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Recommended drive shaft for 17 TRE

6K views 28 replies 9 participants last post by  Highrider 
#1 ·
I have a 17 tre and am starting to get some bad U joint play.
I have heard the best solution is just to replace the whole drive shaft at once.

What’s recommended for longevity, and ease of install?

I don’t really do any extreme riding, mostly trails and a little crawling. I’ve only had the machine a couple months and suspect the wear is more from previous owner.

Let me know
Thanks.


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#3 ·
I also went with the Rhino CV drive shaft with the super atv carrier bearing. Not %100 satisfied with it. I have no issues with the drive shaft. It's the carrier bearing. Due to it being solid mounted to the frame. It transfers the gear noise back into the cab when in low. It's extremely loud when crawling a hill at low speed and high RMP. I plan on installing rubber to isolate it from the cab, but haven't yet.

After doing more research I found several other companies carrier bearing kits come with rubber bushing for this. Something to keep in mind when looking.

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#4 ·
I'm a big fan of rubber mounted carrier bearing. The hard mounted units are tough, but you will feel the vibration when in AWD. The aftermarket rubber mounted units are big $$$$.
I'm using the stock carrier mount with a new High quality bearing packed with synthetic molly grease. I also filled the space in the stock rubber carrier with silicone. There are threads about this so I wont get into details. With custom spacers the stock carrier bearing does does work with the Rhino shafts. A toyota carrier bearing is also a popular option.
 
#5 ·
Pull up a chair and get comfortable Jonfinnell. I give you my tales of woe on my TRE propshaft.

Stock prop shaft. 1000 miles. U-joints in front shaft failing.


Found out front u-joints not available. Have to get the entire shaft. Went to a driveshaft shop. Best match was u-joints for a Kubota tractor. Had them rebuild everything.

Lasted barely 500 miles. odd-ball u-joints coming loose.

Spent big bucks on an RCV CV 2 piece shaft with their carrier bearing.

RCV carrier bearing failed 400 miles later. Most likely because you can't fit an installed carrier bearing through the frame on the shaft. Have to install it in the vehicle. Don't think I got it installed correctly.

Switched to a SandCraft Gen3 carrier bearing on the RCV shaft. Worked real good for about 2000 miles then this.


Send RCV prop shaft back to RCV. They rebuild. Re-install with Gen 3 carrier.

200 miles later-


Switched to SATV Rino shaft with their SATV "billet" carrier. Its a solid mount carrier. Noisy as hell and you can feel every buzz & vibration.


At this point, today, I'm in the process of shimming the front diff, going to run the SATV CV shaft with a rubber OEM style carrier. Just got my spacers back from the machine shop to run a OEM style rubber carrier. The stock style rubber carrier needs a spacer behind the bearing on the SATV shaft.

Pro4 has done something very similar to this.

Highrider is running the RCV with sand craft carrier (like I did at first) and seems to be having good luck.

I seem to have the worst luck with my prop shaft but, I really feel shimming the front diff (sand craft makes a shim), rubber OEM style carrier and the SATV CV shaft is going to do the trick.

I'll toss up a couple pictures in a bit of what it takes to put the rubber carrier on the SATV shaft.
 
#6 ·
Here is the problem/trick with the SATV CV style prop shaft-

The journal for the bearing in the carrier is much wider/longer than stock. You have to run the SATV solid carrier. Its noisy as hell.

SATV shaft-


Inner race of SATV bearing. Its 19mm wide and you use their snap ring on the outside end. Don't know the number.


Stock sized bearing for an OEM style carrier. The bearing is a 6006 (SKF, NTN, Timken) Its 13mm wide. 6mm shorter.


Need to come up with a 6mm spacer. 30mm ID, 40-42mmmm OD.

Couple choices I am looking at-
McMaster Carr, 98089A477 2mm X 30mm X 42mm spacers.


Machine shop-



Hummmmm. . . . . decisions. . . . will let you know. . . .



 
#10 ·
Good Grief Rockymtn5280- you going to pull your hair out!.


Jonfinnell

I have over 3,000 miles on my RCV prop shaft with the Gen3 bearing from sand craft on my 2019 T&R..No Issues

There is a noticeable vibration in 4 low AWD with the solid mounted sandcraft bearing- but I will take it over the rubber mounted ones that are smoother in the vibration department while in low/high- It is silky smooth when in the front is not engaged ( no torque from the front prop shaft)
I don't like the issues with the the rubber mounted bearing rattling around inside a rubber housing-and it's not fun when they let go.. seen many in my years....
So far I have been pretty rough on the T&R machine- and its never taken a back seat- but I do the maintenance here in my speed shop.

Tilting and shimming the front and rear will sure help with drive shaft angle and that is where the fun begins.. but the stock angle's is our achille's heel for sure..
 
#14 ·
My 2015 xp1000 has 3100 miles on it and I'm considering pulling the driveshaft and having it re phased, u joints and a new carrier put in. Looks like I may as well make a shim for the front. Will be watching to see if anyone posts the bolt size and length needed for a shimmed front diff
 
#17 ·
Checking your thread depth with a slide ruler or other tool will tell you what will work. I think two of the holes go all the way through the diff case, but will hit something if too long. Measure first to confirm how much you can use or buy the longer bolts listed for your rig. Use thread locker and do not over torque them. Lots of options if you search google. Pick your poison.

 
#19 ·
No. Its just flat. Goes under the back (pinion side) of the front diff mounting to raise it up- thus decreasing the pinion angle at the front diff.

This is mine with an RCV shaft. Notice how the shaft is darn near at the top of the CV coupling.

Raising the back (pinion side) of the front diff would put that shaft more centered in the coupling.

 
#18 ·
I used aluminum bar stock. It's easier to work with because it's soft. It only needs a slight wedge shape to conform to the slight angle change. I thinking you could do that with an angle grinder and flapper wheel, but having it shaved down with a mill would be best for accuracy and prevent uneven surface which could distort the case or break it. Keeping the shim within reasonable thickness is best. Thinner aluminum shim such as 1/8 would likely not need to be wedge shape when using longer bolts. Any decrease in angle will help the driveline.

WARNING: Do not use flat washers to cut a corner here. The entire diff boss that touches the frame needs to be supported all the way across. Do it once and do it right!
 
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