Snapped U Joint at the neck

Got into some very deep Snow out on the county roads here in Denver during the Blizzard. Snapped a U Joint on the rear drive shaft and replaced it with no issues. Then, the next day I spun the front end in 4Low on some very deep snow and snapped the front U joint at the transfer case. The U joint broke off at the neck. Clean shear at the neck? Anyway I went to Napa and they handed me a very larg U joint and said it was the OEM. I knew right away I was going to have trouble replacing this U joint. I went back to the Jeep and removed the front drive shaft, took it to NAPA and they laughed at me, and said that the drive shaft looked like a PTO shaft for a Lawn mower. (NOT FUNNY) I finally got a replacement U joint from them after measuring the good U joint on the shaft. Napa said it was for a 70's model jeep. I think the front end Mod completed by the previous owner was a DANA 30 with disc brakes and the Front Shaft from a 70's model CJ?
Need help with yoke and shaft mod to get this thing more dependable.

I need information on how to get this puny front shaft back to a more dependable massive Shaft. I also wonder if I get the shaft back to massive size and the U joint is 2/3 bigger where is my weakeast link now?
Need sugestions for a bomb proof drive line.
225 V6 don't know th egear ratio yet, (T-86 3 spd for now).
Thanks.

 

Make sure there is enough room around the starter first before you buy or try to put in a larger diameter driveshaft...

 

I was thinking of going back to the 1967 OEM, But need info on Yokes and if the OEM will match up to the Dana 30 etc.
Thanks,

 

If it dosnt match up for some reason they make yokes for the axle in about whatever Ujoint size you need.

 

A D20 yoke will fit a D18 and is larger than the stock D18 yoke. Sounds like your problem isn't with the driveshaft size, but rather with the u-joint size. That being said, if you enjoy doing burnouts in the snow you'll likely be replacing spider gears after you beef up the driveshaft, axleshafts after that, or ring and pinion........ These drivetrains weren't designed to get big tires spinning and then suddenly get traction to them.

 

After doing the SM465 conversion I had a larger drive shaft made with bigger yokes. They had to cut the length of the front diff yoke down but it works great. Try a good dependable drive shaft shop.

 

Thanks ALL,
I appreciate the candid feedback. I try to bomb proof my Jeep for every potential event, 7 P's - proper prior planning prevents **** poor performance..... I will look at doing more to this 67 Cj to get it more dependable,
My First Gear has already gone out and I think a upgrade would be in order. I have a 1962 GMC pick up that , I think has a SM420 ? Granny first and reverse. 305 V6 big as a big block 350. TOURQUE to spare. The tranny may be my next mod.
May look into the swap before doing the shaft.
Thanks,

 

Good idea. If you put in the 420 your driveshaft lengths will change anywhere from a little to alot depending on who's adapter you use.

 

I would replace the u joints and run it. i had a stock dirve line and 36" swampers I ran for years and hard the u joint were never a prolem. In fact when I up graded the axels to 44s I reused the old drive lines.

Just my $.02