How To: Change front driveshaft / change a driveshaft head

CWBenjamin · May 5, 2020

I get a thunking/clacking sound from the front end when I turn in 4wd. I have read that it is likely the front axel cv joint... The front of the front axel has the boot and it all looks nice and good to go, but the rear part of the front axel has no boot and appears to be exposed... Is it supposed to look the same as the front of the axel with a boot and all that?
Has anyone had that sound happen only in 4wd and only when turning, and been able to confirm that it comes from that location?

uss2defiant · May 5, 2020

The rear CV of the front driveshaft does have a boot.
It'll sound like keys jiggling if there's no grease left in the CV.
Here's the rebuilt kit most of us use.
https://www.driveshaftparts.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=978&search=me807

tommudd · May 5, 2020

CWBenjamin said:
I get a thunking/clacking sound from the front end when I turn in 4wd. I have read that it is likely the front axel cv joint... The front of the front axel has the boot and it all looks nice and good to go, but the rear part of the front axel has no boot and appears to be exposed... Is it supposed to look the same as the front of the axel with a boot and all that?
Has anyone had that sound happen only in 4wd and only when turning, and been able to confirm that it comes from that location?

Fist thing you should never turn to sharp in 4x4
next if rear boot is missing on the front driveshaft, go to www.driveshaftparts.com and but a replacement/rebuild kit

CWBenjamin · May 12, 2020

uss2defiant said:
The rear CV of the front driveshaft does have a boot.
It'll sound like keys jiggling if there's no grease left in the CV.
Here's the rebuilt kit most of us use.
https://www.driveshaftparts.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=978&search=me807

Thank you! I did get it replaced with a driveshaftparts.com kit! Definitely broken up boot and dried out cv joint...

uss2defiant · May 12, 2020

Great. While waiting for it, you can figure out how to get it out!
have fun. it's a little tricky but do-able.

CWBenjamin · May 12, 2020

I already got it all done! I test drove it and it doesn't make the sound anymore. Can definitely hear it making a deeper whining sound as the turning angle gets sharper in 4wd.. I guess the 4wd isn't supposed to handle sharp turns nor be used on pavement?

tommudd · May 12, 2020

CWBenjamin said:
I already got it all done! I test drove it and it doesn't make the sound anymore. Can definitely hear it making a deeper whining sound as the turning angle gets sharper in 4wd.. I guess the 4wd isn't supposed to handle sharp turns nor be used on pavement?

No sharp turns and depending on which transfer case you have no on roads or other hard surfaces

CWBenjamin · May 12, 2020

tommudd said:
No sharp turns and depending on which transfer case you have no on roads or other hard surfaces

Thank you sir! How do I determine which case I have? I have a 2003 Liberty, 4wd automatic 3.7 / 6cyl

uss2defiant · May 12, 2020

look at your 4WD options by the lever.
only 4FT can be used on all surfaces.

daves06lrenegade · May 13, 2020

I agree with the comment "

Great. While waiting for it, you can figure out how to get it out!
have fun. it's a little tricky but do-able." from uss2defiant...

Mine was not at all easy to get out... They show all you have to do is to angle the back of the drive shaft up and pull the front out... There is little room to create the angle that will allow the front of the shaft to be removed... The armor plates on the bottom of my Renegade added to my frustrations...
Dave

lfhoward · May 13, 2020

^^^ Even trickier on a KK because an oxygen sensor has to be removed before you can have space to get the front driveshaft off. Those O2 sensors can be stuck pretty good!

BADLIBBY · Nov 11, 2021

What kind of grease should be used to grease the heads?

tommudd · Nov 11, 2021

BADLIBBY said:
What kind of grease should be used to grease the heads?

The heads ??
Grease comes with the rebuild kit , its all you need

Leeann · Nov 11, 2021

If you didn't replace the heads and just wanna know what grease, it's moly.

mundra · Mar 28, 2022

I am new here and I am reading this thread. I see some have had a vibration. Did you mark the drive shaft to make sure you put it back into the holes it came out of? On some vehicles they are balanced and should go back the same way they come out? I use a marker or white out to mark the location on the yoke and the pinion ******. It is just a thought.

DadOSix · Mar 29, 2022

mundra said:
I am new here and I am reading this thread. I see some have had a vibration. Did you mark the drive shaft to make sure you put it back into the holes it came out of? On some vehicles they are balanced and should go back the same way they come out? I use a marker or white out to mark the location on the yoke and the pinion ******. It is just a thought.

Never marked either of mine. Bought kits for each end and replaced both, although, the rear one is the one that fails most. It was a booger to get it down the first time, working on the ground. Now i run both front and rear - left side - up on ramps and i have room to make it happen.

TimV · Apr 1, 2022

Changed this rear CV today for the 2nd time in less than a calendar year. Went in hoping to figure out what I did wrong the previous time knowing it didn't go well the first time. Here is something I learned:

In wondering which way the joint should go on the shaft, there seems no clear indication. However, the first time this was done, I fought with the dust cap. This time, I stopped, flipped the joint over, and eh voila, the dust cap goes on smoothly. Coincidence, possibly, thinking not though. Also, one side of the joint had a circular groove near the outer edge aligned with the bolt holes, this side faced the differential.

I make the points regarding the groove and the dust cap in reference to earlier posts.

Honestly, to anybody fighting this, other than coaxing the joints out of their perches (bfh and pry) this job is a simple as it sounds. If you're fighting it, stop and reevaluate what yer doin.

Good luck.

Tim

DavidG91 · Oct 14, 2024

2005 Liberty Renegade Command Trac 4x4.
Recently lifted with an Ironman 1.5 lift, new JBA upper and lower ball joints. The boots are good.

I have recently noticed that when I put the jeep in 4 HI (or 4LO) even just as a test, the 4x4 is operational but I hear loud loud low pitched grinding noise from the front, even going straight.

Any ideas?
The rockauto front driveshaft parts are much higher than the driveshaftparts ones? Any comments on either one?

Would I need both the drive shaft and the CV joint kit above?
This discussion looks good; it seems doable at home.

Anyone have the KJ powertrain FSM?

KJowner · Oct 15, 2024

The CV joint is separate so that's all you need.

DavidG91 · Oct 15, 2024

I saw the image of the "bad" front driveshaft head/joint in the first post. What does a good one look like?
Where does the boot in the image at https://www.driveshaftparts.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=978&search=me807 go?

How To: Change front driveshaft / change a driveshaft head

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