Tips for Removing/Storing Rear Driveshaft?

[Ol'Blue]

Going to flat tow, so removing the rear driveshaft to play it safe.

I plan to:

Remove the rear u-bolts/joint and tape up the u joint on the drive shaft to keep from losing the bearings etc.
Put the D20 in Neutral so I can rotate the driveshaft and get to the front u bolts.
Remove the drive shaft and tape up the front u joint.

Reverse above to re-install.

Anything else I should know or do?

Thanks,

 

[Toddpole]

Be sure you set the parking brake first. I know it's obvious but it's also overlooked too often.

 

[00gyrhed]

I do it this way. Remove the rear u-bolts. Tape the hell out of the two cups. Get a copuple of large zip ties and strap the driveshaft securely to the frame.

I never take it loose at the D20.

Also I dont know how far you are going but you can go short distances without issue. I have towed 100 miles without issue and I towed my CJ 5 from Dallas to Fairplay Colorado without issue connected. I have been told there is something quite magical about the Jeep D20 case that allows you to flat tow but not the bronco.

I have towed for 100 miles in 105 degree heat in TX and got under to feel the rear bearings in the transfer case and they aren't any hotter than anything else under the truck. As an experiment I once towed it 25 miles away from my house and 25 back and imediately pulled the carrier out of the back of the transfer case. There was still plenty of lubrication left in the bearings to have gone a lot further. The bearings werent even warmed up good.

I never gave flat towing a second thought until I got on this forum and everyone said dont do it. Somebody sometime probably burned up a bearing and determined that was the cause. You know like I eat carrots and got stomache cancer therefore it must be the carrots.

Anyway, the opinions on this forum are so strong I choose to err on the safe side and disconnect it, but I have gotten lazy several times without issue.

In any case just take loose the rear and strap it up. It will save you a lot of time and headache.

 

[miikee73]

I flat towed my 74 CJ5 1000 miles and didn't pull the driveshaft,no problem. But as mentioned above it seems to be a problem with Broncos. So to err on the side of caution I pull mine from the rear end tape the caps and put a ziplock baggie over it and wire it to the frame. The advantage to a twin stick is when I get to where I'm going I can lock the front hubs and put it in front wheel drive to move it. sometimes where you need to unhook isn't convienent to get under to put it back together.
Kind of a storage system to keep it ,or an extra shaft is to get a piece of 4" ABS pipe,cut to length and capped. Keeps it contained and from getting everything dirty.....

 

[u10072]

I would use a small ratchet strap to hold the DS to the frame and use a band clamp around the u-joint caps-- with those two things you never have to worry about tape coming off or the zip ties/bungy cords breaking,

 

[rockcrawler74]

I've always used a sock to slip over the end on the drive shaft. Super easy and it doesn't waste tape. Then just use a bungee or strap to keep it up out of the way.

 

[jw0747]

disconnect and use masking or duct tape on the caps on the rear u-bolts only. x2...no need to disconnect the front. raise the rear and wire or zip tie it so it's up out of the way. that way you don't have to store it somewhere and reinstalling it is only half of what you first planned to do.

 

[blubuckaroo]

If you take the rear driveline completely out, you can drive the car in front only when needed for errands. If you have twin stix, you can do the same thing by dropping the rear u-joint only.

 

[Bajabrewer]

My Stroppe came with a tow bar & when I was crawling up under it I noticed a short angle iron piece welded to the frame. It also had a short piece bolted to the end to flip up & hold the driveshaft in place. I don't know if Stroppe did this or Fairway Ford/Gravel Grabbers did it or someone else but it is kinda cool. I know I have a better pic but I can't find it right now.

 

[gnpenning]

Someone on here had a pic of a yoke mounted to the body that the drive line could be bolted up to.

 

[Rymadd]

Go down to the local driveshaft place and they will give you a handful of u joint cup straps for free! Small metal bands that hold the caps on. They work great!