Let's Talk Driveshafts

[Stic-o]

Ok So I need a new driveshaft, mine is not long enough, and it pretty screw up and the diffy side.

So I taled to Mr. Tom Wood himself, and he said it would be about $400 bucks

I taled a local place, and they said it would be about $375-450 depening on what I want. He said they could change over the front flange so it would take 1330. Which would give me 1330's F&R on the rear driveshaft.

So here is my questions???

Do I need a CV?
How long of spilnes do I need?

anything else to think about????

 

[410Fortune]

1310's are plenty strong in my experience
my local shop wuld charge me $150 or so to completely rebuild my CV rear shaft, all new u joints AND adjust them length (new tube if needed) including balance

$375 sounds HIGH
call around?

 

[RockRanger]

$375 sounds about right for a completly new shaft. Last I heard Tracy's dad was getting them retubed for about $100 plus $4.00 an inch for the tubing. If you pay the big bucks to get a driveline done I would get 3/16" wall tubing maybe even 1/4" tubing. My old ranger had a 3/16 rear and it had a bunch of scrathches in it from rubbing on rocks.

 

[IZwack]

$0.02

Do I need a CV?

I think the reason why there is a single cardan joint on the rear driveshft is that the rear axle is typically located by leaf springs -- which, when extended or compressed, tends to keep the driveshaft parallel (or close enough to parallel) with the transfer case.

I think front axles on the other hand tends to be double cardan (or CV) because they are of the link/radius type -- which, depending on the arm lengths and arm pivot points relative to the transfer case, often does not keep the pinion parallel to the transfer case.


But having said that, I question why there is a CV front driveshaft on the 2nd generation explorer because its front differential hardly ever moves (its on rubber mounts).

How long of spilnes do I need?

I think this all depends again on your suspension setup. For example, if you're running radius arms/links at the front, if the chassis pivot point is directly at the U-joint at the transfer case, the pivot point at the axle is directly in-line with the pinion , the pinion kept perfect angle throughout suspenion travel, and all of the pivot points are of the "hard" type (as in there are no rubber bushings - like heim joints), then ideally you dont need splines at all I think leaf springs require the most spline length in most situations because, in addition to travelling a normal arc, the spring also "pushes" the axle out on compression as it gets longer (like the rear axle - assuming shackle is on the "far" side from the middle of the vehicle).


But those are just my thoughts I'm a newb at off roading

 

[redranger4.0]

even if the pinion is kept perfect through out suspension travel you would still need splines. cause it will still move in an arc no matter what. there for the shaft needs to be able to change size or it would just jam into the ttcase

 

[IZwack]

even if the pinion is kept perfect through out suspension travel you would still need splines. cause it will still move in an arc no matter what. there for the shaft needs to be able to change size or it would just jam into the ttcase

i thought that if the driveshaft is kept in line with the lower link for example throughout the entire suspension travel and the lower link does not use a compressible material (rubber bushings) - then it would neither extend nor compress - because the lower link does neither extend nor compress.

Even during flex where one side is compressed and one side is extended, if the driveshaft is still in the now twisted "plane" with the two lower links, then it is neither compressed nor extended. I guess the easiest way to explain this a flat sheet of steel - twist one end relative to the other end and any line on the steel's surface parallel to the two twisted ends will still be the same length.

EDIT: Actually, I was just about to fall asleep when this idea popped into mind again -- and you're right redranger4.0 I overlooked the transfer-case end.

 

[Stic-o]

Ok is the standard 3.5" of spline or whatever long enough?

 

[redranger4.0]

it all depends on how much travel you have up front. if you have lots of travel your going to need a shaft that will also have alot of spline travel to work with your front travel.

 

[Stic-o]

This is for the rear we're talking.

 

[RockRanger]

As long as it is the correct length the stock one should be fine. The only person I have seen have problems with a stock rear driveshaft seperating was tom. He had a stock shaft in his navajo and sometimes it would come apart. I just measured the length between the yokes and told the shop to make mine that length in the middle of travel. Im not to worried about it. Unless you do a lot of jumping I cant see how the stock shaft would be long enough. With the diff pretty much in the middle it doesnt move up and down much when rock crawling or driving down the highway.

If you really want to check and make sure atke the rear springs apart and just leave the main leaf. Now compress the suspension till it hits the bump stops. Measure yoke to yoke. Then let the axle hang off the one leaf and measure yoke to yoke. Now you will know how much spline travel you really need.