Front drive shaft

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Why the hell did you drive 200 miles in four-wheel-drive? Lol

Does the shaft have any planet? Sling Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s junk, could have been over greased

Winter driving?

 

[el_barto]

Why the hell did you drive 200 miles in four-wheel-drive? Lol

Does the shaft have any planet? Sling Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s junk, could have been over greased

The grease stain is from a torn boot, so yes needs fixed. The dealership replaced the whole shaft when it happened to me at 7k miles, not sure if that means the boot is a non serviceable part on its own? Or if it was just easier for them to replace the whole unit. 15k on the new one (22k on the truck) and no issues, knock on wood.

Between snow and offroad 10% of driving in 4WD isn’t unreasonable?

 

[Lary0071]

Why the hell did you drive 200 miles in four-wheel-drive? Lol

Does the shaft have any play in it? Sling Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s junk, could have been over greased

Those are sealed units just like a CV joint and boot. If there is any grease slung, it's bad. There is no interim levels of good vs bad. Good is sealed, bad is not sealed.

It is a non serviceable unit. That said, Teraflex makes a high angle rzeppa cv joint for the JK, so far is I'm aware there is not one made for the big shafts.

So the fix is to unbolt the shaft and slip a new one of the same kind in, or swap yokes on the case and pinion and have a HD shaft built with U Joints like we do in the offroad world.

Slinging grease is always a failure on these.

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[Rockcrawlindude]

The grease stain is from a torn boot, so yes needs fixed. The dealership replaced the whole shaft when it happened to me at 7k miles, not sure if that means the boot is a non serviceable part on its own? Or if it was just easier for them to replace the whole unit. 15k on the new one (22k on the truck) and no issues, knock on wood.

Between snow and offroad 10% of driving in 4WD isn’t unreasonable?

Those are sealed units just like a CV joint and boot. If there is any grease slung, it's bad. There is no interim levels of good vs bad. Good is sealed, bad is not sealed.

It is a non serviceable unit. That said, Teraflex makes a high angle rzeppa cv joint for the JK, so far is I'm aware there is not one made for the big shafts.

So the fix is to unbolt the shaft and slip a new one of the same kind in, or swap yokes on the case and pinion and have a HD shaft built with U Joints like we do in the offroad world.

Slinging grease is always a failure on these.

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Yea, you guys are right. I was wrong

 

[lighthawk]

Why the hell did you drive 200 miles in four-wheel-drive? Lol

Does the shaft have any play in it? Sling Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s junk, could have been over greased

We've done several trips in the truck that had extended 4wd sections. We just did 300 miles of dirt in Nevada including crossing Black Rock Desert, Soldier Meadows and High Rock Canyon. I use 2wd as long as I can, but there were many miles that required 4wd. Maybe I've got 100 miles total in four wheel, not 200 miles. All of this is with a 1500# camper on board.

Shaft doesn't have any play. I can turn it by hand. Maybe it was over greased.

Other folks insist the Rough Country lift is junk, although it's just a spacer. It's strongly suggested I get an upgraded trackbar. I'm less sure why I would replace my front coils, although a nicer ride would be appreciated.

 

[lighthawk]

So the fix is to unbolt the shaft and slip a new one of the same kind in, or swap yokes on the case and pinion and have a HD shaft built with U Joints like we do in the offroad world.

Since the truck has 2000 miles on it, I'm going with the dealer to swap out the shaft.
But why not just the axle seal, which is what's leaking?

My appointment isn't until Nov 3, and I have an extended trip planned in December.
I want to get a fix done soon.

My mechanic discussed a new set of U Joints with me, but that would involve splitting the tranny, and a custom shaft built. Plus I have a 60k drivetrain warranty I would like to keep in force.

 

[jetrinka]

Since the truck has 2000 miles on it, I'm going with the dealer to swap out the shaft.
But why not just the axle seal, which is what's leaking?

My appointment isn't until Nov 3, and I have an extended trip planned in December.
I want to get a fix done soon.

My mechanic discussed a new set of U Joints with me, but that would involve splitting the tranny, and a custom shaft built. Plus I have a 60k drivetrain warranty I would like to keep in force.

Huh? U joints are not in the transmission.

 

[Lary0071]

Since the truck has 2000 miles on it, I'm going with the dealer to swap out the shaft.
But why not just the axle seal, which is what's leaking?

My appointment isn't until Nov 3, and I have an extended trip planned in December.
I want to get a fix done soon.

My mechanic discussed a new set of U Joints with me, but that would involve splitting the tranny, and a custom shaft built. Plus I have a 60k drivetrain warranty I would like to keep in force.

Your mechanic should turn in his set of tools and find a new career. He's failed.

The shafts are not the yokes. You remove the yokes in the transfer case and the pinion and replace with yokes for the joint size you desire. Then you simply build the shaft. This is not rocket science.

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[Brewbud]

Your mechanic should turn in his set of tools and find a new career. He's failed.

The shafts are not the yokes. You remove the yokes in the transfer case and the pinion and replace with yokes for the joint size you desire. Then you simply build the shaft. This is not rocket science.

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I am betting the mechanic was misquoted.

 

[lighthawk]

Huh? U joints are not in the transmission.

Yes, I'm aware of that. It's my understanding that switching to U Joints would require a different connection to the transfer case.
Maybe I should have said that, not transmission.

Your mechanic should turn in his set of tools and find a new career. He's failed.

The shafts are not the yokes. You remove the yokes in the transfer case and the pinion and replace with yokes for the joint size you desire. Then you simply build the shaft. This is not rocket science.

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That doesn't sound very simple to me, and I admit I'm not a RAM mechanic. With a brand new truck I'm not ready to modify the front drive shaft.

I am betting the mechanic was misquoted.

I'm sure you're right. The guy was the lead mechanic for XP Campers when they were building some nice rigs.
I think I was wrong when I said a modified front shaft would involve opening the transmission, when I meant transfer case.

On a brighter note, we just did another camping trip and 500 miles without any additional grease being thrown.
I kept it in 2wd even when it would have been nice to use 4wd. The limited slip differential and 4.10 gearing works great.

 

[Lary0071]

Yes, I'm aware of that. It's my understanding that switching to U Joints would require a different connection to the transfer case.
Maybe I should have said that, not transmission.



That doesn't sound very simple to me, and I admit I'm not a RAM mechanic. With a brand new truck I'm not ready to modify the front drive shaft.




I'm sure you're right. The guy was the lead mechanic for XP Campers when they were building some nice rigs.
I think I was wrong when I said a modified front shaft would involve opening the transmission, when I meant transfer case.

On a brighter note, we just did another camping trip and 500 miles without any additional grease being thrown.
I kept it in 2wd even when it would have been nice to use 4wd. The limited slip differential and 4.10 gearing works great.

Just so your aware, you do not open anything at all. There is a center nut in each yoke that holds it to the splined shaft. You remove that nut and slide it off, slide the new yoke in and torque the new nut on. The new yoke would be a Dana/ Spicer yoke that accepts U joints. Then the driveline shop fabricates the new shaft with a pipe and weld on yokes that mates to those yokes. It would be around $800 or so.

So you would never open up a T-case or differential for this modification. It's all external bolt ons.

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[lighthawk]

Just so your aware, you do not open anything at all. There is a center nut in each yoke that holds it to the splined shaft. You remove that nut and slide it off, slide the new yoke in and torque the new nut on. The new yoke would be a Dana/ Spicer yoke that accepts U joints. Then the driveline shop fabricates the new shaft with a pipe and weld on yokes that mates to those yokes. It would be around $800 or so.

So you would never open up a T-case or differential for this modification. It's all external bolt ons.

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Thank you. I did not know you could do this external to the case. I'll keep that in mind if I can't get things working correctly with OEM.

Have a great day!

 

[jupp0r]

Hey everybody. I was writing on this thread earlier that my front drive shaft on my 2020 Power Wagon was slinging grease and that I got it replaced under warranty. 20k miles and one year later, the new one is doing the same thing. This time the dealer indicated that they might not cover it because I put a Thuren kit on in the meantime.

Has anybody had a new steel drive shaft with a traditional double cardan joint made and can recommend a company to have one made? That's what I would do if this one isn't covered by warranty.