Great point, I am completely wrong... Please use your front shaft as the rear and have complete confidence that it will be there for ya when you need it. My bad guys, sorry I muddied up this thread w poor advice.

 

guess what happens if I break my rear shaft. I take my front one off and put it in the rear and drive home because they are the same length. if I go anywhere far, I carry my trusty $30 junk yard spare. I have full confidence in this setup. ok your turn, justify buying a $230+ custom driveshaft

cant do it? then lose the sarcastic tone

 

A $230+ custom driveshaft is less likely to break, one reason is it has a lot beefier parts than stock. Hence the $230 + price tag. There is your justification. Nothing wrong with using the front, just wanted to "justify" that for ya cheers.

 

lol. well if the "likelihood" of you breaking a driveshaft is enough to go spend a couple hundred on a driveshaft by all means have your peace of mind. I just dont see a custom dshaft being worth it for a cherokee with stock axles. plus I think I'd much rather have my weak point be a driveshaft ujoint rather than tcase or anything else. doesnt mean I'm not going to tear the shaft apart while spinning it on a rock but I'll let you guys know if I ever have a problem

 

Ok.
So once again hats off to you, you def have it figured out.
So just to be clear so everyone know how to do it the "right" way going forward.
Go buy a 2 30$ front shaft from the JY, don't replace the u joints because of course they are good and there is no need to worry about the 15$ each or 45$ total each shaft for them because that's just silly talk.
Then.
Go wheeling and DD on said setup until it fails ( most likely out on a trail)
Then remove the front shaft, or install extra shaft that you are hopefully carrying but just happened not to have due to this inprompto wheeling s ( your cherokee is always ready to go right?) put on the rear then drive all the way out of said trail (that you more then likely had to use 4wd to go down) in 2wd. And hope and pray that you don't get stuck or even worse break the shaft again because you are running harder to do all the same stuff in 2wd. And pray you don't have to pay for a tow.
Return home.
Go to JY to purchase another front shaft, of course you don't rebuild this shaft either. ( it's likely just fine) and go home,instal,l and enjoy your dependable jeep


I see how the 230$ to not have to worry or think twice about it, was a crazy suggestion.

Option one.
Two shafts, 60$ total and a possible problems from bad u joints or improperly balanced shafts from drive way joint installs or bends from use. And a possibility of a third 30$ to replace your backup when you break. 90$
Option two.
Two shafts 60$ total plus new ujoints 90$ plus time to install them... 150$ and you still have to possibly a third shaft if you break.
Option three.
One TW or like brand shaft, 230 bucks, no worries, no backup needed. No trips to the JY, no balancing, better ujoints, better shaft, no time lost repairing on the trail, no excuses to friends why you broke on the trail, no having to make a special trip home to pick up your backup shaft just to go play, etc..

I hope you enjoy my answer ;-)
And look forward to pulling you out of a trail one day fellow jeep guy.

 

Can't we all just get along?

 

Like I said. I'll let you know when I have a problem. you wanna order a tattons, woody, adams or other be my guest. the only reason I'll ever get a custom shaft is if I need something to fit custom applications

so that being said. what custom shafts are you running and how much did they cost you partner

 

There are points to be taken from both sides. I think if you are running less aggressive tires, and your rig only sees light trail duty, then maybe it is OK to use stock fronts for a little while until funds justify an aftermarket. Its not a chance I would take....but to each is own. So the correct answer is....yes it will work, but for how long. What is there to argue about?. If the front ds does the same job as the rear, its cool to swap in a Dana 30 in place of the rear axle right? Has to be just as strong.

 

wow well when you put it like that my argument is just invalid

do you run an SYE and custom dshaft combo? I spin all 4 of my 35's all over the rocks. I've been putting this setup to the test for just about every weekend since last September including 100 mile drives and back from trails. I have no problem with going getting another one from the junk yard or from a buddy with how well these things hold up

 

When I did my lift I bought the AA SYE+Tom Woods Shaft combo from rustys. think it was 480$ for both pieces

 

Man I'm not downing whatever choice you make. I ran a front for months. And yes I have a ;SYE with tom woods shaft from rustys. Last spring at the badlands a club member snapped a front ds on the rear of his 96 right in front of me. Two weeks later I replaced mine. Not that its a hard fix on the trail but it was raining like mad and we were buried in mud. Not exactly something I feel like chancing. To each is own man. Just saying be easy on it or be prepared.

 

well if you're happy with whatcha got for the price then good. and maybe a junk yard shaft without new ujoints or anything is kinda half assing it but I do have full faith in the front shaft working in the rear. I'll personally run it till it breaks but yes you should at least put new ujoints in.

see. compromise. fair enough?

 

Nobody is trying to sway you or talk you into anything. At least I'm not. I'm just giving you real world experience with it. That is all. I know they are pricey, and it sucked having to bite the bullet and buy one. I honestly wish I could trust a front shaft but after that day I can't.

 

oh I know. but slatvguy saying that anything less than a custom shaft is half assing it is wrong also. I'd take a stock shaft to a driveline shop and have it retubed and beefed up before I ever paid for a custom one

so if your driveshaft wont break now, what will? if your weak point isn't the ujoint or other then is it the tcase? axle? most likely you wont break either. but I kind of like knowing that if I do break it's probably not going to be anything expensive. I have no problem swapping driveshafts all day before I break whatever is next in the driveline

 

completely agree with Atmos, i feel like having the same driveshafts front and rear is the best thinkyou can have. okay so u can spend $230 on a shaft that wont break quickly. but with EVERYTHING, if you play with it and go hard, its gonna get worn out. nothings indestructable. atleast i can spend only $30 on a replacement instead of $230. with $230, i can buy 7 replacement shafts. now the stock front shafts arent as strong as woodys but they arent made out of hollow aluminum either, im sure a stock one wont break unless your doggin the ***** outa ur rig. and if its ur last shaft and you gotta get outa there and home, im sure you wont go hard to snap another shaft..