Slip Yoke Eliminator Installation Purpose and Benefits

At Tom Wood’s Custom Drive Shafts, we're your go-to source for all your Jeep driveshaft needs. We offer high-quality 4x4 driveshaft products and components to fit various Jeep models, including the Jeep CJ, Jeep JK, JL, and others.

One crucial component found on many Jeep types, such as the YJ and TJ Wranglers, is the slip yoke. In addition, you might also hear about a slip yoke eliminator, which can be installed for several reasons in your Jeep. In this article, we'll discuss both the slip yoke and slip yoke eliminator, as well as why you might want or need to install a slip yoke eliminator in your Jeep.

What is a Slip Yoke and Slip Yoke Eliminator? The slip yoke is an internal splined shaft present in many Jeeps that connects to the driveshaft using a universal joint. The slip yoke transfers power from your Jeep's transfer case to the driveshaft, allowing it to slide in and out of the transfer case to accommodate the vehicle's suspension movements.

A slip yoke eliminator, abbreviated SYE, eliminates the slip yoke from the transfer case and turns it into a fixed yoke that does not slide. The sliding component of your drivetrain is moved to the drive shaft in the form of a spline stub, which allows you to change the driveline length and type to account for suspension height changes. This is necessary for Jeeps with major lift kits installed, as it limits vibration and wear on various drivetrain parts.

Purposes of Slip Yoke Eliminator Installation Jeeps with large lift kits may experience issues with short driveshafts and extreme angles if they're installed without changing the driveshaft. But installing the SYE converts the slip yoke to a fixed mounting yoke or flange, allowing you to properly run a double cardan driveshaft, also known as CV driveshaft. This moves the upper joint of the drive shaft closer to the rear output bearing, which allows for a greater driveshaft length, thus reducing driveshaft angles.

SYE vs. Transfer Case Drop In certain cases where you're lifting a Jeep within a certain range, a transfer case drop may suffice, especially for lifts between one and two inches. However, any lift greater than two inches typically requires an SYE and CV driveshaft installation to limit vibrations and eliminate the problems often present in transfer case drops. While transfer case drops offer a quick and easy solution, they do not fix the problem the same way an SYE does.

The final piece of the slip yoke eliminator and CV driveshaft puzzle is proper pinion angle adjustment. For everything to work correctly, the rear pinion should point up towards the transfer case, almost in line with the slope of the driveshaft. This is normally achieved by installing axle shims for leaf spring vehicles or adjusting your upper control arms for coil spring vehicles. This is normally achieved by installing axle shims (for leaf spring vehicles) or by adjusting your upper control arms (for coil spring vehicles).