How much articulation is too much?

Boze

New member
Well, the YJ is at the shop as I type, getting a 4" Pro Comp lift and 33"x12.5"xR15 Toyo Open Country all terrains! I feel like a little kid waiting on Christmas. I dropped just about all I had doing this, so I have to settle with a T-case drop instead of a SYE, (for now). The question is, just how crazy can I get before I'm in danger of pulling my driveshaft out of my T-case? (or whatever happens when you don't have the SYE). Thanks!
 

the SYE just basically shortens your transfer case so you will have a longer driveshaft with less angle. so without it you will risk going past the amount of angle your ujoint can take. I'm not sure whether you have a cv or a plain u joint though.. i think if you put some angled spacers under the rear axle it will help the driveline angle a little.. But i dont know if it will be enough... it was on mine but i have a chevy powertrain
 
I don't think I get what you mean because, wouldn't putting spacers under your axle defeat the purpose of the lift? Or is it more like a shim that changes the angle of your diff pointing at the t-case?
 
Yeah sorry i wasnt clear. Yes they are shims to change the angle of your differential. I put them on mine and they helped a little.
 
Yup, I got brake lines, Pitman arm, all that shtuff. But I still don't really have an answer to the original question... Surely someone out there has found out the hard way just how crazy you can get before things start letting go.
 
You will start breaking u-joints even w/ shims and t/c drop. Might get you by going to and from work, but any decent wheeln forget bout it. Your stock drive line might stay in when you flex it out butttttttt all the pressure on that thing which is now only on the shaft maybe 1" is just asking for problems..........Get the sye.
 

i know you said you were tapped out on money but you can pick a sye up on ebay for $168 with 17.95 shipping.. thats the cheapest i've seen
 
Get a drive shaft with a double cardan joint on the front and a regular 1310 on the rear. The drive shaft should make a straight shot as it bolts up to your differential, however. So...you'll either need shims, or adjustable upper control arms. I would drive it first with the T case drop bracket though. Mild wheeling and street driving shouldn't cause any problems. However, like the other guys say, if you're going to do anything serious, you'll likely want a different shaft and SYE.

With respect and regards to your origional question: That's such a personal question. Everyone who posts here is in a different life position. Some guys drive a lexus on a daily basis and trailer their rigs. Some guys only have one vehicle and if something on their rig breaks, they have to walk to work. What's right for another guy may not be right for you. I do, however, think that owning a lifted jeep is something that every American male needs to do at least once in his lifetime. If you don't like the ride quality, or it's not worth it to you, then you never have to buy another one. However, if you get a hard-on when the guy in a suite who's parked next to you in in a shiny volvo station wagon looks at your rusted lifted jeep and you can see the lust in his eyes because he wonders what it's like to change his own oil, he wishes he could watch his girl lock in the hubs or hook up the winch while wearing blue jeans and a tank top, and he doesn't even know what a double cardan joint is because he never took the chance to just buy the lift kit and figure it out for himself......you may just realize that there's no such thing as too much articulation, your jeep will never be finished, and you wouldn't trade your jeep for a new Lexus any day. Ever. Period. In my humble opinion.
 
Last edited:

Get a drive shaft with a double cardan joint on the front and a regular 1310 on the rear. The drive shaft should make a straight shot as it bolts up to your differential, however. So...you'll either need shims, or adjustable upper control arms. I would drive it first with the T case drop bracket though. Mild wheeling and street driving shouldn't cause any problems. However, like the other guys say, if you're going to do anything serious, you'll likely want a different shaft and SYE.

With respect and regards to your origional question: That's such a personal question. Everyone who posts here is in a different life position. Some guys drive a lexus on a daily basis and trailer their rigs. Some guys only have one vehicle and if something on their rig breaks, they have to walk to work. What's right for another guy may not be right for you. I do, however, think that owning a lifted jeep is something that every American male needs to do at least once in his lifetime. If you don't like the ride quality, or it's not worth it to you, then you never have to buy another one. However, if you get a hard-on when the guy in a suite who's parked next to you in in a shiny volvo station wagon looks at your rusted lifted jeep and you can see the lust in his eyes because he wonders what it's like to change his own oil, he wishes he could watch his girl lock in the hubs or hook up the winch while wearing blue jeans and a tank top, and he doesn't even know what a double cardan joint is because he never took the chance to just buy the lift kit and figure it out for himself......you may just realize that there's no such thing as too much articulation, your jeep will never be finished, and you wouldn't trade your jeep for a new Lexus any day. Ever. Period. In my humble opinion.





AMEN BROTHER :shades:
 
Wow. You know, you're right. There really is just something ingrained in a man. My boy's not even two yet and got all sorts of junk for christmas, his favorites though, two toy monster trucks. He's already hooked on lifted rigs! Good post bro. They should start another forum: "Jeep Poetry." No? Ok. :D
 

When you get the jeep back, take a look at the slipyoke where it attaches to the transfer case rear output. You will see a shiny portion where it enters the transfer case, this is the amount the slipyoke has changed from stock. Your best bet is to measure the shiny part, then remove the rear driveshaft and measure the entire shiny section at the end of the slipyoke. You can subtract the two numbers to determine how much spline engagement you have.

Keep in mind that articulation will not necessarilly cause you to lose your rear driveshaft. The rear axle pinion location remains relatively constant while the ends of the axle move up and down, one side is up while the other is down. Where you run into problems is when you're high centered under the belly pan and the entire rear axle is drooped, including the pinion. Any power to the rear at this time is likely to genade the slipyoke and tailhousing. Been there.

A good cheap option for running a SYE is to get a used front driveshaft from an XJ or TJ and have it shortened for the rear. Keep in mind that you will need axle shims or to reweld the spring perches to point the pinion up at the transfer case after the SYE is installed.
 
Thanks again BHunter. By the way, noticed you're from S.Illinois. I was stationed in Great Lakes for a year and couldn't find ANYWHERE to go wheeling! I only had a WJ at the time, but still, there wasn't a hill to be climbed anywhere near me. How's the scene down South?
 
A lot better down south, the entire southern tip of the state is the Shawnee National Forest, legal wheelin about 8 months out of the year.

Most of the jeepers up north head to the Cliffs in IL or the Bandlands in IN.
 

not to hijack but Bounty i've been in Shawnee, was there every weekend during College. Loved the Area, loved the wheelin, loved not seeing a paved road for days. Hijack over
 
Best thing I can suggest is to fully suspend your jeep from both rear corners and the rear center to see how much droop you have. Mark the splined output shaft with a Sharpie at both extremes and go have fun! When you get to a cool obstacle that you think is maxing out your range of travel, have a buddy take a peek underneath and see how much travel you've used. Don't worry...have loads of fun...when you break #$&@, fix it and go have more fun!
 
Back
Top