JKU Front Driveshaft Options

    My first drive shaft CV lasted about 85,000 miles but this last one has only lasted about 20,000. I thought I had bought OEM but it might be an aftermarket POS. (Can't remember.)


    I'm looking for something that will hold up a little better. Quadratec has some JE Reel shafts that convert to a U-Joint that may work better for my application.


    I have a 3.5" Lift which just in between the specs they have listed on their site so I'm not sure whether to go smaller or larger and I'm not messing with custom. http://www.quadratec.com/categ…e/drive_shafts/driveshaft


    Does anyone have any recommendations they can throw my way? The Jeep is a mall/beach cruiser FWIW.


    TIA,
    Billy

    I think a lot depends on how long you're planning on keeping it. It's the same style joint as the front d/s in our WJ which also has ~3.5" lift and I've replaced that twice...first time I was cheap and swapped to a used d/s and then when that one started making noise I rebuilt it w/ a new joint. That was ~40k ago and it's still holding strong. For the use it gets I'll swap the joint again if it gives us a problem.


    EDIT: FYI, the joint is $121.79 on rockauto


    --Ian

    Being able to rebuild is another reason I want to just put u-joints in. By the time I catch the CV rattling, it's in pretty bad shape and a new assembly is the only way to go.


    I'll probably have this rust bucket at least another year or so to get an even 10 years out of it. Maybe the new Bronco's will be out by then. :suspicious:

    tom woods 1350 is the only way to go on the front of these things. Billy ill have one on friday if you want to come check it out for a JK I'm building right now.


    i have also installed the Teraflex High angle joint at the T-case end and they are amazing if you want to go budget

    Quote from KnoxRents

    Being able to rebuild is another reason I want to just put u-joints in. By the time I catch the CV rattling, it's in pretty bad shape and a new assembly is the only way to go.


    I'll probably have this rust bucket at least another year or so to get an even 10 years out of it. Maybe the new Bronco's will be out by then. :suspicious:


    I'm confused...you can rebuild (more replace) the rezeppa style joint, you don't have to replace the entire driveshaft when it goes. Mine sounded like it was going to fall out of the Jeep the last time I replaced it and there was no issue. Maybe it's just the cheapass in me but to baby that pig for another year you could replace the joint multiple times for less than a conversion. Unless you think you'll be putting >40k on it in the next year it seems like a waste to upgrade.


    BTW, not to get offtopic but I wouldn't pin your hopes on a bronco that is even close to the renderings people seem to be getting all giddy over....most people in the industry seem to agree that it'll likely be based on the ranger platform and borrowing heavily from the foreign-market Everest. I doubt it'll have much more than a passing resemblance to 'real' broncos and the renderings.


    --Ian

    It's a couple hundred bucks a shot to replace. :doh: I just looked....the last one which I think was Crown lasted me 20,000 miles but I may have driven off the beach in 4wd like a dumb ass which FUBARed it. I was just thinking something with a little more quality would be beneficial. I see Tera Crap has a rebuild kit for $125. Maybe I'll see how that holds up and delay getting something stouter.

    Quote from clendaniel

    --Ian

    Ford is screwing this up bigtime then. Obviously I love Jeep(s) but as popular as the JK is, it seems like Ford could throw out a similar platform with a 10 year R & D cycle and just kill it with profit just like Jeep has done. :shrug:

    I have the 1310 Series Tom Woods on the front of my JKU for 50K miles. Its runs about $489.00 roughly which is $200.00 cheaper then the 1350 series. all the u joints are greasable. I have had no issues with it. The only negative item is its difficult to access the double cardan joint to grease it.

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