Those yokes with the straps seem to be a really bad design. I've heard of a few drive shafts dropping because of them.
My brother in law was doing 70mph down the highway and noticed his rpms shoot up and lost power, then he saw his drive shaft flipping down the highway behind him, then he saw the 18 wheeler behind him run it over. It cracked his transfer case and the slip yoke in the process, it wasn't a good day.
I'm glad Dodge changed the yoke design in 2000 to a thick flat plate that uses four 5/8" bolts instead of those stupid little bands.

As far as the shotgun goes I say get a Remington 870 Express Super Magnum and don't look back. I have had mine for 6 or 7 years and I love it. I've murdered a few thousand clay pigeons with it since I've had it. It shoots up to a 3 1/2" shell. It cost me $300 when I got it but it looks like it's about $370 now a days with the plain black synthetic stock.

 

I'm glad Dodge changed the yoke design in 2000 to a thick flat plate that uses four 5/8" bolts instead of those stupid little bands.

This was a question brought up in 2x's DIY for the transfer case saver

 

Is that a solid fact? 2000 was the year of the change?

 

Mines a 2000 and has the solid plate if that helps lol

 

Okay now someone with a '99 chime in haha

 

My sisters 99 has those stupid little bands. That's why her husband was able to watch his truck poop the shaft out while he was cruising down the highway.

 

Nice mines a 01 so I'm safe.....

 

Thank you and thank you, DIY updated

 

My 2000, 2500 uses the bands. But they are much bigger/beefier than the bands were on my 98, 1500.

 

So, does anyone know if the beefy yokes from a 2000 will fit a rear end in a '95 1500? Just called a Dodge dealer, service dept. is closed today, but the parts dept. was open. He didn't know, but he quoted me a price of $357 for one. The mickey mouse yokes interchange 93-99.

If it's a direct replacement, I'll upgrade, if not I guess I'll just settle for bouncing driveshafts on the freeway.

That is, I'll upgrade with wrecking yard parts, not from the dealership. Hell, that thing costs as much as my diff.