than the original), and $35 to balance it.

but, right now i dont have the funds for a sye for another 2 months, can i just put shims in the axles to lessen the extremity of the angle, and take out my 1" drop? its only a 3" lift.

shims will help. the CV driveshaft won't do you any good until you get a SYE. it's hard to tell what degree of shims you'll need without measuring, but try 3*. it should be better.

edit: i don't know how many times i've referenced this exact pic, but here goes again. left is stock, right is SYE'd. the CV DS bolts to the yoke on the right at the top. a stock driveshaft with a slip yoke mounts on the left one.

i understand that from the picture... you almost add an entire foot to your driveline which is great for your angles... but not great for the wallet.

i will try to get a drive shaft first before ordering the SYE

but shims are only $7 and some change.

and JCRoffroad is having some pretty awesome deals right now on alot of stuff.. compared to rustys.. plus i dont like rustys skid plate designs all that much.

forget the skid, and get the sye!

xcm said:

forget the skid, and get the sye!

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x2. i've done my fair share of wheeling and have yet to nail my tcase. i've come close, but i've never full on dropped my xj on it.

Djmack said:

but shims are only $7 and some change.

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where the hell are you getting shims for $7? don't bother with aluminum ones. they'll just oxidize to your leaf packs and axle. when you go to whack them off, they'll just crumble. get steel ones.

i just ordered the skidplate.. and next payday, im getting the gas tank skid, if i have leftover money to carry me, ill get the sye the same day of my gas skid..

and the reason i decided to order my skids first is because jcr has some deals right now... nothing to substantial, but enough to cover basic shipping.