Dumb question about replacing a front drive shaft

crimsonfox · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:23 am

I have a '04 KJ auto tranny, 4x4, 3.7l engine. Do I really need to get an alignment when replacing the front drive shaft? Or is the shop confusing the drive shaft with another part?

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:36 am

Need Alignment after replacing the Front Drive Shaft ?
Do you really trust a shop that tells you that?

Answer is No

crimsonfox · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:39 am

Obviously I don't since I'm here asking... However, I don't want to pay the stealership 800+tax to replace the thing.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:05 am

Real easy to replace the front driveshaft, takes a 10 mm socket and of course rachet and about 15 minutes out of your day
can get them from a place over in Jersey way cheaper than the stealership
if you want a driveshaft
contact Eric at Automotive Parts Unlimited
800-270-5224 or ericautopart@aol.com
they got me one fast was way cheaper than dealer and works just like stock

Tom

crimsonfox · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:50 am

Sadly, I go back to work which means 12 hour days 6 days a week, plus grad school. I think I own a couple of screw drivers. I have 0 mechanical inclination. I am at the mercy of a shop. If they want to rip me off, more power to them. It isn't like doing it myself is even an option.

So if anyone reading this actually took theirs into a shop, how much did it cost? At least then I can gauge how much I'm really being ripped off....

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:31 pm

Ask in the Colorado section maybe someone knows of a good shop or would be willing to throw it in there for you for a few bucks gas money or something :wink:

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:55 pm

i agree with tommudd. there are alot of good guys out there willing to help a fellow jeeper out and not get hosed by the stealership and shops. all you gotta do is ask. :wink:

crimsonfox · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:12 pm

Indeed. I asked in that section. Those guys are super nice. I know there were a couple who offered to help. But honestly, I don't want to be a burden on the time of another. Stupid car stuff ticks me off, especially when it appears I know more than what the shops knows.

jmichaelsjeep · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:37 pm

I agree with the folks above about asking other people/ shops. I too just had to replace the front driveshaft. Originally I had a stealership try to charge me $750, then I took it to the small shop near my house, they found one for $395 plus labor, I also at the time didn't have time to replace it myself, so they did it for $60 labor. As Tommudd and others on here mentioned, the driveshafts don't even have to cost as much as I payed (sucks for me, found that out after the fact). Maybe if you had to, you could order from the person mentioned above and see what it would cost for a small shop to install. For me it was roughly an hour of labor, I'm assuming that was a minimum charge for labor, but IDK.

Good luck!

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:49 pm

If I was in the Springs and needed any work - I'd look up tjkj2002 -he's at some Firestone shop - but he knows KJ's backwards, forwards and reads Factory manuals in his spare time..........

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:55 pm

^^^^
Just make sure you bring the Mountain Dew.

ihatemybike · **Posted:** Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:23 pm

Buy a metric tool kit, the front drive shaft is hella easy to replace. Many of us are willing to help in person or on the phone. The money you save equals Jeep trips.

crimsonfox · **Posted:** Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:56 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

If I was in the Springs and needed any work - I'd look up tjkj2002 -he's at some Firestone shop - but he knows KJ's backwards, forwards and reads Factory manuals in his spare time..........

That is actually where I'm scheduled to take it into. I saw his sweet looking KJ sitting out there a lot during the winter months when I was driving past on my way home from basketball practice.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:44 am

Yes, hookup with tjkj2002 at Firestone. Troy has done 90% of the work on my KJ.

Dumb question about replacing a front drive shaft

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