74 drive shaft

Howdy all:
wearing out the U joints in no time. Put a 3" lift and the angles are to drastic. Does any one know who the best outfit is to get a new drive shaft w/cv joint and shims ???
I need to shim the front as well to get more positive caster.
its a 74
THX
Dave

 

First get youself on that reading

http://www.4xshaft.com/driveline101.html

For a cv joint you will need the yoke for cv joint for the rear and you will need to move the spring perch on the rear axle to get 0 degree angle on the drive shaft. Otherwise it won't work. Also you can put shim on the rear spring perch and you can do a t-case drop. So you will reduce the angle on drive-shaft and you will not need a cj joint.

For the front you can use shim to get the right caster (6-8 degree). but doing that will lower the front pumpking and it can bring problem with dives-shaft angle.
The other sollution is to turn the " C " knukkle on the axle by grinding the weld.

I may have 7-8 inch of suspension lift, i have a rear cv joint and i turn the " C " knukkle on the front to get thet right angle.



Here a picture you see what i mean by turning the " C " knukkle

 

Driveshafts - TOm Woods or HighAngle drivelines.

McRuff makes some nice steel caster shims ... send him a PM.

 

Tattons makes nice drive shafts and are less than Woods. He sells on eBay or google for contact info. He is in Utah.

 

Thanks guys that helps .... about grinding the weld on the knuckle... are there any tolls needed to insure the angle is the same on both sides.. seems that would require some kind of system that recognizes the other side.

Dave

 

When i did mine, i bring the jeep on a trailer at a align place, with the knukkle unweld. I ask them to bring both knukkle at 6 degree negative and to spot weld the knukkle. After bringing it home on the trailer i just finish welding the knukkle myself. I paid 50$ for a pair of aluminium shim, the align center charged me 50$ last year for this purpose.

 

I also gave the nod to Tatton's when I purchased my front shaft and I had an issue with my length due to miscommunication and he fixed me right up. I will go to him again.

 

Thanks guys this helps loads.... I have already dropped the cross member so I think I will try the shim thing in the rear. As for the front I have not decided but leaning toward the realignment of the knuckles.
Thanks again
Dave

 

For the rear do not spend money on shim, pretty easy job to relocalate the spring perch.

And if you have any question about the realignnment of the knukkle feel free to ask.

 

So are you saying it is better to rotate and re weld the spring perch rather than shim it. I was wondering just how far you can rotate the axle with a shim. I'm thinking at some point the spring perch will rise off the index pin???

 

6-7 degree not more than that. The best way to reduce u-joint angle is with a cv joint. For that you need to align the axle yoke with the drive shaft like the picture down. Also it's a good way to protect you're drive-shaft, it will be less exposed to obstacle.

A cj joint is pretty easy to find, in junkyard just look for a cv joint from chevy truck (K-15) mid 70's ou waggy. You will need the right yoke for the rear output of the t-case.

 

Ok.. Grind the weld on the spring perch and index the perch so the yoke is in line with the tansfer case yoke. Or shim it 6 to 7 degrees and use a CV joint. Got It
By the by Johnyboy was the name of my grandfathers commercial fishing boat. My Dad and grandfather fished out of Santa Monica Pier back in the day.
THX for all the assistance on this
Dave

 

Hum i don't think it will be enought for a cv joint. It will be easier moving the spring perch, just unweld the spring perch, reassemble it with the leaf spring and u-bolt so you just need to move the pumpking up and down, when you got the perfect angle you spot weld the perch, dissemble everything and finish welding it.

 

Roger That,,,,
THX
I will let you know

 

At what point do you need to start worrying about oil starvation of the pinion bearings with the pinion pointing up so high like that?

 

Good question.. Is that a problem ??

 

Could be. I know that a higher fill (move the fill up the cover) and anti-foaming additive (ATF) is a common fix. A little high school geometry will tell you how much the fill hole has to move up.