My friend just got a 96 jeep grand Cherokee. It's 4wd but just missing the shaft that goes from the transfer case to the front axle. Any clue where to find one or what's it's technical name might be? It looks like the previous owner just unbolted it. Maybe for better mpg? Not real sure.

 

That should be the front drive shaft. Don't know why it would be missing but I've seen strainger things happen. It might be an All Wheel Drive system and they pulled it for better mileage, or they broke a u-joint and didn't feel like fixing it. Who knows.

Jump on Craigslist and keep an eye out for one. They should be the same from around the early 90s to 2000 or so.

 

Yeah we can't figure it out either. We are just hoping nothing is messed up. Thanks for your help.

 

Craigslist, U-pull, etc. They're everywhere. I hope it's not out because of a t-case issue. Some of the GCs had issues.

 

Might have pulled the driveshaft if they were towing it behind an RV or something.

 

Didn't think about the towing possibility. Maybe thats it. Seems like if something was messed up in either the tcase or front diff, wouldn't it make a bad sound or give some hint to a problem? It drives good and no wierd sounds. Maybe they just wasn't an offroader type

 

Any idea which T case it has? 231 242 were popular, some had quadradrive. If it has quadradrive , that's why the shaft is gone , they have a CV joint instead of U joints, they are known to fail , and they are expensive. some guys swap them to a U joint shaft with no reported vibrations.

my GC has the 242 T case, with an AWD option, so i got a CV shaft too, no problems yet * knock on wood*

I'm not sure if a shaft from an XJ will fit , but if it will , I have some of them kickin around i could sell , but shipping would be deadly...

 

I thought the AWD viscus type t-cases will basically implode themselves if they don't have the front driveshaft hooked up?

 

You would think so, not sure how a quadradrive would respond to it, because i have never run one without a shaft, the 242 T case has a viscuious coupling, but it is more like a normal T case , it has a 2wd position also. We have an AWD GM safari van at work that was AWD until the front diff blew up. we removed the diff, axles , and driveshaft, that was two years ago , and it is still going in 2wd mode.