Photo of stock rear driveshaft and angle (stock height)

Anybody have a photo of a bone stock rig they can share a photo of the rear driveshaft from? Bonus points if it's a 6 cyl manual. I'm asking because I converted back to stock height and Dana 35. When I look at the driveshaft angle, it seems somewhat steep. But, it's been a very long time since I was stock, so maybe my memory is just misremembering.

The springs are near-flat like stock so I know I didn't end up sitting inches higher like some of the "stock" advertised springs result in. Everything else is completely stock, so it is probably fine. It just seemed steeper than I remember.

Maybe @Sunsport ?

Sunsport said:

I can take a picture soon. I don't feel like mine is that much of an angle.

I'm on vacation in the Dominican but will snap a picture when I get home (early next week). If I forget, tag me in a post so I remember.

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Thanks. Yeah it seemed steep to me, but my reference point is 10 years old by now and I really don’t remember. Can’t find any good photos online to compare. Everything is stock spec now so I think it’s just how it is. All OEM motor mounts, stock height skid, factory axle, etc.

Definitely curious to see how yours turns out. Enjoy the rest of the trip.

dodgerammit said:

There's one on my build thread. Went back to fresh, stock height springs. Like yours, they sit flat with the Jeep weight on them. My driveshaft angle is surprisingly steep imo, but this is my first YJ so no other reference.
FWIW, I don't have any vibrations since I ditched the 2" springs that were combined with the factory skid plate setup. Mine is an auto, though.

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Oh awesome, thanks. Just went and looked and yeah yours seems about like mine. Auto is fine, the difference between auto and manual is like an inch in driveshaft. Close enough to use as a reference. Looks about like mine.

Tom wood shaft worked out well eh? If I need one due to the eBay one having vibes then I’m probably going that route. I do have high driveline speeds though, 4.56 and 30’s puts me around 36-3800 at 70. Should still be fine though, the 4 cylinders turned about that high in stock form.

Sunsport said:

Here is the driveshaft on mine which is all stock height. Much less angle. My YJ still has the original springs which are close to flat. Included a picture of one for reference.

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Thanks for checking. Very odd. My springs are not quite as flat as yours but it shouldn’t be that different. My front end is up on jack stands which affects the rear weight so I can’t get any good photos now, but I’ll get some better ones later. I can’t think of why they’d be different other than suspension height. It doesn’t really matter, I probably won’t have problems (hopefully not) but I’m curious what’s causing the difference.

The way yours are is how I remembered mine being 10 years ago which is why I posted up to begin with. But we’ll see how it is when I hit the road, maybe in a month or so if I can ever get the dadgum axles finished.

TRevs said:

Dos you put an angle finger on it? It looks steep to me too. Maybe someone did a tummy tuck when you weren’t looking?

Seriously though, is your driveshaft stock length? It looks like it’s pulling out your slip yoke more than Sunsport’s.

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No angle finder on it yet. I now have the front jacked up which screws with the loading in the rear so I can’t do anything with it right now until I’m back on the ground up front.

I think what it will come down to is my newer suspension being just slightly higher.

Driveshaft is stock length, from eBay. 87-93 had 1310 axle joints and 94-95 had 1330. 6 cyl manual had the shortest driveshaft. The later driveshaft was about 3/4” shorter because of the 1330. Mine is a 94 but I’m running a 1310 yoke on the D35, so I picked up an 87-93 6 cyl manual shaft. Since it’s the shortest configuration possible, I know the shaft can’t possibly be any longer than what I’ve got.

I noticed how much it pulled out of the tcase as well and my guess is that it’s probably also due to the slightly higher ride of the aftermarket springs. My guess is that the 35 year old stock stuff sits flat while the aftermarket is just a teensy bit above flat for a while.

The part that’s throwing me off is that people with actual 2.5” lift and stock driveshaft don’t appear to be that far from my angle. But I know I’m sitting much lower than 2.5” lift. It really is sitting like a stock jeep.

I have wondered if my skid plate from Crown sits differently than stock, but I don’t think so. Shifter seems to be at the right spot/height. Tcase angle is seemingly right.

Okay, Jeep is back on the ground. I was able to roll it a few inches to get it rotated to the same angle as @Sunsport , so that it was easier to compare. In this position it doesn’t look too far off. It seems like the difference pretty much comes from the springs being mine are new and his are 35 years old. So I don’t expect to have any real issues.

If it’s something else then I don’t know what. I can’t really make the jeep any more stock than it is.