Never a dull moment sad day for my K5

[nitro_rat]

I have bought one shaft from Tom Woods. Great service and a nice piece.
Local shops have been good for regular stuff.

Stupid question. Could you have pulled the rear shaft out and drive home on the front? You don't want to go far, or fast on just the front, but.

I've daily driven for weeks at a time on the front only when having rear end or driveshaft problems. Yanked the driveshaft and both rear axles on my Excursion while waiting on parts, the front Dana 50 didn't explode or complain. There's no binding on the case when in front only mode. As long as the front shaft is balanced well enough not to shake at highway speeds and the transfer case has a fixed output there's no issue. If you have a slip yoke transfer case you will loose fluid so driving carefully is wise...

 

[6872xtc]

I've daily driven for weeks at a time on the front only when having rear end or driveshaft problems. Yanked the driveshaft and both rear axles on my Excursion while waiting on parts, the front Dana 50 didn't explode or complain. There's no binding on the case when in front only mode. As long as the front shaft is balanced well enough not to shake at highway speeds and the transfer case has a fixed output there's no issue. If you have a slip yoke transfer case you will loose fluid so driving carefully is wise...

I have heard of a guy killing a front differential from driving highway speeds on just the front for too long. So this is why I posted my caution.

 

[imiceman44]

I have heard of a guy killing a front differential from driving highway speeds on just the front for too long. So this is why I posted my caution.

I drove on my front d60 in the crew cab 70 miles to get home.
Highway speeds and corners in full speed got my axle ujoints shot but they were 25 years old original so I didn't feel bad

 

[Venanzi85]

I just may have to drive it in 2 wheel drive from the shop, good news is the 3 in body blocks are off which looks so much better, bad news is the new driveshaft I bought is 1/2-1 in too short. So now looking for a rebuild or custom built. One shop that y’all posted Oliver’s stated they would convert it to a flanged cv style and replace transfer yoke to a bolt on flange. I’m not familiar w any of this

 

[centexk5]

Tom Woods driveshafts. Quick, great service, they can do it all.

 

[Venanzi85]

Opinion think it’s safe to drive about 60 miles from the shop to my house luckily I can take all back roads

 

[ZooMad75]

Opinion think it’s safe to drive about 60 miles from the shop to my house luckily I can take all back roads

I barber-poled my rear shaft on a rock pile about 100 miles from home. Ended up yanking the now two chunks off the diff and the t-case. It was a fixed yoke 205 in my '75 and I drove home on the D44 front the entire way at highway speeds without an issue. Felt like it normally did at highway speed.

 

[Venanzi85]

I barber-poled my rear shaft on a rock pile about 100 miles from home. Ended up yanking the now two chunks off the diff and the t-case. It was a fixed yoke 205 in my '75 and I drove home on the D44 front the entire way at highway speeds without an issue. Felt like it normally did at highway speed.

That makes me feel much better cause I’m going to be doing that this week, just gonna take it easy

 

[centexk5]

I’ve had a different experience. Driving with the front hubs locked and the t-case in 4wd, anything over 40-45mph the t-case would puke fluid out. That’s with an np208 and d60 front.

 

[Venanzi85]

I’ve read about that too, just gotta get it from one shop to another so they can get a custom driveshaft for the rig. Will say it looks a lot better w the 3 inch body blocks off..pics to come tomorrow when I get it tomorrow

 

[Wes Harden]

So I am guessing you have a slip yoke np208 transfer case. The shop want to do a slip yoke eliminator kit and build you a cv style driveshaft.
This is a good set up for wheeling and more than a few dollars. If you are four wheeling with lots flex the stock yoke set up is perfectly fine.
Even if you still have a small lift. Adjustment of pinion angle might be needed if you have a lift, but that isn't hard or expensive.

 

[centexk5]

I had issues with drivetrain vibrations on a 4” lift with the np208 and slip yoke. It wasn’t noticeable with the 3.73’s but the 4.88’s made it sound like a bearing grinding. Threw a 6* shim in to help and it raised the grinding sound from 45 to 50mph. SYE with a CV joint at the t-case and all noise went away.

 

[cheavyk10]

Was 5 miles away to the shop where i was going to get the body lift off when rear driveshaft decided to break off luckily was not going very fast and heard it come off immediately pulled over, note to self when replacing U-joints just go ahead and replace them all i replaced one of them over the summer and the one that failed was the one I did not replace...

View attachment 397152

View attachment 397153

Looks like he has a 205, check the slip joint in the shaft. (Lower pic)

 

[formercruiserhead]

In high school I drove my 74 k5 an entire semester on the front drive shaft. Was broke and didnt have time I guess.

 

[Venanzi85]

I know im gonna get blasted for asking this but ya know what can’t get answers if you don’t ask

so picking up the truck this week it’s complete but we had snow here, anyways confirmed np-203 noticed it has Mile Marker hubs that can lock and un lock, question is if im just doing normal driving should I just put in 4h?

 

[6872xtc]

I know im gonna get blasted for asking this but ya know what can’t get answers if you don’t ask

so picking up the truck this week it’s complete but we had snow here, anyways confirmed np-203 noticed it has Mile Marker hubs that can lock and un lock, question is if im just doing normal driving should I just put in 4h?

If it has a part time kit, you would actually have 2wd in 4HI, so yes, use that. The 4Lock position is when you have 4x4 with a part time kit.

They suggest putting it into lock, (4wd) every so often to sling oil around to everything inside the case.
If you get into the habit of using lock for the first mile or so of every first drive of the day, then slide the shifter forward to 4Hi, it should keep things happy.

 

[Venanzi85]

If it has a part time kit, you would actually have 2wd in 4HI, so yes, use that. The 4Lock position is when you have 4x4 with a part time kit.

They suggest putting it into lock, (4wd) every so often to sling oil around to everything inside the case.
If you get into the habit of using lock for the first mile or so of every first drive of the day, then slide the shifter forward to 4Hi, it should keep things happy.

Thank you, I will def do that

 

[Joel Wilson]

I know im gonna get blasted for asking this but ya know what can’t get answers if you don’t ask

so picking up the truck this week it’s complete but we had snow here, anyways confirmed np-203 noticed it has Mile Marker hubs that can lock and un lock, question is if im just doing normal driving should I just put in 4h?

I have pretty much the exact same setup. NP203 with Mile Marker part time kit and Warn Hubs. What I do, is drive around with the hubs locked but the transfer case is in 4h, but not 4 lock. I suffer a bit in gas mileage, but this keeps oil all around the transfer case and I never have a problem going into 4 lock. I have tried running with the hubs unlocked and only going into 4 lock once a week or so and the transfer case gets sticky. Much easier to just drive around with hubs locked in 4h. I have to go into 4wd every other week or so anyways.