How much front shaft slip do you REALLY need?

[MTMike]

With 52" front springs?

I'm goin with 52" Tough Country 2" Lift springs in the front, I have an Arizona Drivelines "Bad Boy Jr" front Driveshaft that the P/O put on to compensate for 12" of supsension lift.

It has a bad CV joint, and A/D is showing their wonderful customer service by not providing warranty on it like they told the P/O they would. The shaft splines slip about 4" from full compression to full extension (before it hits the limiting collar). Is this enough with the new-found flex I'll have w/ the 52's, or should I look into getting a whole new long-slip high-angle CV Shaft instead of just a new high-angle CV Joint to put on this A/D Shaft?

 

[rcurrier44]

Everyone says you need more slip for the 52's so I don't think 4" is going to do it. However you might want to pull the shaft appart and clean out all the old grease to see exactly how much slip you have. Most shafts end up getting junk/grease hardening in the slip yoke that limits movement.

 

[jekbrown]

lol, I have a shade over 12" on my HAD shaft and I'm not sure its going to be enough... Unless you use bumpstops and limiting straps to REALLY limit your suspension, I doubt 4" of slip is going to cut it.

j

 

[Zeus33rd]

With 52" front springs?

I'm goin with 52" Tough Country 2" Lift springs in the front, I have an Arizona Drivelines "Bad Boy Jr" front Driveshaft that the P/O put on to compensate for 12" of supsension lift.

It has a bad CV joint, and A/D is showing their wonderful customer service by not providing warranty on it like they told the P/O they would. The shaft splines slip about 4" from full compression to full extension (before it hits the limiting collar). Is this enough with the new-found flex I'll have w/ the 52's, or should I look into getting a whole new long-slip high-angle CV Shaft instead of just a new high-angle CV Joint to put on this A/D Shaft?

4" is absolutley NOT enough for 52's. My shaft is a stock one from a '78 F-250...Has 4" of slip too. I've had mine pull apart twice on me already. Both times in the middle of pretty good little obstacles. Having to put a drive shaft back together on the trail is a pain in the ass. Not really difficult or time consuming, more inconvienent than anything. Unless you get unlucky and happen to twist the splines when it pulls apart. Haven't had that happen to me though. I just bough a friends Gen1 doubler set up, gonna need to shafts for it anyways, so I have a good excuse to order some HAD stuff.

 

[Blue85]

This is where your high school geometry class will pay off. Calculate the length of the shaft at full stuff and full droop. Full droop is hard to estimate, but jacking up the truck by the frame and then adding an inch or two is a good place to start. Full stuff is relatively easy since the bumpstop is right next to the diff.

For the same suspension travel a steeper driveline angle will require more slip than a flatter one.