Okay guys. So I have an 89 with the straight 6, aw4 tranny, and the np231 t-case. I'm about to get the metalcloak 3.5" lift for my old girl, and I wanted to ask you guys something before I did and started on it.

Do I need and SYE for this project?

On MC's website it notes that one is needed. I wanted to know if this was true, and if so what SYE would you recommend?

I'm not looking to cut into my old girl just in case I botch something, and end up having to buy new parts to get me right back where I started.

Thanks in advance guys. You've always been a big help when it came to projects for me.

 

For that size lift you'd be fine with just transfer case drops which are a lot cheaper I'd imagine.

 

You can get by with a tcase drop, but it is just a temporary fix. If you can afford it do the sye. If not do the drop until you can afford the sye.

A transfer case drop may help the rear shaft, but at the same time it raises the front shaft angle as well as putting more stress on the engine and trans mounts.

 

I'd just go with the sye right off the bat. I regret ever doing a tcase drop.

 

Why do you regret doing one?

 

Spent $20 that I didn't have to (buying it). Couldn't make it over a pipe garden because the crossmember hit because it was lowered. Puts strain on mounts, tilts the engine at a funky angle, after taking my drop off my jeep seemed to run better and make less noises (maybe just a coincidence), the tcase drop didn't fully fix my problem ( driveshaft would still bind pulling my trailer up my driveway because of axle wrap), made my exhaust hang down lower and ripped it off because it got caught going over the top of a hill, there's more but I think that's enough reasons why.

 

That's some bad luck sorry man.

 

I got it fixed now with an AA sye and a zj front driveshaft. Live and learn. Next time I'm going to make it over the pipe garden.

 

That's good to hear good luck on that pipe garden!

 

My slip yoke double cardan shaft has been kicking butt for 2 years now. It isn't a full 'slip yoke eliminator' design but it eliminated my vibes (with shimming the driveline, of course)

 

An SYE is "NEVER" not a good idea everything else is a Band-Aid for it. When you do I suggest a new custom driveshaft (bought mine for $199). Because by the time you buy a used front DS and have it rebuilt with larger U-Joints, etc. it comes out about the same or more.

 

you can probably get by with just dropping the t-case some until you get the cash to do the sye. thats what i did. took 90% of the vibrations out of it. i'll still do a sye when i save the money to do it but it atleast lets me use the jeep in the mean time. and unless you wheel hard core you may never even need the sye in reality.

 

Advance Adaptor SYE. Not that expensive and pretty simple to install. Use a front driveshaft for a temp while you save for a custom built one. You'll never have to worry about vibes and that puts one more thing out of your mind to worry about.

 

X2 love mine. Was under $200 for the kit I think. And then like $30 for a driveshaft.

 

At 3.5 inches, I would install the lift THEN see if you need it. My XJ has a 6.5 lift with the stock driveshaft & barely any vibration.
Just got it back from having a guy do the H&T & now it sounds like I have ball bearings rolling around in the t case & rear end. Oh yeah, I forget to add, NOW I have vibrations.
I hope it's the JY d shaft he put in.