3" lift or higher - Replace driveshaft?

[WillysJeepGladiator]

If your front shocks extend further than 28.5”, you will need a new front driveshaft if you plan on off-roading and flexing the vehicle. I took this measurement last week. The passenger side will droop 31+”, but the driver side maxes out the driveshaft at 28.75”

Sponsored

 

[j.o.y.ride]

If your front shocks extend further than 28.5”, you will need a new front driveshaft if you plan on off-roading and flexing the vehicle. I took this measurement last week. The passenger side will droop 31+”, but the driver side maxes out the driveshaft at 28.75”

These max at 28.45 front

https://www.claytonoffroad.com/product/fox-jeep-gladiator-jt-35-4-package

 

[RaiderGladiator]

I am replacing my front and rear drive shafts. Clayton 2.5” lift. Added .75” fish bone spacer to front.

 

[Metzger]

I am replacing my front and rear drive shafts. Clayton 2.5” lift. Added .75” fish bone spacer to front.

What shocks do you have?

 

[SubiRubi]

Metalcloak 3.5 inch game changer recommends driveshaft replacement and has a link to the front drive shaft. I still wonder and am questioning if the rear drive shaft should/needs to be replaced with this lift. Anyone have more insight on this.

I have the 3.5 GC lift.. Replaced the front shaft with a double cardon and left the rear shaft.. Angle on rear shaft is perfect and with the adjustable control arms it's easy to get it straight..

 

[rharr]

FYI, the Rock krawler 3" Diesel ADV lift (non-adjustable) with their RRD shocks, at full front axle droop (full shock extention) the front drive shaft CV at the transfer case is basically about to and does make contact with the aluminum flange the rubber seal is mated to. Also the front drive shaft almost or does make contact with the forward most Rubicon skid bar that crosses the trans pan. I dropped my cross bar skid with some 1/2" aluminum plate.

Time will tell how the front shaft holds up when really flexing her. For a daily drive not to worried.

 

[exfil offroad]

Will the driveshaft need to be replaced with a lift over 3"? I assume with the Gladiator's longer wheelbase the driveshaft won't be hindered by clearance issues like the JLU, but not sure. Waiting on MetalCloak to come out with a lift for the Gladiator similar to their 3.5" Gamechanger Edition for the JLU.

not with my 3.5 teraflex

 

[stil2low]

not with my 3.5 teraflex

Teraflex has always ran shorter shocks with their lift packages. Cheap way to keep your springs from unseating and driveshaft bind

 

[Aonarch]

Is it relatively safe to run a shorter shock?

I don't go rock bouncing or rock crawling.

I have the Clayton 2.5" kit, which gave me an insane 4.5" in the front... I'm kind of annoyed by that actually.

My front shocks are Extended Length (IN) - 26.88.

I'm thinking that I might need to go one size larger at Extended Length (IN) - 28.76

 

[rharr]

@Aonarch
the shorter shocks won't really do anything. It just reduces your droop when rock crawling. More droop just increases your odds of making the tire contact a surface more, to get a bite and move forward.

A good rule of thumb for me is to try and get a shock length that when at ride height half the shaft is exposed, and when at full compression only about 1.5" to 2" of shaft is exposed.

YOU DO NOT WANT YOU SHOCKS TO BE THE BUMP STOPS.

Measure the gap between your bump stop and spacers at rest, and measure the current exposed shaft at rest. The shaft should have 1.5" to 2" of fluff as the difference.

The shock acts as the limit strap and bottoms out the travel. If you are worried about pulling your shocks apart when bottomed out then i suggest adding some limit straps to prevent full extended load into the shock.

I never pulled my bilstiens apart on my XJ and didn't run straps.

But again this only maters when you are twisted up in the rocks.

I wouldn't worry about the springs dropping out, with them so long i suspect if you lifted your jeep up by the frame and let the axle hang un supported you would find those springs are still under a fair amount of pressure due to the pre load.

seems the solution these days is to go with a longer softer spring that builds preload to get to the correct spring rate then to build a short stiff spring.

 

[Aonarch]

@Aonarch
the shorter shocks won't really do anything. It just reduces your droop when rock crawling. More droop just increases your odds of making the tire contact a surface more, to get a bite and move forward.

A good rule of thumb for me is to try and get a shock length that when at ride height half the shaft is exposed, and when at full compression only about 1.5" to 2" of shaft is exposed.

YOU DO NOT WANT YOU SHOCKS TO BE THE BUMP STOPS.

Measure the gap between your bump stop and spacers at rest, and measure the current exposed shaft at rest. The shaft should have 1.5" to 2" of fluff as the difference.

The shock acts as the limit strap and bottoms out the travel. If you are worried about pulling your shocks apart when bottomed out then i suggest adding some limit straps to prevent full extended load into the shock.

I never pulled my bilstiens apart on my XJ and didn't run straps.

But again this only maters when you are twisted up in the rocks.

I wouldn't worry about the springs dropping out, with them so long i suspect if you lifted your jeep up by the frame and let the axle hang un supported you would find those springs are still under a fair amount of pressure due to the pre load.

seems the solution these days is to go with a longer softer spring that builds preload to get to the correct spring rate then to build a short stiff spring.

Awesome thanks for the advice!

 

[exfil offroad]

Teraflex has always ran shorter shocks with their lift packages. Cheap way to keep your springs from unseating and driveshaft bind

So your saying that Teraflex 3.5 lift is not a 3.5 lift?

 

[RCKLNDR]

So your saying that Teraflex 3.5 lift is not a 3.5 lift?

No, I believe he is just saying they’re conservative with their travel. You’d be surprised at what shocks companies pair with lifts. Many 2.5” lifts only come with 9” travel shocks. Since stock is ~8” there isn’t much gain for the money other than clearing larger tires.

Sponsored