Experience with RCV shafts

I am thinking about picking up a set of RCV shafts for the JK. I have never had a set. When I do chromoly shafts it is usually a typical U-joint style. There were reports of RCV not liking high speed and stuff like that, but people race them all the time. The JKU is my daily driver so I am concerned about the dreaded RCV clicking that can happen to some of them. I have heard they are a lot of maintenance.

What experience do you guys have with them? Any reason I should not get RCV? Why would i be better off with a U-joint style?

Thanks!

I ran RCV's on my LJ and loved them. Never had a single issue with them and I even bought them used. Greasing them is a pain but I didn't do it very often.

The only thing I'm aware of with them is interference with some aftermarket ball joints, and a boot coming off a few times.

How are they priced compared to other aftermarket shafts?

Hickey said:

The only thing I'm aware of with them is interference with some aftermarket ball joints, and a boot coming off a few times.

How are they priced compared to other aftermarket shafts?

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They are more expensive than other shafts. It seems like a bigger difference than it really is though. RCVs would be more equally compared to a shaft with CTM joints, since the RCV joint is stronger than a regular U-joint. When you add chromoly shafts and expensive U-joints together the RCV shaft isn't more expensive.

Love my RCV's in my JKUR. I have had them in my 2011 for nearly 65k driven miles and another 20k plus of towed miles now and would definitely recommend them. Absolutely no issues at all driving at freeway speeds. The only issue I have had with mine is a cracked orange boot on each side two years apart. Both times it was during extreme cold winter temps so I thought there was something that has to do with the extreme cold but RCV told me that they had never seen that before, I found that hard to believe. I now keep an extra boot on hand just in case.

They do make greasing the lower ball joint a bit more troublesome but not impossible.

Mike.

I loved my RCVs in my FJ80 front. Never had an issue. I know it is a little different since it is a closed ball knuckle, versus open knuckle w/ orange boot. One of the guys I wheel with has them on his buggy, and they do great for him as well. His only complaint is getting that boot on when installing them!

Coco said:

I loved my RCVs in my FJ80 front. Never had an issue. I know it is a little different since it is a closed ball knuckle, versus open knuckle w/ orange boot. One of the guys I wheel with has them on his buggy, and they do great for him as well. His only complaint is getting that boot on when installing them!

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One little trick I have learned to aid in installing the shafts is after you place the boot inside the knuckle and slide the inner shaft through the boot, just as you are up against the boot with the CV, place a small metal pick tool under the boot and lightly lift upward, then push the shaft/CV into the boot. I know the instructions say to strike the end with a rubber mallet and "pop" the CV into the boot but my theory is that the displacement of the air inside the boot is causing the difficulty of the CV popping into the boot. Once I figured this out and created a small escape route for the air I can now slowly just push the shaft into the boot quite easily.

Hope that helps.

Mike.

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

mesha said:

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

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You're welcome. Glad to help.

Mike.