Where to get a '74 CJ5 rear driveshaft??

I blew up my rear driveshaft on the highway this weekend (2.5inch lift and no angle adjustment is bad) and couldn't find the front portion of the shaft. The 2 tabs of the U-joint that reside in the front portion of the shaft sheared off. So the Jeep is now about 180 miles North at my friend's cabin waiting for a new shaft. I have looked online for a replacement, and can't find one for my year CJ5 (1974). Anyone know where to order one from (complete shaft or just the front slip yoke and u-joint)? All I keep coming to is Tom Woods site for a replacement if I can't find a direct replacement. I have heard you can get a front shaft from an XJ and have it shortened to fit a CJ5 and it works pretty well. I am open to all suggestions.

Thanks,
Scott

 

There's no aftermarket source for anything but a custom driveshaft AFAIK. If you can find a shaft from another vehicle, you'll still either need either the old shaft for length or measurements from the vehicle.

A Jeep junkyard, like J&W in Antelope, CA very likely could sell you a used shaft or yoke. Again, it would be best if they had the shaft to compare or some precise mesurements of the old shaft.

The u-joints are a parts store item - use new ones.

You can drive on front wheel drive only, if you just want to get it home.

 

I thought about driving it home in front wheel drive, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea for highway speeds. I didn't want to tear anything more up that I already had. Plus, I drove it to his cabin to go ride some trails, so if I fix it up there I can do that. Although now it sounds like I may be making a trip just to measure under it. If that is the case, perhaps I will try to make it home with the fronts only.

Thanks,
Scott

 

I have driven maybe 40-50 miles on the highway with only the front drive, but maybe there's some downside to it that I don't know about. If you've driven an early front-wheel drive car (early Honda for example) you will be aware of torque steer. Keep your hands on the wheel if you need to accelerate into a turn.

I'd suggest you post up here or in the ECJ5 forum or even in off-topic asking about the FWD. I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions.

 

What engine and transmission does your Jeep have? Perhaps with that information, some one with a similarly equipped 74 CJ-5 can post up the drive shaft length for you.

 

I've got the original rear DS for my CJ somewhere. I think.

304/t15/d20 to a d44 rear. I dont have it at my house, so I cant measure it. It could probably use new ujoints, but its unmolested.

If it will help you, you can have it for $0. I can ship it out this weekend, on your dime of course .



another good option vs putting another DS with bad geometry on is calling tom woods. www.4xshaft.com I blew out a cheap cv rear shaft, but havent managed to mess up my woody. and ask about hte no questions asked trail hazard warranty.

If you go that route, I'v also got a brand new 10 (?) spline rear cv yoke for the dana 20 that i didnt use since mine is 27spline. I could part with that for $20+shipping, i paid about $40 for it and only took it out of the box, never on a vehicle. I've also got a used 10spline non-cv yoke for the d20.


I'm not trying to sound like a salesman here, but i'm never gonna use these parts, and you sound like you could.

 

Dante,

Someone else offered a driveshaft out of a similarly equipped '74 CJ5. The only difference is his tranny is the T150 and mine is the other 3 speed that was offered. He is pretty much doing the same as your offer, I pay shipping (but he is asking for me to cover a case of beer, the nerve of some people R)). I plan on using his shaft just to get it back home and perhaps drive a little bit on until I can measure up and get a Tom Woods shaft. I will have to see what spline my output is from my Dana 20. If it is the 10 spline, i will take you up on that, but it may not be for a few weeks.

Thanks,
Scott

 

Just a comment - don't know if it matters.

The T-150 was not used by Jeep until 1976. In 1974, the Borg-Warner T-14 was used with the inline sixes (232, 258) and the B-W T-15 was used with the 304 V8. The T-150 is a Ford passenger car transmission built under license (in Mexico?) by Tremac for AMC Jeep. Thus it's the "Tremac" T-150. All CJ engines from 1976-1979 got the T-150, not the Borg-Warner transmissions.

The T-15 and T-150 are often mixed together in peoples minds because the designations are so similar, but they are not the same except in function.