Tom Woods Driveshaft failure

flyfisher11

flyfisher11

Well-known member
May 25, 2005
8,676
2
61
Wolf Laurel NC
DC on front and rear DII with RTE 3". Driveline angles are perfect. I had one go in less than 500 miles. I called Tom Woods and told them about it. They overnighted me one for the front and ups ground shipped a new rear one (rear was okay but they said to send it back anyway) both with return shipping paid. I was told that they had some bad centering ball kits on the early adapterless shafts for our trucks. They said they had used the same kits on some other applications as well ie Ford etc.. The new ones are holding up fine thus far and I grease these things in the hundreds of miles not thousands, basically every time I wheel it and also when I'm board just for the hell of it.

Cheers,

Mike
 
mbrummal

mbrummal

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2009
2,894
22
Willow Spring, NC
flyfisher11 said:
DC on front and rear DII with RTE 3". Driveline angles are perfect. I had one go in less than 500 miles. I called Tom Woods and told them about it. They overnighted me one for the front and ups ground shipped a new rear one (rear was okay but they said to send it back anyway) both with return shipping paid. I was told that they had some bad centering ball kits on the early adapterless shafts for our trucks. They said they had used the same kits on some other applications as well ie Ford etc.. The new ones are holding up fine thus far and I grease these things in the hundreds of miles not thousands, basically every time I wheel it and also when I'm board just for the hell of it.

Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...

How do you grease the centering ball? using a rubber-tipped coupler?
 
gmookher

gmookher

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2004
5,201
0
Grand Canyon State
D Chapman said:
I'm betting they're 3" lifts.......and they have no idea what you're talking about (driveshaft angles).
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are ya sure?

bet again, some of us have pinion angles set right and still have issues...

Mine were likely from having run the rubicon but there was no rock rash on the shaft or the flanges itself and all three went bad, go figure. Drove there tight at my preinspection 800miles north in seattle and cruised at 75 vibe free en route.

I think the woods UJs are crap. Shafts are softer than GBR, but also balance better being lighter, and those are just my personal opines from usage of all three, stock with rebuild UJs, GBR and Woods. I like teh woods products but am beginning to think the GBR shaft is stouter. I sold my GBR for the woods, and feel its quiter at 75 than the heavier shaft, but theres a fine line where NVH becomes the culprit, fatigue wise, so is stouter better if it vibes more on a truck that sees hway miles, long distances at high speeds? For a trailer rig no doubt I'd do the gbrs.
 
DennyDoler

DennyDoler

Well-known member
Mar 27, 2007
959
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Athens,Ga
I have had a TW dc in the front of my RRC with a 4" lift with the adaptor and ran it for 3 years with no issues. When I went to the 5" lift back in March I sent back the front and had it lengthened and rebuilt to run without the adaptor and bought a new rear shaft at the same time. I have corrected the pinion angles and have only experienced vibes from knocking wheel weights off or packing the wheels full of mud.
 
J

JohnB

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2007
2,295
12
Oregon
Skaramunga said:
shit i just lost a joint.
:rofl2:
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Found it

Seriously what a great company. They warranty custom parts for people who beat the living shit out of there trucks. What more could you want.
 
jrose609

jrose609

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2009
2,162
0
Boise, ID
Timmy. Did you put those radius arms on yet? Did it fix your pinion angle? I'm thinking I need some too. You seen any others for sale anywhere ?
 
mbrummal

mbrummal

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2009
2,894
22
Willow Spring, NC
stolenheron said:
mason, when are you regreasing your TW? if you do it in AU this weekend i'll be happy to help and learn so i can do mine.
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In my driveway. No grease gun here in auburn.

I'll bring it to auburn and show you how some time.
 
T

Timmy!!!!!!!

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2004
4,585
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Bourbon Street
www.facebook.com
jrose609 said:
Timmy. Did you put those radius arms on yet? Did it fix your pinion angle? I'm thinking I need some too. You seen any others for sale anywhere ?
Click to expand...

Yup. Although the springs I got I am pretty sure I got over 2in. of lift (crossing my fingers it is 3in.). I put a d2 driveshaft on and the radius arms and wow! My disco drives so much smoother and straighter now. On another note I think my measurement on the front spring perches from top to bottom was 13in.

Edit: the springs I installed were a used set of SG 200 and 250 springs but I am going to put a spacer on the rear springs to level things out.
 
garrett

garrett

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2004
10,931
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Middleburg, VA
www.blackdogmobility.com
If I am replacing U joints at least once a year on my stock driveshafts with a 3" lifted truck (no corrections), then what is the advantage of a TM shaft if they are failing (no corrections) as well?

Of course not all of them are by any means, but the same could be said for stock shafts.

No question the stock U joints are undersized/weak.
 
D

D Chapman

Guest
The advantage is the 1310 U-joints and/or the double cardon joint.
 
eliaschristeas

eliaschristeas

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2006
2,441
5
Beverly HIlls
i've replaced BOTH my drive shafts with broomhandles and duct tape... although not really reliable, its cheap to replace andon the trail i can use brances etc as replacements....
 
garrett

garrett

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2004
10,931
5
53
Middleburg, VA
www.blackdogmobility.com
D Chapman said:
The advantage is the 1310 U-joints and/or the double cardon joint.
Click to expand...

Well I know that, but if they are still failing with a DC and bigger joints then it's really not enough.......the DC isn't enough or...........

I'd just want to know that if I am going to "upgrade" that that's what it actually is. Not that it can't and won't break, but it shouldn't be nearly as often or at all. Like stock axles vs. HD axles. I expect difference/upgrade to be significant. Is it?

Sounds like penty of mild setups are having premature failures.
 
Mike_Rupp

Mike_Rupp

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
3,604
0
Mercer Island, WA
I couldn't imagine any worse of an off-road vehicle aftermarket item to sell than driveshafts. For driveshafts to have a decent life, the driveline angles have to be dealt with, yet it's apparent that most people don't have a clue how to optimize those angles, let alone make an attempt at it.

If the driveshaft fails as a result of a misalignment, the chump will automatically blame the driveshaft company. What a nightmare. My front Tom Woods was on my brother's truck for at least 20k miles and on mine for 30k miles or so, with nothing done other than greasing.
 
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