Front Driveshaft ?'s

[rockymountain]

The liberty comes with CV joints on the front driveshaft. Cherokees did too. The cv boot is the culprit as it gets old it starts to crack and before long it breaks and all the grease sprays out and runs the CV dry which destroys it quickly. ericautopart has the CV for around $90 I think. He has a high quality one and not some cheap knockoff.

 

[rockymountain]

I forgot:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46793

 

[yellocoyote]

Some people have opted to have u-joint ends welded on to replace the CV ends, but unless you are well-versed in how that works (of which I am not), I've heard lot's of complaints about noise and vibrations afterwards. I think that's why a lot of the population that have had to do any front driveshaft work don't take the gamble with the u-joints and simply put the replaceable CV end back on.

 

[Original Bigfoot]

I see several aftermarket u-joint driveshafts available. To be honest, I'm less interested in noise and vibration than I am in durability, cost of repair, and parts availability. We've got some pretty serious off-pavement tires on the Liberty and that blows noise and vibration out the window already. And as much time as we spend on dirt roads (we live on one), and New Mexico roads in general (which are crap), there's plenty of noise and vibration from that too. As long as the vibration doesn't take out the front dif, or the transfer case, we could live with it.

I'm curious about the replacement CV head mentioned by Rockymountain. Seems like a fairly easy fix, though still far more expensive that a U-joint. Anyone actually change one out? Is it a "bolt on"?

Thanks.

 

[tommudd]

Takes longer to remove the front driveshaft than it does to swap out the head , have done a couple for others so far, very easy to do.
Now onto talking about vibration, its never a good thing and although you state it doesn't matter and the roads you drive on are rough you do not need to add extra to the drivetrain. Extra vibration will let to seals going bad etc. Do it right even if maybe it costs a few bucks more. In the long run its cheaper .

give Eric a call or an email at autopartsunlimited and he'll take care of you!

 

[tjkj2002]

I see several aftermarket u-joint driveshafts available. To be honest, I'm less interested in noise and vibration than I am in durability, cost of repair, and parts availability. We've got some pretty serious off-pavement tires on the Liberty and that blows noise and vibration out the window already. And as much time as we spend on dirt roads (we live on one), and New Mexico roads in general (which are crap), there's plenty of noise and vibration from that too. As long as the vibration doesn't take out the front dif, or the transfer case, we could live with it.

I'm curious about the replacement CV head mentioned by Rockymountain. Seems like a fairly easy fix, though still far more expensive that a U-joint. Anyone actually change one out? Is it a "bolt on"?

Thanks.

A vib in the front driveshaft will take out either the t-case or front diff,possibly both.Not to mention it tends to loosen the bolts also and they like to fall out and that get's real expensive fast.Guy up in Denver with a CRD had that happen to his u-jointed front driveshaft and took the trans out along with all the wiring in that area if I remember correctly.

 

[Lima.Charlie]

I had a greasable Ujoint welded on my FDS when my boot tore. No problems at all. No vibration. Nothing!

 

[Original Bigfoot]

Takes longer to remove the front driveshaft than it does to swap out the head , have done a couple for others so far, very easy to do.
Now onto talking about vibration, its never a good thing and although you state it doesn't matter and the roads you drive on are rough you do not need to add extra to the drivetrain. Extra vibration will let to seals going bad etc. Do it right even if maybe it costs a few bucks more. In the long run its cheaper .

give Eric a call or an email at autopartsunlimited and he'll take care of you!

Thanks for all the info. Eric and I have been emailing back and forth, but last he said, he didn't have any of the CV heads in stock, but more were on the way. Still pondering the situation. Might replace the CV just to get the Libby back into 4x4, while I gather more info on U-joint driveshafts. Or, maybe get two CV heads and keep one in stock for the next time it goes bad. Thinking about it, getting over 100,000 miles out of the driveshaft itsn't horrible..it's just that u-joints are just so dang much cheaper, and so much more reliable!!

 

[Original Bigfoot]

A vib in the front driveshaft will take out either the t-case or front diff,possibly both.Not to mention it tends to loosen the bolts also and they like to fall out and that get's real expensive fast.Guy up in Denver with a CRD had that happen to his u-jointed front driveshaft and took the trans out along with all the wiring in that area if I remember correctly.

That's what I'm afraid of with the vibration thing. A properly made/balanced driveshaft shouldn't vibrate, and Jeep has switched to a u-joint style shaft for new Liberty's (But then again, I suppose a properly made shaft wouldn't tear the boot and disintegrate like they do from the factory, either, especially since both the transfer case and the front pumpkin are in fixed positions!).

 

[tommudd]

also you have to look at how easy it is to pump grease into them if you do ujoints, from what I have seen it would not be an easy job
For me stock type works great, last for 100,000 plus so whats the big deal?

 

[dustytrader]

I bought mine from this site: http://www.mopar-wholesale.com/

It is a Mopar Dealership in Florida. $400 shipped to my door, new Mopar with warranty. Great Service too.

 

[Jeepkj]

i found this website on another post here and cant find it again http://www.alldrivelines.com/Jeep.html anyone used a shaft from here thinking about ordering one help me decide? lol i to am thinking the ujoints will be more reliable

 

[Jeepkj]

or does eric sell these shafts or something like it ??

 

[tommudd]

Just deal with Eric super great guy and treats you fairly

 

[Jeepkj]

is the replacement from eric stock or is it better??

 

[Porkchop]

Just deal with Eric super great guy and treats you fairly

Ditto

 

[waywardtravel]

I have blown countless u-joints off road. I prefer weaker u-joints as a weak link in the drive train but you have to weld flat bar around the shaft. You don't always hear or feel that grinding or lobing in some situations. When you do completley blow a u-joint have everything in a three foot radius of the drive end duck because the big metal bat is coming. Hope it's not wires or a pan or into a rock re-locating the transfer case back some, fuel tank or whatever. Just my two cents

 

[Lima.Charlie]

Go ahead and get the FDS with the boot again. Then in a year after wheeling it and the boot tears again, then you have to buy another one.

Then in another year after that, buy another one when that one tears.
I know 96XJ, TBJ, and myself have been to a local driveline shop to get greasable uj's welded on. No one has any vibration, harmonics, or any problem greasing the uj every 3000 miles. The only difficult part about greasing the uj is making sure your port for grease on it is turned to where it is accessable.

Also this place, http://www.alldrivelines.com/Jeep.html , does the exact same thing Cincy Driveline does except CD uses your old driveshaft.

 

[tommudd]

mmm interesting
my stock one lasted over 130,000 miles
new one has over 20,000 miles and no problems so far and if it does will just replace the head no use going to ujoints from my experience
and I just read on another forum that 96XJ stated he had vibrations in 4 wheel drive with his
any vibration is not good anytime

Oh and 99% do not tear, they wear out due to dirt etc getting in them for long periods of time, wash underneath every week or so and they'll last longer

 

[Lima.Charlie]

That is interesting, because I know 96XJ just picked his up this past Saturday and I haven't heard any complaints. Must be another 96XJ out there. Where is this post?

Does this guy really want to be up under his rig every week cleaning mud and dirt out of a CV boot?

So if this guy is not going to go wheeling or get his rig dirty more than 2 times a year, go ahead and get the head replaced dude.

I am not the almighty, but I am saying I know me and other people with uj's haven't had a problem.