Torqued drive shaft

[chuck35f]

I just replaced my Dana 20 Transfer Case , I determined it was bed when I stopped at a light and the rear end locked up. The case was in four wheel something and I used the front wheels to drag it into a NAPA parking lot, after pulling the rear drive shaft it ran great in front wheel drive, but when I pulled the drive shaft I determined that it is about ten deg off, the NAPA guy previously worked in a drive line shop and said that the jeep drive shafts where not designed for the nearly 400 hp powering my lil baby around, any suggestions? good places to get a new one for a good price?
One other note the Dana 20 I replaced my blown one with does not like to shift, it is in 4 high, I have open differentials and mostly take it a whole 12 miles on the weekend to the in laws, and then off on the trails for a little deer hunting, but that is about all the moving it does fir the time.

 

[mylittlecj5]

you were running the old case in 4 wheel something on the street?? thats why your old case went bad and the old one is dying a horrible death.
These cases are not designed to run in 4 wheel anything on hard surfaces.

DO this: back the Jeep up far enough to get the Transfer Case out of gear bind, then shift it into 2 wheel anything and stop driving it to the in-laws in four wheel drive!

 

[BusaDave9]

Get a new drive shaft at Tom Wood's Custom Drive shafts:
http://www.4xshaft.com
That's where I go for drive shafts. HD drive shafts at very good prices.

 

[jeepy]

I agree about not running 4wd on the street unless it is snow covered. I have also had drive shafts that were a few degrees off. Usually you just try pulling it apart and moving it a tooth. On some shafts (not most) you can correct it by turning it 180 degrees. Unless you have a vibration, it really isn't that big of a deal. Sometimes steel tubes will gradually twist, and usually they twist so far and then sort of stay that way forever. We see it all the time in axle shafts, kind of amazing to me. Eventually they might break, but usually it has nothing to do with the fact that it is already twisted slightly.
Most driveshafts fail offroad after they have hit a rock or something. If that puts a dent or bend in the shaft it is only a matter of time before the shaft turns into a pretzel.
If you feel you need a new shaft. Any local driveshaft shop can make a driveshaft as strong as you want it probably for much less than the over-rated Tom Woods shafts.

 

[mylittlecj5]

Any local driveshaft shop can make a driveshaft as strong as you want it probably for much less than the over-rated Tom Woods shafts.​

I will agree there, you pay for the Tom Woods name just like any other name brand.

I twisted my rear shaft up a little during a mud bog race. The local driveshaft shop, with some help from a local machine shop, fixed me up for about $50.
This is what I handed them..

This is what the machine shop did..Notice the thickness of that drive tube!


And this is what I am still running today. That puppy will never twist again! LOL


​

 

[BusaDave9]

Contrary to popular belief Tom Wood's drive shafts are not overpriced. I opened up the repair logs of my jeep and here's the numbers.
I had a drive shaft with slop in the slip joint so I got it repaired at a local drive shaft shop for $347. They replaced the slip joint and one yoke but did not re-balance it. I reused my U-Joints.
Later I needed a long travel drive shaft for my shackle reversal. Tom Wood sold me one for $224. It was custom built to my measurements, came with two heavy duty U-Joints and was balanced.
Several months later I came to realize my drive shaft could still bottom out. I went back to Tom Wood who replaced the slip joint with one that had 8 inches of travel. That cost me $100 (same procedure the local shop charged me $347 for)
I don't know how Tom Wood can make a heavy duty drive shaft at such a low cost.
I see drive shafts at Quadratec for $370 Original Replacement Parts 5356507 - Rear Drive Shaft for 76-79 Jeep® CJ-5 - Quadratec
Then I also see that Quadratec also has drive shafts for $210
Tom Wood's Custom Drive Shafts 5360986 - Front Drive Shaft for 81-86 Jeep® CJ-5, CJ-7 & CJ-8 - Quadratec
Then I realized this inexpensive drive shaft is made by Tom Woods!
The more expensive drive shaft is OEM.

 

[73CJ]

Ditto on Tom Wood's. They understand the short CJ driveshaft problems. He goes to Moab to test em.

He stands behind his stuff!

 

[jeepy]

I don't know. Just about anybody with a welder can replace tubing or swap parts in a driveshaft. A lathe comes in handy to cut the old tube off. Do some test to make sure it runs true. Try to keep your welds even. At worst you pay for someone else to balance it if you have vibrations you can't get rid of.

 

[BusaDave9]

It all depends on what is damaged on the old driveshaft. If chuck35f chimes in saying all that was damaged is the tube then take it to a local drive shaft shop. As long as they keep the assembly very strait it might not need much rebalancing.
On the other hand if it looks like he needs a new slip joint, yokes or especially a whole driveshaft then go to Tom Woods.

 

[fzsk4p]

Consider JEreel shafts. Good stuff !!

J. E. Reel :

 

[jeepy]

if it looks like he needs a new slip joint, yokes or especially a whole driveshaft then go to Tom Woods.

I just don't see it.
Your local shop is going to give you better support and face to face conversation. Can't get that with "mail order". Plus, no shipping fees, and no waiting.

A better option; Anybody who has spent any time at all in junkyards knows that shafts are abundent and cheap. The yokes don't really go bad. The slip yokes really only wear out on off road vehicles, so they are usually fine in a junkyard. You can even upgrade to a heavier shaft for really cheap. Changing the tube length is simple enough to make it fit your vehicle.

 

[BusaDave9]

I just don't see it.
Your local shop is going to give you better support and face to face conversation.

I disagree
Tom Wood gave me excellent support. I conversed with him several times before they made my custom drive shaft. Both email and phone calls.
The first 2 phone calls were with Tom Wood himself. We talked about my shackle reversal and how to correctly make the necessary measurements.
Then came the emails with the numbers they asked for.
Lastly I received a phone call from the technician that was preparing to build my drive shaft. He wanted to make sure my measurements were correct. He pointed out that when the front of the jeep is jacked up the suspension isn't as extended as far as possible. When you are jeeping up a steep slope the suspension may extend even further as you bounce over rocks.
No I did not see their faces but I got far better support than the local shop that repaired my drive shaft.
I now have a front drive shaft that will last for the life of my CJ. I know it will never hyper-extend nor will it ever completely compress.

 

[73CJ]

For a stock shaft - go local if you like. But when it comes to making a highly modified suspension - go to the experts. Can't beat Tom Woods. He's been there, done that.

Fast service and stands behind his stuff!

Try the rest, then go to the best. Everybody has to learn from their mistakes.

 

[justinkase]

I went to the napa here in laramie and the machinist there told me $350 using the good stuff off my shaft. I bought a brand new one for $190 with shipping. It was a stock replacement.

 

[chuck35f]

I think I will SHOP around. Both locally and online to include Tom Woods. My drive shaft looks normal until you have it out on a table, and then you can tell it is cockeyed. I see there are some very passionate view about drive shafts. I like it, gives me a better/fairer assesment of how to get it fixed.
Thank you, Chuck35f
P.S. I live in northern Ohio, the roads have been generally snow covered