I'm fixing to install the RK 3.5 flex on a 2 door rubicon. Will my drive shafts be fine? I just want to make sure everything is going to work before I get half way through the install and need something else

 

Depending on the amount of off road you go for, you'll be fine on the stock shafts for some time. I'm still on oe shafts with my 2 door, just under 4" of lift. Though front shaft is getting close to needing replacement, slingin grease. So long as you fine tune all 8 adj control arms for pinion/caster, you can buy some time with your oe shafts.

 

stupid question, i have a 3" bds lift and have been concerned from day one about the front drive shaft...

so if its starting to go i should just keep an eye on where the shaft enters the transfer case?

matthew

 

Yes that seems to be where it wears first. It can sling grease for awhile before the shaft noticeably wears out and develops some play/movement.

 

Keep a eye out for this after lots of flexing.
The steel collar can get pinched down and break the seal. Letting the grease sling out is not good!

 

Your problem won't be getting halfway through the install and needing something else. It will be getting halfway up Blanca Peak or some other really technical trail and needing a new driveshaft. How are you going to get back down? If you don't off-road, or your off-roading is mild, then you'll be fine for a long time. As others wrote, just keep an eye on the driveshaft ends for damage to the boots--the slinging grease is easy to find. If you have that, I'd recommend either replace the DS with a proper one (without Rzeppa joints, which OEM has, and with U-joints, which most aftermarkets have). If you're driving down the highway and a DS fails, you can just pull over to the side of the road and pull the DS and drive home on the other one (yes, you can drive the Jeep in "FWD" if the rear DS fails).

Do be aware that Rzeppa and U-joint driveshafts are set up differently--the angle of the shaft to the transfer case and pinion requires different settings. Otherwise, you may have vibration from the driveshaft. But, U-joints take extreme angles better than Rzeppa joints, which is why U-joints are preferred on rigs that off-road. I had to replace my front DS on my four door even though I have only a 2.5" lift. General mantra is below 3" is no problem. My experience suggests otherwise. But, I do off-road on some pretty rough stuff and it failed well past 100K miles.

 

Thanks for the information. I'm putting the lift on this week and it is my daily driver so I was making sure I had everything to get me to work lol. I plan on replacing them before long but I'm not going to wheel much until then if I do it will be mild

 

still using my oe driveshaft (4inch ARB lift kits) 2dr 2012.
maybe i shoud keep an eye on it

 

A stick got caught under my jeep and it ripped the slip joint boot as I pulled it out. I'm going to tear the rest if it off; I'm thinking i'll be ok for a while as long throw some grease on the shaft and try to stay out of the deep mud. What do y'all think? The boot is on national back order and I'm going wheeling this weekend.

 

My Tom Woods DS doesn't even have a boot (I think with them its optional) and I'm not worried about it. Of course, it has a special coating to prevent corrosion and you're not supposed to grease it. But, grease yours and keep an eye on it and you should be fine. You might also keep an eye out for anyone replacing their DS and see if you can have their old boot. Might be quicker than waiting on a national B/O.