How many peoples front drive shaft failed already?

trailman · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:33 am

Wasatch15 wrote:

02 with 29,460 miles and mine started making noises over a year ago. I removed it, replaced it with a Tom Wood's drive shaft and never looked back. I do have to grease the u-joints now but I'm under there doing maintenance anyway. This has been a very good upgrade IMHO. Would have to find my notes to see exact miles original drive shaft was removed.

I just went to the Tom Woods site. How did you find the right driveshaft to order it. Or did you send them the specs you wanted. I would be thrilled if they can make one with u-joints instead of CVs.

IceColeNH · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:39 am

mine stated acting up at about 160000 miles. Mostly hway & winter use. Some wheeling. The rear seal just seems to have that old rubber look. Cracked and falling to pieces. Put some grease in there to reduce 2wd noise. However, I won't wheel with it till replace ment. Thinking of using Ujoint like some others did with a custom shaft.

trailman · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:42 am

phxtoad wrote:

My prop shaft was going at 95K when I had it replaced. Lots of play, and an annoying rattle. I had a U-joint shaft put in vs an OEM cv shaft.

I need to know how you guys are getting a front drive shaft with U-joints! Are they custom or can I buy a pre-made one from somewhere?

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:04 pm

I have an 03 sport
went though 2 front drive shafts, 3 drivers side cv and half shafts, 1 rear drive shaft and 1 set of rear diffs.
I have 130,xxx on the OD rite now and I do some pretty hard wheeling often

trailman · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:12 pm

Jeep Dawg wrote:

I have an 03 sport
went though 2 front drive shafts, 3 drivers side cv and half shafts, 1 rear drive shaft and 1 set of rear diffs.
I have 130,xxx on the OD rite now and I do some pretty hard wheeling often

That's what I'm talkin about! You must beat the hell out of that thing!

Wasatch15 · **Joined:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:52 am **Posts:** 242

Trailman, e-mail me at wasatch@utahbroadband.com and I'll e-mail you all the information I have on the Tom Wood's driveshaft I installed. It will make the process easier for you and yes it has u-joints.

Oh yeah, I only have a little over 29,000 on my 02' because I ride a motorcycle most of the warm months.

CD · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:24 pm

trailman wrote:

CD wrote:

jerbacher wrote:

however, i do have an interesting "wumm wumm wumm" rotational sound going on right now. so, could be a joint getting ready. i can only hear this sound at very low speeds <10mph while coasting.

I've got exactly what your explaining :shock:

Quote:

Check for grease and also grip the drive shaft and turn it back and forth with force to check for play and odd noises. A harmonic metal sound is bad.

I've got no grease anywhere but when I grip the front drive shaft (between engine and transfer case) I have a lot of play. I can easly rotate it from side to side (about 10mm of movement). I can also giggle it and get a rattling noise, I can also side it back and forward enought to get a noise (3 to 5mm of movement).

Any ideas .... suggestions... Dr KJ what's wrong.

In answer to the 1st post, no I've not had this happen and I have an 05 with about 45'000 K's on the clock. I've not wheeled it much of late but have done so in the past.

I should also mention that I have no play or movement at all in the rear drive shaft (trandfer case to rear diff).

On my brand new front drive shaft there is almost no slack in it. I could turn my old one back and forth a good 8th of a turn. From what you descibe yours isn't as bad as mine was. If you don't put your jeep into 4WD, your drive shaft will probably last a good while. Even after I heard my first noises, I wheeled the p!$$ out of mine and finished it off. I can't help it, sometimes I just get that itch. As for your rear driveshaft, I don't know how you don't have any play in it. Mabye 2002's are different than 2005's. My whole drivetrain combined has a decent amount of slack in it. I brought it to the dealer and they told me it was normal.

No movement could be due to lift, not sure but it's solid with no play.

I took the KJ to ARB on the way to work today, they said a cardinal joint may be a good idea for the tail shaft (anyone done that mod... other than OZLTD (CRDSTU)).

I then took the KJ to Jeep (Chatswood) to see if I can get the front fixed (warranty runs out in Dec this year). They think the bearing in the front diff is cactus, could be warranty (I'm told). THey have the beast and I should find out later in the day what the story is.

trailman · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:09 pm

CD wrote:

trailman wrote:

CD wrote:

jerbacher wrote:

however, i do have an interesting "wumm wumm wumm" rotational sound going on right now. so, could be a joint getting ready. i can only hear this sound at very low speeds <10mph while coasting.

I've got exactly what your explaining :shock:

Quote:

Check for grease and also grip the drive shaft and turn it back and forth with force to check for play and odd noises. A harmonic metal sound is bad.

I've got no grease anywhere but when I grip the front drive shaft (between engine and transfer case) I have a lot of play. I can easly rotate it from side to side (about 10mm of movement). I can also giggle it and get a rattling noise, I can also side it back and forward enought to get a noise (3 to 5mm of movement).

Any ideas .... suggestions... Dr KJ what's wrong.

In answer to the 1st post, no I've not had this happen and I have an 05 with about 45'000 K's on the clock. I've not wheeled it much of late but have done so in the past.

I should also mention that I have no play or movement at all in the rear drive shaft (trandfer case to rear diff).

On my brand new front drive shaft there is almost no slack in it. I could turn my old one back and forth a good 8th of a turn. From what you descibe yours isn't as bad as mine was. If you don't put your jeep into 4WD, your drive shaft will probably last a good while. Even after I heard my first noises, I wheeled the p!$$ out of mine and finished it off. I can't help it, sometimes I just get that itch. As for your rear driveshaft, I don't know how you don't have any play in it. Mabye 2002's are different than 2005's. My whole drivetrain combined has a decent amount of slack in it. I brought it to the dealer and they told me it was normal.

No movement could be due to lift, not sure but it's solid with no play.

I took the KJ to ARB on the way to work today, they said a cardinal joint may be a good idea for the tail shaft (anyone done that mod... other than OZLTD (CRDSTU)).

I then took the KJ to Jeep (Chatswood) to see if I can get the front fixed (warranty runs out in Dec this year). They think the bearing in the front diff is cactus, could be warranty (I'm told). THey have the beast and I should find out later in the day what the story is.

Well I'm glad your still under warranty. Hopefully whatever is giving out will give out in time to be covered by your warranty. I still have about 30000 miles and a little under 3 years for mine. So I don't mine being hard on my KJ right now.

CD · **Posted:** Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:07 pm

Jeep called to say the they will cover parts and work, they will strip the diff next week and see what's wrong. They said it's probably the crown wheel / pinion or bearing but wont know till they pull it all out.

Can somone help explain what those parts are... no I will start another thread for that.

cmohr · **Posted:** Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:38 am

UN OH...... This is all sounding very farmiliar, I know what I'll be checking this weekend... :shock:

How many peoples front drive shaft failed already?

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