All part of the adventure, I guess

[Jason]

Well after a great day up in Big Bear, I was driving home on the 210 almost to the 15 when, BAM! followed by a clunk, clunk, clunk. I was able to get to the side of the freeway and saw that the u-joint on the transfer case side decided to go. It took out one of the u-joint straps. I hope the yolk is ok. I was going to just pull the driveshaft and drive home but I also noticed a lot of fluid splatter everywhere especially on the inside of both front tires. I decided to just call AAA. Glad I have the plus service good for up to 100 miles. I had to wait for 2 tow trucks. The first to get me off the freeway and then the 2nd to get me home. I had a CHP pull up to check on me and he thanked me for deciding not to try and fix anything on the side of the road. While inspecting everything, I said to myself, "Self! What are you doing under your Jeep while all these cars are whizzing by at 70 mph!"
I wonder if the front end went south. The Jeep is in the garage waiting for daylight to assess the damage.

[daniel_buck]

Jason, I had a similar experience in my old Willys a few days ago! I'm driving along and then POP!! I have no clutch! I pull along side the road, and wait about 2 hours for AAA to haul my sh*t home. But in my version of the story, it wasn't a CHP that stopped by, it was a pretty girl on a bicycle who offered to lend me her flashlight to look on the underside of the willys. Good times

Hope you get it all sorted out! I've got a ways before my Willys Jeep is back on the road again

[Jason]

I looked at the carnage from last night. I really can't tell how it happened but I think one of the u-joint straps came loose and the whole deal vibrated out. When it did, the end of the shaft made a nice big dent right under my foot. That was the big thud that scared the heck out of me. Two of the caps are gone. The shaft flopped around and hit the transfer case a few times. I'm lucky that I wont need a new transfer case. If my drive shaft was straight and true before, it's not now.
I will have to replace the yolk on the transfer case as one of the bolts was sheared off and it will probably be easier to replace it versus trying to drill it out. I believe the extra fluid I saw on the inside of the tires last night was from a leaking passenger side axle seal that now I get to replace. Odd that these both happened at the same time.

[aw12345]

That's what you get, when you go rockbouncing instead rock crawling

[RAT]

Glad you didn't do the kind of damage you originally thought. Let me know if yo need help. Glad you made it home.

[6spdYJ]

Do you have TJ shafts? That's how I found that my front driveshaft was assembled weird. The rear yoke isn't anywhere near centered. There is a straight line up the side of the shaft to one of the ears while the other ear actually has a shoulder down to the shaft. Jeep must have ordered them without balancing, figuring that the disconnect would keep them from spinning at highway speeds. That beats the snot out of the straps and the yoke bearings.

[Jason]

Do you have TJ shafts? That's how I found that my front driveshaft was assembled weird. The rear yoke isn't anywhere near centered. There is a straight line up the side of the shaft to one of the ears while the other ear actually has a shoulder down to the shaft. Jeep must have ordered them without balancing, figuring that the disconnect would keep them from spinning at highway speeds. That beats the snot out of the straps and the yoke bearings.

I had just recently put in TJ shafts and added the Aussie locker earlier this year. I have to remove the front driveshaft now when flat towing. The front tires don't track back straight.
This time I decided to drive the jeep instead of towing. I drove up without the driveshaft connected but when we were finished on Sat, it was dark and getting cold so I left the everything connected. Oops.

I had found a driveshaft shop that was actually local to me the day before and checked to see if the shaft was in balance. It was but the guy told me that it should be lengthened by about 1/2". That was probably a reason for the slight vibrations I was experiencing.