drive shaft

[driver007]

I plan on getting a lift in the future. Modest 2.5-3" in height. I also Need new drive shafts. If I order a stock measurement shaft will it work with my future lift plans or do I order it with the future lift in mind I would hate to order a shaft then have to change it when I do get a lift.

 

[Sasquach]

I plan on getting a lift in the future. Modest 2.5-3" in height. I also Need new drive shafts. If I order a stock measurement shaft will it work with my future lift plans or do I order it with the future lift in mind I would hate to order a shaft then have to change it when I do get a lift.

Hey Driver looks like nobody's willing to guess, and that's what it would be. The front probably won't change but the rear with a 3" lift on a CJ5 gets kinda steep and may want the pinion clocked and a CV type shaft used so how that works with the stock setup? would be a guess.
I do not know if the T case is in the same location as my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l and that will make a diff.
Were's Busadave? he runs your drivetrain I think.

 

[driver007]

Ok I suppose the proper question would be what drive shaft issues have people had with a 2.5-3" lift in a 80 CJ5 . This will give me a better idea what to watch out for.

 

[BusaDave9]

With 2.5 to 3 inches of lift I don't think you will have any problems with the driveline angle. I have closer to 5 inches of lift and I have had issues with driveline angle. When a driveshaft is angled it produces a rotational vibration. This is because the driveshaft tries to speed up and slow down with each rotation.
This vibration feeds back to the TCase and Tranny. It seems like that is where the problem is.
Normally this vibration isn't a problem as long at the angle of the front u-joint is the same as the rear. This is because the front u-joint cancels out the vibration of the rear u-joint. If you ever take apart a drive shaft at the slip joint and put it together 90° from how it came apart it will amplify the vibration. That will be obvious in the first couple of blocks of driving.
I have tried different things to get rid of my vibration. At first I lowered my tcase mounting. Later I installed a double cardan drive shaft from Tom Wood's. At the same time I had to angle my rear axle upward.
You might have to lower your Tcase slightly.
This topic came up in another thread. Here is what I said then:

Let me add a couple notes on drive line angles.
If the U Joint angles on a drive shaft are not strait (they never are on an off road vehicle) then they actually speed up and slow down on each rotation. This can produce a bad vibration. But a drive shaft is made so the vibration of the front U Joint cancels the vibration of the rear U Joint. This works great if the the angle of the front U Joint to match the rear. This is how every manufacture makes vehicles.

But this only works at small drive line angles. The UJoints don't like too much angle so when you lift your jeep you may have to angle the rear differential upward. This can be done with angled shims at the leaf springs. Then to keep both u Joint angles the same you can lower your TCase. If the drive line angles get to be too much you should then go to double cardan joint or a CV joint at the front of the drive shaft. A double cardan joint is 2 U Joints together.

These 2 U Joints cancel each others vibrations. In that case the U Joint at the differential should not have any angle. To keep it from vibrating it should be strait like this.

Now you can see how the pinion is much higher than the manufacturer intended.
That vent reservoir is a good idea. Thanks for the tip.

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f2/high-pinion-angle-keeping-pinion-bearings-lubed-7529/