87 SWB comanche. np231 with SYE, 6.5" lift with aw4 trans and 4.0 HO conversion.

bent my rear driveshaft the other day playin on the rocks with 89eliminator.

took it off so I can drive in FWD to work tomorrow since the company van has now fried all of it's electricals (bad body to motor ground strap, I think...clears everything, starter won't turn over, engine won't run when it does turn over).


anyways. here's the plan.

have the rear driveshaft retubed...but made to the length of a front aw4 driveshaft.

get the proper carrier bearing and have an intermediate shaft built. this shaft will go from the t-case, through the carrier bearing, and have the proper yoke on the back of it to allow me to bolt my double cardan rear driveshaft to it.

build a crossmember at the proper position, which sits between the frame and flush mounts. at the same time build a trans crossmember which sits between the rails too. this will allow for one very nice belly skid between the trans and that crossmember...giving me t-case protection.

it will also allow me to have both driveshafts at the same length. the rear driveshaft currently uses a thicker tube than the front, and so it will remain my dedicated rear driveshaft. it's also currently a double cardan driveshaft.


so, the goals:
uniform driveshaft length allowing me to carry one spare driveshaft.
zero parts hanging down, full belly protection.
less chance of contacting the driveshaft on rocks due to a slightly steeper DS angle.


does anyone have any input on this? It's only a concept at the moment, but I really think it can work.

-Pat

 

Not sure how this all would work, but I know a bunch of ppl who run doublers to shorten their rear driveshaft

Sounds like a solid idea... I just wonder about the sheer loading of the carrier bearing. only reason why I say that is it takes some effort to collapse/extend a driveshaft.

 

you have a point.

a box4rocks conversion would cost me about the same price range. and I DO have a spare (junk front output) np231 sitting here...

hmm

 

Did you figure out what to do with the sheer loading on it? I think the box4 rocks would be awesome.. but then you will need 2 driveshafts and shifter linkage. Sorry for making you gave more work

 

yeah that's the problem with it...either way I would end up having to run a carrier bearing with a shaft, cause I won't be running a ridiculously long front driveshaft...I want them the same length.

*shrug*. don't have money to fix this problem right now, got screwed on my check so I'm just gonna cut up the rear driveshaft (properly) and retube it to it's current length, then the only thing I'll have to pay for is balancing.

 

why not mount a tration bar close to it, to protect the d/s as well as help with the ever present axle wrap on the MJ