A friend broke down last night and called me. His passenger side c/v shaft is shot and his durango is stuck out of town.I looked at it,and it seems like he stopped driving in time and it's only the c/v shaft that's worn out, well, the outer c/v joint anyway.Everythings else SEEMS ok but until it's torn down no way to tell.
I told him to have it towed but he can't afford it so a question came up. (almost the same Durango as mine,2000, 4.7, 4x4. jftr)
SO,the question is can he pull the c/v shaft and drive it to his house? it's about a 35 mile drive,no highway so he could go fairly slow. I didn't know what to tell him other than it isn't a great idea and not something I'de advise but can it be done for a one way trip? Will the diff lose fluid or anything else happen if he removes the shaft and drives it?I know the hub will be exposed so that's a risk,I have a couple fernco type plumbing end caps that might fit on the axle to hold the diff fluid in.Can he do this and try to get it home?

 

I have seen guys do it before, once with a durango, and other times on cherokee sports and wranglers out on the trails.
If you do it I would remove both sides just to be safe, that way you don't cause excessive wear on the remaining cv...

 

TY Roller
That's what I was thinking,take them both out....I told him to tow it anyway...He'de probably be ok but I'm not gonna be the one to tell him that and get blamed if something happened...In the end it turned out he wanted me to help him with it...I located/priced the shaft rebuilt (a lot less $$ than I thought)and told him if he got it I'de help him install it but nothing else,now he's mad at me like it's my fault...whateva!!!!! It was making noise for a couple months,he had plenty of time to fix it and waited until it pooped.....Besides,I'm working on mine this weekend.
Thanks for confirming

 

Just take out that side and plug the hole with a cork it. As for removing the other side I would not, even when the differential does turn it will just turn as an open differential which it is anyway. In my truck that is exactly what it does anyway because I have a axle disconnect, however it is only on one side so the other side is always locked in.

 

DO you mean the hub hydra,cork the hub so the wheel is sealed off? I wondered about that being open,part of wh yI didn't want to tell him to do it....I figured the end caps I have here would close off the axle case,I'de have to size it but I have rubber two clamp caps for pvc pipe,3' and up,figured one of those would seal the diff fluid in...cork for the hub....is cork it a kit,I searched it but only finding wine bars...Thanks Guys....

 

laz45
you need to plug the diff so fluid wont spill out

 

That's what I was looking at the fenrco's for. I looked under mine and my guess is a 3" cap might fit right over and seal it,it's a double clamp type also.Keep in mind though topdog,I'm only asking out of curiosity, I told Carl to have his towed...I just finished replacing one cv shaft in mine,one more to go.Considering I'm working on mine I wasn't really up for working on his roadside,specially since he didn't want to actually fix it,just get it home and knew it was going a couple months ago...I was just wondering if it could be done.
Thanks again guys...I'm installing replacements in mine before they let go but at least I know I could do this if needed...