Drive Shaft Question ?
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Three Wheeling
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
Drive Shaft Question ?
I have a 2004 Disco II with 85k miles on it. My Disco still has the original Land Rover drive shafts and I was wondering if it is really necessary for me to change them to Tom Woods Drive shafts. I took it to my trusted mechanic and he said that they were in good condition. I have had many people on this forum tell me to change them. I don't do any off roading only city driving. I just wanted to know if i should change them even though they are in good condition. If so can someone tell me why and what the reasoning is behind it so I have a better understanding ? I don't mind changing it if I have to but I just wanted to know the reasoning behind it.
please advice, Thanks guys
please advice, Thanks guys
you don't have to buy a tom woods if you don't want to. you can have the drive shaft rebuilt with greasable u joints and a new centering ball kit. a drive line shop can fit the parts. The stock U joints will look fine to any mechanic. But they dry up and break apart, the drive shaft then goes bucknutter and can rip a whole in the transmission and tear out the transfer case while your driving. turning a $200 problem into a $5,000 problem.
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 25,707
Likes: 107
From: Denver, Colorado
You should make plans to have it replaced/rebuilt, this week. When it fails, and they all do, it will then cost you a tranny, $4000 plus, I don't care what your mechanic says. I would imagine your guy isn't familiar with this problem with all D2 drive shafts.
Baja
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,232
Likes: 52
From: Georgia, USA
For highway use and most peoples' off-roading, stock propshafts are fine.
Only rebuild with greaseable u-joints if you're going to lube them (or have them lubed) at minimum every 5,000 miles. If you're not going to do that, use sealed u-joints, they will last longer. Then plan on rebuilding your front again in 50-60k miles.
If you go the greaseable route and don't do it yourself, be sure to tell the person who does your lube that all the u-joints have grease fittings. From the factory they don't and the person may skip some thinking there are no grease fittings.
Only rebuild with greaseable u-joints if you're going to lube them (or have them lubed) at minimum every 5,000 miles. If you're not going to do that, use sealed u-joints, they will last longer. Then plan on rebuilding your front again in 50-60k miles.
If you go the greaseable route and don't do it yourself, be sure to tell the person who does your lube that all the u-joints have grease fittings. From the factory they don't and the person may skip some thinking there are no grease fittings.
Winching
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 628
Likes: 18
Get it rebuilt asap
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Three Wheeling
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
ordered them from Tom Woods today they should be in by next Monday until then my car is not going anywhere parking it in the garage not moving until they are changed
Thanks every one you have been a great help.
Thanks every one you have been a great help.
Baja
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,232
Likes: 52
From: Georgia, USA
Just so you are clear, TW and GBR propshafts aren't a magic bullet.
The only advantage they offer is that they are stronger and so less likely to break if you do hard core off-roading. That, and they can be made longer if you have a lift that's too tall for stock.
Just like the stock Land Rover propshafts, they must be lubed, and lubed properly, at the correct service interval (5,000 miles for normal use) or they will fail in just as bad a way as the stock ones.
The only advantage they offer is that they are stronger and so less likely to break if you do hard core off-roading. That, and they can be made longer if you have a lift that's too tall for stock.
Just like the stock Land Rover propshafts, they must be lubed, and lubed properly, at the correct service interval (5,000 miles for normal use) or they will fail in just as bad a way as the stock ones.
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