Hello all. I am some what new to the off-roading world, and don't really know much about working on vehicles. I have a 2012 Jeep Wrangler sport and I just bought a Teraflex 3'in lift kit for my jeep. Under the jeep everything is still stock. My question is what should I look out for as far as my driveshaft goes? Teraflex told me I might want to replace my CV joint. Is there anything else?

 

The first to go will be the black slip boot and then transfer case CV joint. You will know when the driveshaft is failing when you hear a clicking in 4 hi. I had this issue in June and replaced my stock drive shafts with Adams Driveshafts.

R/
Will

 

+1 ^^ The flex boot will rip quickly, but that really isn't a big deal. Over time the rubber boot that covers the CV joint on the TC side of the shaft will rip. Keep in mind you won't visually see this rip as it's really tucked up there. What you WILL see is grease sloshed up on the heat shield above the joint, and you will likely see that prior to hearing the clicking that Will references above. Depending on how aggressively you wheel the jeep, it's only a matter of time. You could get 10k miles out of it, you could get 30+k miles out of it. If you replace it sooner than later you have a couple minor advantages.....1) you can get a little more flex as the aftermarket shafts have a smaller diameter and give you just a big more room before hitting the exhaust crossover, and 2) you can probably sell the factory front DS for a small bit depending on your local market and demand.

Regarding your comment about not knowing much about working on jeeps, this is an easy job and something that even a novice can do with simple hand tools. You just need a socket wrench, a torque wrench, a few sockets, and some thread lock. Adam's has videos that hold your hand through the process. If you don't have a torque wrench, you should get one anyhow because it's something you'll use all the time.....even if just for torquing down your lug nuts. For this job you'd have to buy a 36mm socket IIRC for the TC side work, but that's bout it.

There shouldn't be any urgency for you to rush out and buy a new DS, but this might just be one of those things that you keep in the back of your head for when you see a really good special run, then pounce on it.

Welcome to the forum!

 

My stocker lasted 60k with a 3.5" lift and wheeling very often in moab in CO....no clicking, didn't see any grease....driving back from moab it blew up the CV joint. I do have a 4 door. Just cautioning that you may not see the signs, I didn't and have worked on cars for years.

 

First this happens.....


Then if you offroad and flex the jeep out alot ,this happens....

 

I too have a TeraFlex 3" lift and my front DS vibrated to the point I couldn't stand it. So at the time I would just unbolt it when not needing 4 wheel drive and then bolting it back in when I did. Got pretty good at it 😊 And could bolt it out and in in about 15-20 minutes laying on my back lol.

I wasn't going to give up my good steering to try to adjust caster with the stock front axle.

Then I bought a PR44 unlimited and a 1310 DC (wish I would've went 1350) and all is good now.

 

I wouldnt lose any sleep over it. I'm breaking dana 60 shafts with a 1310 tom woods.

 

WOW 😳

Mines not a Woods shaft but one of the first Dana/Spicer 1310 DC to be offered... and yeah nowing this will def help felling more confident on the trails plus the sleep thing 👍

 

My rear gave out at 3.5" just last week. I got a really loud clicking in 2wd between 10-25mph. There's no grease anywhere though

Anyways, new Adams shaft in the mail.