Front Driveshaft

[RED VASQUEZ]

Hello everyone,
I've recently acquired a 73 wagoneer w/quadratrac that is missing the front driveshaft. I'd like to know if there are any other vehicles which use a similar driveline that will work on my waggy. I've been scrounging the local boneyards for an early fsj but haven't had any luck. I appreciate any help you might offer on this.

[Stuka]

A lot of people use front drive shafts from an XJ as I recall. But I think it has to be shortened depending on what drivetrain was in each vehicle.

Lots of others that work, just best to find one thats longer as having one shortened is cheap, having one lengthened is not.

Also, be sure you never take the QT out of e-drive, or the t-case will destroy itself since there is no front drive shaft.

[RED VASQUEZ]

That's good to know, there were a couple of xj and zj Cherokees at the yard when I went so I'll look into those. My wagoneer has manual front hubs, would I have to take it out of e drive to run them unlocked?

[Tatsadasayago]

If your jeep has manual hubs, it's likely someone put a part-time kit in the transfer case. You can confirm this by looking at the glove box decal behind the e-drive switch. If the decal has been replaced, it should indicate that the case has a part time kit installed. You can confirm this by spinning the front output shaft, and if it spins freely, it's got the kit. Placing the e-drive selector in Lock with the engine running should result in a front output shaft that will not turn by hand.

[carnuck]

'73 to '79 QT front shafts (V8 with auto) should be the same length. There may be a different front yoke on the tcase. Someone put a double cardan shaft in my '73 J4000 with QT and also converted it to PT with O/D kit.

If you don't have the PT kit then you're fine in E drive with the hubs unlocked. You can put it in 2wd (if they did the sticker or normal 4x4 if not) and you should be able to spin the front driveshaft with all the wheels on the ground. If you can't spin the front shaft, Lift one front wheel and see if it spins then. If not, either the tcase isn't shifting, the hoses are hooked up wrong or it's not part time swapped. (or the hubs aren't disengaging)

[RED VASQUEZ]

Sweet! Hopefully the shaft from an XJ bolts right up as the dana 30 is only going to live under there until I can afford to swap in a 44 (plan to go much bigger tires). I just can't stand the idea of owning another 4x4 that's only 2wd (97 explorer w/fried controltrac). I've skimmed through some threads here where guys have mentioned turning the springs around to move the axles out further. Perhaps I can do something like that to cheat a longer driveline in?