I am thinking of running a front driveshaft when i do the sye to my heep, is it goin to be a weak point with the 33's or well it hold up well for mild wheelin?

Ill be doin a 8.8 swap this spring to any advice on this as well?

The front DS in a rear application seems to be a good one from a strength point of view. This fellow http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/ did it for his custom hack'n'tap SYE kit, and he runs 32" tires all across Australia. He hasn't had any complaints, but you can ask him yourself on NAXJA. (He posts there sometimes.)

If I was going to do an SYE, it's the way I'd go!

It'll work just fine for you. You'd have to be using D60s and 38" or up tires before getting into a strength issue.

I've been using them for 4 years now with no more trouble than normal wear and a major crunch on an uber sized rock. Fortunately I had a spare and was on my way in about 1/2 hour.

Rodney did you use a tom woods yoke or a spicer one? Im trying to track down a part number if spicer even makes it..tom woods stuff is costly up here in comparison

I generally use OEM drive shafts for parts. The only part I buy is the centering link for the double cardan and that is a Spicer which I get locally.

When you say yoke, are you referring to this

Here's an on line place that sells DS parts http://www.arizonadrivelines.com/drive_ ... ardan_type).htm

For whatever reason it won't link so you'll have to cut-n-paste.

Thanks for the feed back guys. Got thinking today at work, if i use it in the front with 32's on the 96, y wouldn't it work with 33's in the back? Sometimes i wonder how i get dressed in the morning lol.
As for the spicer parts, that is all i use! redone the front shaft in the 96 3 years ago, not as much as a hickup. i'll bee doin the same with the 93 this spring when i do the axel swaps and tcase swap.

Don't be so hard on yourself; a rear driveshaft sees more use and thus will need to be as stout or even stouter than a front shaft, IMHO. It was cautious, and therefore prudent think on your part.



When you rebuilt the front shaft, was it difficult? Are any special tools needed? I'll likely be doing both shafts in my 1987 XJ this summer; not that there's anything wrong with them now, I just want to do it with good parts, and maintain them well from day one.

Let me repeat myself here. The front DS from any year XJ with an AW4 transmission will work exceptionally well in the rear of an XJ with a standard length Slip Yoke eliminator and a D44, D35, Chry 8.25, Chry 8.75, Ford 8.8 or Ford 9 and no more than 6" of lift.

No, a rear DS does not have to be stouter that the front. The same torque will be equally applied to both.

Here's how to rebuild a DS http://www.myjeepxj.com/index.php?page= ... ft-rebuild

Some guys prefer to use the hammer and socket method, but I prefer using the press indicated in the above link.

Cool link!

I've always been a bit intimidated by the front d-shaft, thinking it needed special tools or something. I have a couple of spare shafts, I should just go ahead and re-build one, eh?

Since I just completely rebuilt one including the centering and the slide yoke, let me tell you something; Getting that slide yoke off was akin to putting a condom on ones foot. But do it I did.

Turned 2 junk DS into one good one.