Driveshafts & Parts

The driveshaft transfers power from the transmission to the rear axle on rear-wheel drive vehicles. All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles also have a driveshaft that sends power from the transfer case to the front differential. The typical driveshaft is a hollow tube with yokes at each end, to which flexible joints are mounted that allow the driveshaft to pivot as it transmits power to an axle assembly that moves up and down with the suspension.

The flexible joints are necessary to compensate for the change in angle between parts caused by suspension motion, and they most often take the form of cardan joints, also called universal joints, or U-Joints. Because these can cause unwanted vibration on some applications, a double cardan joint is substituted. On applications like 4WD where more extreme driveshaft operating angles are needed, a Rzeppa-type constant velocity, or CV Joint, may be used. Because of length and space considerations, some vehicles have two-piece driveshafts. The front section is attached to the transmission and a center support bearing. The rear driveshaft is connected to the differential, but instead of attaching the front slip yoke to the transmission output shaft, it connects to the front driveshaft.

The most common driveshaft problems are related to the flexible joints. Lack of lubrication and normal wear in U-Joints can cause looseness, which in turn can result in noise and vibration, and couplers can crack and tear. Vibration that increases with speed or is most noticeable at speed can be caused by an unbalanced driveshaft. The unbalance can be caused by dents or because of a buildup of dirt or mud, or a missing driveshaft balance weight. A vibration that is experienced at low speed can be caused by incorrect driveshaft and/or U-joint operating angles, which can be caused by a suspension lift or vehicle overloading.

No matter what kind of driveshaft problems you’re having, we have the solution. Our digital shelves are packed with complete driveshafts and driveshaft components. For a fast and easy repair you can’t beat our direct fit driveshaft assemblies. They come with all new parts, including normal wear parts like U-Joints and center support where applicable. And they’re engineered with serviceable U-Joints to provide more repair options down the road. In addition to driveshafts we also have individual couplers, center supports, bearings, CV Joint kits, and much more. Most parts include all the necessary hardware.

Driveshafts and U-Joints and CV-Joints have a hard job transferring power from the transmission/transaxle to wheels and axles that are constantly in motion. Add a lot of horsepower to the mix or steeper driveshaft angles and greater suspension articulation found on lifted off-roaders and the task becomes a lot tougher. Our performance driveshafts feature thicker wall tubing to handle the load and some off-road applications feature double-cardan style CV-Joints for added strength.