Help! WJ front driveshaft...

[JChatary]

My knowledge of car repairs is minimal...so I need some knowledge from the experts here!

Over the weekend I went through a mud/gravel puddle out on a dry lake bed a little faster than I should have (a big mistake I'll NEVER make again).

I had to drive my WJ home for about 3 hours from where we were at...and the grinding noise was REALLY bad. I have my WJ in a shop now and the guy there is telling me the bearings off my front driveshaft are destroyed, which in turn damaged the shaft itself, which is being replaced. I'm a little confused since I've never heard of a driveshaft having bearings. I called the guy again to confirm "bearings on the front driveshaft from the t-case to the front diff." and he confirms. Does this sound right?

 

[adventureduo]

I dont follow. What "bearings" is the guy talking about in the front shaft? Only thing that i could think of is needle bearings in the u-joint? If thats the case.. the entire shaft doesn't need to be replaced. Just the u-joint. I would take it elsewhere that specifies in driveline work.

 

[Fergie]

My knowledge of car repairs is minimal...so I need some knowledge from the experts here!

Over the weekend I went through a mud/gravel puddle out on a dry lake bed a little faster than I should have (a big mistake I'll NEVER make again).

I had to drive my WJ home for about 3 hours from where we were at...and the grinding noise was REALLY bad. I have my WJ in a shop now and the guy there is telling me the bearings off my front driveshaft are destroyed, which in turn damaged the shaft itself, which is being replaced. I'm a little confused since I've never heard of a driveshaft having bearings. I called the guy again to confirm "bearings on the front driveshaft from the t-case to the front diff." and he confirms. Does this sound right?

The front DS uses a CV joint instead of a UJ. So, while it may not *technically* be correct, he is somewhat right.

If I was in the same situation, this is what I'd do.

Scrap the CV joint design, and get a UJ yoke for the front output of the WJ. Then, find a XJ of ZJ front DS and use that in place of you old CV one. That way, you have a nice UJ output, and dont have to worry about the CV joint again.

 

[JChatary]

Thanks! That'll be something to look into when my budget allows it. Until then I'm just going to go with the repair/replacement being done now & choose where & how I drive smarter.

 

[BigAl]

If I was in the same situation, this is what I'd do.

Scrap the CV joint design, and get a UJ yoke for the front output of the WJ. Then, find a XJ of ZJ front DS and use that in place of you old CV one. That way, you have a nice UJ output, and dont have to worry about the CV joint again.

Have you done this? It sounds a little wrong to me. His front pinion angle is set fron the factory for a CV shaft. He can get his cv rebuilt with 3 new ujoints for $100 from any driveshaft shop. Also you mention using an XJ shaft, they are CV.

 

[The Swiss]

Changing the front driveshaft did not solve the problem on my WJ. Turned out that the real problem was mud getting under the rubber cover into the output of the transfer case, chewing it out. Never fixed it as I was trading my WJ in.

Hope for you it is just the joints.

 

[Fergie]

Have you done this? It sounds a little wrong to me. His front pinion angle is set fron the factory for a CV shaft. He can get his cv rebuilt with 3 new ujoints for $100 from any driveshaft shop. Also you mention using an XJ shaft, they are CV.

When I say CV in this context, I mean the bastard child Rzeppa(sp?) joint that is used at the front output side of the DS.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you thinking that the DS is constructed like this:

*front axle yoke*->U-joint->Drive shaft->slipyoke->remaining driveshaft->double u-joint("CV")->*front output of T-case*

If so, this is not how the WJ front DS is constructed, which is where our mix-up is, I think.

While I've not done this to my WJ, no need to yet, it really is as simple as changing the front output on the 242 to a yoke style, and using a DS from a 242 equipped XJ or ZJ.

 

[BigAl]

When I say CV in this context, I mean the bastard child Rzeppa(sp?) joint that is used at the front output side of the DS.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you thinking that the DS is constructed like this:

*front axle yoke*->U-joint->Drive shaft->slipyoke->remaining driveshaft->double u-joint("CV")->*front output of T-case*

If so, this is not how the WJ front DS is constructed, which is where our mix-up is, I think.

OK, so you are recommending a double carden CV (like an XJ), I thought you were recommending a slip joint driveshaft with a single u-joint at each end. I've been running the XJ style drive shafts front and rear and having pretty good luck. Although recently the ball in the center of the CV in my $$ Tom Woods shaft went out

 

[Fergie]

OK, so you are recommending a double carden CV (like an XJ), I thought you were recommending a slip joint driveshaft with a single u-joint at each end. I've been running the XJ style drive shafts front and rear and having pretty good luck. Although recently the ball in the center of the CV in my $$ Tom Woods shaft went out

Correct.

On my '95 XJ, I ran a front driveshaft in the front, and in the rear as well, and carried one as a spare, all from 4.0L, AW-4 equipped XJs, with C8.25" axles.

 

[over2land]

While I've not done this to my WJ, no need to yet, it really is as simple as changing the front output on the 242 to a yoke style, and using a DS from a 242 equipped XJ or ZJ.

I think he's got a 247 in his WJ. IE, no part time setting.

Otherwise, if you (he) were planning on keeping the 247, then yeah, put regular yokes on it, and run regular u-joints.

Can the front axle CV get tossed for a regular u-joint front axleshaft too? Just wondering.

 

[Fergie]

I think he's got a 247 in his WJ. IE, no part time setting.

Otherwise, if you (he) were planning on keeping the 247, then yeah, put regular yokes on it, and run regular u-joints.

Can the front axle CV get tossed for a regular u-joint front axleshaft too? Just wondering.

This might be SPOBI, so check the research bettre than I have.

There are a few people running stock inners, and custom outers to facilitate u-jointed axle shafts. Nothing that I know of is a simple swap in.

When the time comes, my front is getting ditched for an XJ HP D30, or possibly a Rubi LP D44.

The 247 would greatly affect the use of yokes in this case.

 

[over2land]

This might be SPOBI, so check the research bettre than I have.

There are a few people running stock inners, and custom outers to facilitate u-jointed axle shafts. Nothing that I know of is a simple swap in.

When the time comes, my front is getting ditched for an XJ HP D30, or possibly a Rubi LP D44.

The 247 would greatly affect the use of yokes in this case.

That up there in red is for you, RGRN10. You should do that before spending the money on the front axle.

Fergie- ditch the housing, but keep the WJ outer knuckles and brakes and stuff, right?

 

[JChatary]

God...looks like I just got struck by lightning twice....I'm on the way home from Arizona yesterday afternoon (no off-road use whatsoever) and the front driveshaft starts the same nasty, SUPER loud, grinding again...just like last time. The place I had it replaced at warrantees their parts & work for 6 months...and it looks like I passed that 6 month mark by maybe a couple weeks.

Are there any other WJ-Quadradrive owners on here that have the same problems....or am I the only one?

I guess if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all....

 

[adventureduo]

Im wondering if you need more drop on the t-case? Remember the spacer we put in it to drop if for the lift? Maybe it needs more drop? Try asking the guys you go the lift from... couldn't hurt.

When it went before... did you have the bigger lift? I cant remember.

 

[JChatary]

No. The bigger lift was installed in March. I'll contact the place I bought the lift from now.