Does anyone know where you can get any type of rebuild kit for the front drive shaft? I got to messing around underneath mine and noticed the front drive shaft was flopping around where the one part slides into the other where you grease it at. The seal is shot and whatever else is inside there.

I tried to search the internet without any luck. Has anyone heard of a rebuild kit with all new u-joints, seals, zirk fitting, etc.?

 

Well first off is the DS actually bad? If the joint is bad then I think it's a double cardon joint and you are better off to hit the JY. My '99 has a cardon joint, so for 90 bucks from the JY and the 30 min it took to install (stripped ONE bolt.... ) I was good to go.
But- I only replaced it cause it was grinding and vibrating bad! Not Jacques of the little bit of play at the yoke at TC.

 

Not the cardon joint. The slip joint where the one piece slides in and out of the other part of the drive shaft. It has quite a bit of slop in it and the zirk fitting is bad. Wont accept grease.

Probably cheaper just to go to the junkyard and pick up a used one. I dont know why they dont sell rebuild kits???

 

Best to call a local drivetrain shop, they carry most things or know where to get them

 

Good advice. I think there is some place around here called Atlanta Driveline. I will look up their number. There is a local jy here where I work that has a front drive shaft for a 2000 cherokee for $50. I may go look at it just for kicks.

 

Called a driveline shop today out of curiosity. They quoted me anywhere between $105 and $230 to rebuild the front driveshaft. I guess I will buy the one at the bone yard if it is in decent shape.

Has anyone on here ever found a rebuild kit for these drive shafts? The guy at the driveline shop would not give me any info on where to find rebuild parts. He wanted me to take it to him. I ain't paying that kind of money.

 

I have been looking into rebuilding two front driveshafts myself. I book marked this a day or two ago. Might help you out.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/c...t-deux-345170/

It gives the part # for the u-joints. There is also another bearing I think it was? In the middle. Just started looking into it like I said so I'm still trying to figure it all out.

Best of luck. Hope this helps.

 

Let me know if you find any more information. I actually have another laying in the garage off the 96' that needs rebuilding too. Hate to see it go to waste.

 

http://www.quadratec.com/products/52300_50.htm

 

http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/.../83501595.html

 

Just my humble opinion... between the ujoints, and the centering yoke, you are looking at $150 to $200 bucks in parts alone. Not to mention you won't be getting the DS balanced either.

I just took mine to a shop yesterday, and I am looking at getting all new parts as well as balancing for 150 to 300. It's definitely a chunk of change, but for it to be done right makes it worth it.

**Update** Turn around on my DS was literally 5 hours. Was balanced, all new ujoints, and new centering yoke, plus a black paint job for just over $200. I would take it to a shop and make sure it's done right. Again, just my thoughts personally.

 

Cool. Thanks for the info. Sounds like a good deal right there.

 

Now if I could find a shop near me that would do this job for this price... or even do the job in the first place... Guess I'll have to take my chances for now of doing it myself...

 

They are out there....http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c43_jeep.html

 

The usual problem is the centering yolk. When I rebuilt mine all the needle bearings fell out of the yolk. The u-joints were lacking grease in a couple of cross ends but the caps still moved easily and the needle bearings had enough grease that they didn't fall out. Here are the parts I used a week or two ago:

3 x Spicer 5-1310X non-greaseable u-joints
1 x Spicer 211544X non-greaseable centering flange
1 x Spicer 286418 seal for non-greaseable centering flange

Note that the seal comes in a box of 5 so getting just one may be a little difficult.

You can go a couple of different ways on this. You can also rebuild with greaseable parts. I like the non-greaseable ones because they last a long time and greasing up there can be a pain. You can also replace just the ball in the centering flange if you switch to non-Spicer parts, like Precision. The entire Spicer flange is about the same cost as just the ball so I replaced it entirely.

Another note, I find the easiest way to do this is to hammer out the old u-joints with a hammer and socket. To reassemble, I used the frame of a ball joint press. Using the ball joint press there is no jarring force of the hammer so all the needle bearings stay put. With the parts clean, they will go in without much force. No need to hold the ball joint press in a vice, etc.