Front drive shaft broken

[Commodore]

Do anyone know if the Terraflex “high angle” is really any different than the original CV? I had a 2 door 2022 bronco and those rear driveshafts are short and hard on the TC side CV. They use the same CV as a Jeep and owners found that the high angle CV didn’t provide any greater angle than the factory one.

 

[anand]

Do anyone know if the Terraflex “high angle” is really any different than the original CV? I had a 2 door 2022 bronco and those rear driveshafts are short and hard on the TC side CV. They use the same CV as a Jeep and owners found that the high angle CV didn’t provide any greater angle than the factory one.

I don't think that they are inherently better, but they aren't worse, and are a lot more inexpensive than an OEM entire driveshaft

 

[Commodore]

I don't think that they are inherently better, but they aren't worse, and are a lot more inexpensive than an OEM entire driveshaft

I keep hoping for a simple solution to the crappy front driveshaft angles because I want to at least level the front of the truck but won’t do it until a real solution is on offer.

 

[Dokatd]

I keep hoping for a simple solution to the crappy front driveshaft angles because I want to at least level the front of the truck but won’t do it until a real solution is on offer.

Question is how many people would buy and at what price point. There are several real options but they vary wildly in price and leg work.

 

[Commodore]

Question is how many people would buy and at what price point. There are several real options but they vary wildly in price and leg work.

The best solution is to cut and turn the front axle but that isn’t something that I want to deal with. I’m hoping that a combination of dropping the transfer case slightly and a double DC driveshaft might prove to be a workable bolt on solution.

 

[Dokatd]

The best solution is to cut and turn the front axle but that isn’t something that I want to deal with. I’m hoping that a combination of dropping the transfer case slightly and a double DC driveshaft might prove to be a workable bolt on solution.

Yes, that's a solution for sure and could be reasonable on a core exchange. But there are a couple other options that would be vastly cheaper and far less invasive.

For some context I used to build custom axles. I actually hand built the first and only Ford 9" Dana 60 Rover front axle. And I used to build 31 spline Ford 9" Rover axles.

So needless to say I have thoughts on how to solve this problem. But I'd hate to create a solution that is ludicrous for everyone else. I'd rather see something come out that helps stock and lifted truck owners alike.

So are we officially calling this a problem that needs a solution? I know it is for me, but I feel the steering sucks and everyone else says it fine. Hate going down rabbit holes with no rabbit at the end.

 

[Commodore]

Yes, that's a solution for sure and could be reasonable on a core exchange. But there are a couple other options that would be vastly cheaper and far less invasive.

For some context I used to build custom axles. I actually hand built the first and only Ford 9" Dana 60 Rover front axle. And I used to build 31 spline Ford 9" Rover axles.

So needless to say I have thoughts on how to solve this problem. But I'd hate to create a solution that is ludicrous for everyone else. I'd rather see something come out that helps stock and lifted truck owners alike.

So are we officially calling this a problem that needs a solution? I know it is for me, but I feel the steering sucks and everyone else says it fine. Hate going down rabbit holes with no rabbit at the end.

It is an official problem for me. It is a serious enough limitation that I am not even putting a front level shim on the front springs. I would like to lift the rear about 1.5” and the front about 2.5” but no way that is going to happen with that front driveshaft angle.

 

[Dokatd]

It is an official problem for me. It is a serious enough limitation that I am not even putting a front level shim on the front springs. I would like to lift the rear about 1.5” and the front about 2.5” but no way that is going to happen with that front driveshaft angle.

Understood.

Just FYI, dropping the T-case will actually make it worse. Raising the T-case will alleviate the T-case side problem but exacerbates the differential side which has yet to seemingly be a problem so far.

 

[GN4HIR]

Understood.

Just FYI, dropping the T-case will actually make it worse. Raising the T-case will alleviate the T-case side problem but exacerbates the differential side which has yet to seemingly be a problem so far.

Ok, I thought I understood the problem and the relationship of the T-case and differential but your statement seems counter to that understanding. Granted, I learned everything I know from this forum and crawling under my IG every thousand miles to look at the CVs.

 

[DrahthHunter]

maybe a dumb question but if your going to use the lift why not replace the CV shafts with the double cardan with a custom made driveline hell of a lot cheaper than oem spare.

 

[Dokatd]

maybe a dumb question but if your going to use the lift why not replace the CV shafts with the double cardan with a custom made driveline hell of a lot cheaper than oem spare.

Double Double Cardan shafts have been notoriously a pain in the butt. A shaft with a double Cardan at one end with virtually no Joint angle and a Double Cardan at the other end works quite well. This was actually a factory fix for Land Rover on the Series II Discovery. They originally tried Ujoint phasing which had mixed results.

However if you have a notable angle at both the transfer case and the differential this type of layout won't work. Enter the "Double" double Cardan shaft. This type of shaft was kinda never really supposed to be. This is due to the method used to locate the two Ujoints in the double Cardan. There is a ball and a pin along with a socket in each double Cardan joint. This design is rather loose in relative terms. This looseness is generally well tolerated at lower angles and goes unnoticed by the operator for many thousands of miles. But eventually you will find a rebuild or even just some fresh grease can dramatically smooth out the drive shaft.

Now, put two of those joint in a drive shaft and things can get strange. Depending on the severity of the angles you have the joints tend to wear more or less of course. As one wears it can cause the other to wear faster. This cycle can go very fast and quickly lead to vibrations that are notable by the operator. The shaft won't necessarily fail, but they can get pretty rough in relative terms. Especially when compared to typical CV joints.

Double Cardans work well when used at more traditional Ujoint angles with occasional use outside the norm. But if they live outside the norm all day long then they do start to wear quickly. And with their huge mass they can be felt very easily even with minimal wear.