Front Driveshaft Dilemma

[Pipeliner]

As Stu says, nothing wrong with running in 2wd with the front shaft removed. 02KJ wrecked his front diff housing some time ago - we sat on the track and removed the driveshaft and both halfshafts, and he ran around in 2wd for some time until he managed to get the replacements (through a wrecker, not at Jeep prices!). Your diff is OK so you only need to remove the driveshaft, not the half shafts.

call Jeeparts at Hervey Bay.

[Krispykris]

Thanks for the advise, obviously the first two options that i expressed were things that could be done but i didn't necessarily want to do, especially as Jeep Australia are a pack of thieving bastards. Jeeeparts quoted me yesterday $650 for a used shaft, but i am looking at options from the US as well.

Looks like i will remove the shaft and drive home whilst searching for replacement parts.

Once again thanks for the comments

[SAKJ]

Driving without the front shaft will be fine.
Just remember not to try and engage 4WD!

[2JeepFamily]

If you can remove the front shaft, I bet it will be cv/uni at the transfer case and take it to a driveshaft place and get it replaced. They are a ford item and should cost somewhere around the 3-400 dollar mark.
If you want to take a look, follow the shaft to the transfer. Shine a torch up there and if the boot is broken it will need to be replaced. Grand Cherokee's have the same isuue and is pretty common on a KJ with a bit of age.

Hope this helps

[cmohr]

As the other say, It's fine to remove the driveshaft from transfercase to front diff, you may have to drop the exhaust on that side to remove the shaft.

You could simply try Jeeepart or Poly4x4 for a secondhand unit and a fraction of the cost.

Also check here for a new one from the US

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/liberty...driveshaft.htm

cmohr

Arrrrrrr.

[Krispykris]

Last night I fitted the refurbished driveshaft and tested it without having any issues at all, it took about three hours to fit the new joint and install the shaft back in the Jeep.

As the photos show the boot on the transfer case end has ripped, probably around the time of my last trip to double island point due the joint being full of what feels like sand.



And the new joint



The replacement cv joint i got off ebay for $110 from Drive Shaft Parts in the US, the part was $80 and arrived a week after ordering. The part number is ME807 and the kit comes with bolts, circlip, grease and the joint. However due to the size of the aftermarket bolt heads compared to the OEM ones, it is a good idea to keep hold of the originals. Here's the link to their ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com.au/DRIVESHAFT...id=p4340.l2563



If anybody else is to do this make sure you mark on each end of the shaft and the companion flanges a bolt hole to use as a reference point so the shaft goes in the exact same way it came out. Also as cmohr suggested loosen the exhaust bolts as it makes it a lot easier to remove/replace the shaft once the companion flanges have been unbolted. When replacing the joint only remove the cover at the end that butts up against the companion flange as the circlip that holds the joint on is under that cover after removing it, it should slide off easily.

This write up is really helpful for this issue as well:
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB...hp?f=3&t=56917