1st hand experience with front driveshaft used in rear with SYE?

[99greenjeeper]

You know the story....
You can use a newer XJ auto/AW4 front drive shaft in the rear with an SYE with minimal/sometimes no modifications to the shaft. I'm considering this setup on my 99.

Looking at my front driveshaft compared to a high angle or tw shaft, it doesn't look so strong. But if Jeeps have tought me anything it is that just because it doesn't look so big and tough doesn't mean it can't kick arse.

Can anyone personally attest to the strength of this setup? Has anyone ran a front shaft in the rear with an HD SYE for a long time? Has anyone wheeled the crap out of this setup? Has anyone busted a front shaft when used as a rear?

Any first hand knowledge is much appreciated.
thanks,
Dave

 

[ECKSJAY]

2.5 years on mine. No real hardcore nasty OMFG trail use, but it's seen a few good trips and has held up just fine. Running with AA SYE in a 4.0L/AW4/NP231 combo.

Forgot it was there until you asked.

 

[XJ_ranger]

i just like to ad a tag to all these threads:

an AX-15 for a tranny wont let you use any XJ front shaft in a rear setup

the ax-15 is about 2" shorter than the aw4, meaning that a front shaft from an ax-15 equiped vehicle will be too short for anyone, and a front shaft from an XJ with an AW4 will be too short for the AX-15 guys, but will work for the aw4 guys...

just an FYI...

here are my driveshafts (click for full size image)
Stock rear DS with powder needle bearings
TW shaft for my rear
RE shaft for the front - looks exactly like the stock shaft i had



my front shaft measures 29.5" compressed and 31.5" extended
My rear shaft measures 35.25" static and can compress 2" and extend 3"
im at 6" of lift and have a Ford 9" rear end with (oddly enough) the same pinion yoke to axle tube center dimention as my D35 used to have.

ok - ill go to my corner and keep to myself now...

 

[99greenjeeper]

2.5 years on mine. No real hardcore nasty OMFG trail use, but it's seen a few good trips and has held up just fine. Running with AA SYE in a 4.0L/AW4/NP231 combo.

Forgot it was there until you asked.

Did you just replace the ujoints and slap it on? Did you need to lengthen/shorten/rebalance the shaft?

 

[ECKSJAY]

Did you just replace the ujoints and slap it on? Did you need to lengthen/shorten/rebalance the shaft?

Had a virtually unused front shaft from a parts rig I picked up for $10. The joints were tight and everything was in great shape.

Did not have to do anything to the shaft. I have about 6" lift and it could stand to be just a little bit longer, but it's OK. 5" lift would be perfect with that shaft.

Also FWIW, the shaft I pulled was a front from the same drivetrain combo that I have.

 

[Jeep00xj]

From what i have heard that you can also use the front drive shaft out of an explorer and i think that it is a little longer than the front drive shaft out of a xj.

 

[XJ_ranger]

From what i have heard that you can also use the front drive shaft out of an explorer and i think that it is a little longer than the front drive shaft out of a xj.

yup, but there are flanges at the ends of them...

they measure 34" static and compress 2" form there and hahve a sealed boot, so i dont know how much they expand before they become unsafe...

 

[afd516]

I just had my shafts rebuilt for my rig.

I had to rebuild the shaft any way so the rear axle was moved back 1.5 inches and I have 4.5 inches of lift.

While I was at the drive shaft place I asked the guy there if there was anything I could do to make the shaft stronger since I had to cut, lengthen and replace the slip joint anyway.

His reply was "Not really. If anything were to break, it would be the u-joints."

I have 36" tires and wheel pretty hard with no problems as of yet. :clap:

 

[BUCKYXJ]

mines been like that for awhile now and not an incident to report. I wheel hard (I think at least)

 

[99greenjeeper]

shweeet. Thanks guys for all the input. I'm feeling much better about using a front shaft now. Keep the input coming as I'm sure others have been thinking about going this route too!

 

[Ramsey]

i've got it but only for a week or so. some very mild offroad use. this is actually from a zj. the measurements were right but i'm curious to see if it will hold. gonna get a spare before the next big trip just in case.

 

[willyb]

I did this with my '97 XJ [4.0/AW4/242] with the RE H&T... Worked out perfectly for my 5.5in lift... I have had no complaints, and the price was right... Had it on for close to 5 months now with no problems. Been on plenty of trails to test it out, and it is my daily driver...

Will.

 

[johnh2os]

No probs with mine, I dont wheel very hard......thats why its called Rock CRAWLING, no issues.

John

 

[Timmay]

I wheel pretty hard. Just today I swapped my front shaft (which was a warrenty replacement from the dealership about 3 months ago) to the rear as my old front shaft (junkyard shaft) had gotten some slop into the yoke. They are so cheap i'm just going to hit up the junkyard again and grab a new one. Now i'll have a spare shaft for the front and rear that vibes a little bit.

Oh, '00 XJ, 4.75-5" lift, PORC HD SYE (same as AA or any others), 34s. 4.56s, detroit, etc. etc.... This shaft doesn't get babied per say.

 

[St3mpy]

I'm alittle lost on this. If you have an AX-15, this won't work right? The transmission is shorter?

 

[ECKSJAY]

I'm alittle lost on this. If you have an AX-15, this won't work right? The transmission is shorter?

Correct.

What was figured out was using the front shaft out of the longest drivetrain combo...in the back of the longest drivetrain combo.

 

[99greenjeeper]

Had a virtually unused front shaft from a parts rig I picked up for $10. The joints were tight and everything was in great shape.

Did not have to do anything to the shaft. I have about 6" lift and it could stand to be just a little bit longer, but it's OK. 5" lift would be perfect with that shaft.

Also FWIW, the shaft I pulled was a front from the same drivetrain combo that I have.

Hey ECKSJAY, any ideas where I could get a front shaft for that price?

 

[Dirk Pitt]

Hey ECKSJAY, any ideas where I could get a front shaft for that price?

Got mine from a junkyard for ~$25.

Running the PORC sye and stock front shaft.

Works great.

 

[Lucas]

didn't read the rest of the thread, but I use a AA SYE and front XJ shaft in the rear. Blew one yoke up at Tellico, but I was being really mean to it by whacking it into rocks. The shaft itself had held up just fine, and I really have to get on the gas sometimes. I just went up a few inches in the rear of the jeep, and may end up having to get a custom one made, or try doing it myself.

 

[ipkyss]

I have an ax-15. With 10" lift and 37s and a 4:1. I use a stock front shaft that i lenthend with a piece of tube that was a little thicker. I have thrashed it pretty good now. and no breaks yet. And FYI At 8" lift with a ax-15 and a 8.25 rear axle. The front driveshaft out of a 95 grand cherokee is perfect lenth.