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Lifted WJ front driveshaft

7K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  wjjeep19 
#1 ·
I have had several wranglers, but this is my first grand Cherokee. I have a 2002 with the in-line six and 242 transfer case. I installed a 3.5 inch lift kit and at the time noticed that where the front driveshaft meets the transfer case the boot was torn. My front drive shaft is rzeppa at the tcase - u joint At the diff. Not knowing any better I rebuilt the joint at the back with a whole new cv head and re installed it. After further research, at this lift height I should have gotten a new driveshaft to get rid of the Rzeppa joint. Is this something I need to do immediately considering I just rebuilt the joint? It is not a daily driver but when off road will be disconnected from time to time. Thanks
 
#9 ·
First off, thanks to wjjeep for the extensive write-up in his link. I recently followed it to swap in V8 double cardan DS from the local JY for very little expense and effort. However, from his link it shows the DS from the 4.7 WJ is around 1.5" shorter than the DS from the 4.0 WJ. When I installed mine I definitely had to extend the slip joint beyond the "resting" length of the boot to reach the yoke. I think it's a good, low-cost option for now, but I worry that the DS has become the limiting factor for front end flex in extension. To be honest though, I haven't tested the theory to see if it's true or if it is, how much it limits extension.

Does anyone know how much travel is in the slip joint on the OEM double cardan front DS?
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the replies, I figured that may be what I have to do. I was just hoping I might get away with the new joint for a while until I can find the parts for the new driveshaft. Ive enjoyed it for the little while Ive had it, Ive fought a little death wobble, and the transmission shifts a little rough sometimes. I had it out some light trails this weekend and it is a ton of fun.
 

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#7 ·
Let me suggest something to you: put your front "frame" on stands and let the axle droop to full shock extension. That's the lowest your diff is ever going. Next disconnect your front prop shaft at the diff and let it droop, and measure how much lower the shaft can be and still rotate freely. That's your margin on the rzeppa. You might be surprised, depending on what your shock length is. In any case you'll know for a fact what your situation is.
 
#12 ·
"A little", 400 dollars is not a little more expensive than a $50-100 JY shaft. Not to mention it's 200-100 bucks more than a TW or Carolina driveshaft. There is no difference between steal shafts and Dana/Spicer ujoints are what's important. Like 13-20 bucks. Amazes me how people buy IRO overpriced stuff
 
#16 ·
Just to update this and ask a couple of questions...I bought a used double cardan driveshaft from a 2004 V8 WJ, but it did not come with the tcase yoke. I know I can get a new tcase seal at oreillys and I am also going to buy all new ujoints for it before I install it, but where can I buy the yoke? I just want to be sure Im buying the correct one so if anyone has a link to where I could get a new one that would be great. Thanks
 
#17 ·
I've done both options. I did the junkyard ds swap. Worked ok for a year or so. But as mentioned by another poster it was extended a little to far. So one day while driving I hit a bump and the ds extended to far and pulled apart and got ruined. I then went with a Carolina ds with Spicer u joints. I forget the exact price but def under $250. These people talking about $400 for a ds don't know what they are talking about and never called and got prices for themselves.
 
#19 ·
These people talking about $400 for a ds don't know what they are talking about and never called and got prices for themselves.
Yes we do know what we're talking about.

The $400 ds was specifically toward IRO and no one else.

See for yourself:
http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/10374.html

So what exactly are you going on about "never calling and looking up prices"?
 
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