Where is the best place to get a new or used one, or get one rebuilt? I saw a couple places selling them online, anything local is still an hour or more away and any I have asked said "we don't touch anything with staked u-joints". I live in an area that driving into the bigger cities is probably not safe right now anyway so I would rather order one online I think.

2 years ago my 2 piece 300SE driveshaft rebuild cost me around $280.

their website:

www.wholesaleimportparts.com

What I got for the money:

-new staked in U-joint
-re-balanced with new weights and painted
-new centering bushings at each end
-new center mount/bearing
-shipping both ways included in the price (they give you a ups label)
-fast turnaround time (once they got it they shipped it back the next day)

I'm very satisfied with the work they did.

That's the place I was thinking of going with, I only found one bad review online, everyone else seems to like them. They only list a new one for the 300SDL for $534 which I can buy if I have to, I will maybe try calling them though and see if they rebuild them too.

Yeah their prices are much higher now than they used to be. I looked up a few different mercedes driveshafts and they are all above $500

It's like 3/4 what I paid for the whole car lol, it's cheaper than buying a different car though so oh well.

You can also go the DIY route but it's not always worth the potential savings because:

1. You have to stake in the u-joint perfectly straight in the driveshaft and do it so that it doesn't move and doesn't fall apart on the open road

2. How are you going to balance it? Some claim that balancing is not a problem but I don't know.

Too bad you weren't around last September when I parted my SDL out. I had a low miles rebuilt driveshaft and literally couldn't give it away. Went to the crusher with the remains of the car.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

To mention your location so no one who maybe has one will bother contacting you .

What I do is : go to the local heavy duty truck repair place and ask politely where they get theirs done any drive line shop can do this and it's rarely over $250 for any automobile / light truck application .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I live in northern California, I decided to just order one from the wholesaleimportparts website. I did check with shops in the area first, and "in the area" would still be an hour drive through areas that are still having issues with civil unrest, and the response I got was "we don't touch anything with staked u-joints anymore, they are disposable. Oh, its for a Mercedes? Unless you are independently wealthy you better scrap it and buy a car that is actually well made".

Well, that sucks .

It's a B.S. response, I've had staked driveshafts rebuilt with circlip, greasable U-Joints added....

Good that you have a plan .

I live in South Central Los Angeles, it's been quiet here even though I'm a white guy....

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Just for interest this is on a W123. I replaced the U-joint on mine and if there was any imperfections I have not noticed it and lived with it since 2011 and it is still functioning.

My U-joint Repair thread 2011
Drive Shaft U-Joint Is Staked/Crimped In Place, Now What To Do? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

My Benz World post with all of the U-joint sources.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w123-e-ce-d-cd-td/1581728-another-u-joint-driveshaft-thread.html#post4677977

I was not able to open the Benzworld thread on my dial up computer so I could not recheck it.
One of the U-joint sources is gone and the domain is up for sale.

Since the 1960's Mercedes continued with the same U-joint but that does not guarantee the 300SDL uses the same joint.

I ground off the stakes which in theory should cause an out of balance and it likely did but not to any effect that bothered me.

Concerning the staking what is needed is something called a burnishing tool. In the case of inside diameters the only tool I have seen is a tool with rollers that expand outwards.
Of course the U-joint needs to be gone and as someone indicated the U-joint itself can be cut and then the bearing caps can be pressed inwards and out.
You would insert the burnishing tool and what is supposed to happen is as you turn the tool and the rollers expand it squashes the metal back in place or close to that.
If it squashes the metal completely back that ought to preserve the balance. If you still need to do a little bit of grinding then you would be grinding off less then I did when I did mine and that would supposable mean you are disturbing the balance less.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

DriveshaftPro in Gardena, CA built me a from-scratch driveshaft for my 83 300D 4 speed conversion for about $400. I looked around plenty and this was my best option. Once you factor in shipping and the turn-around time christuna mentioned, you're doing all right...

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1983 300D Midnight Blue
4 speed, W115 intake mani, non-EGR exhaust mani, KKK K26, 3 pc Euro bumpers, Lo-spec Euro headlights, AL129X, hubcaps, custom A/C

1987 300TD Smoke Silver
Euro headlights, thermostat relocation, coolant bypass mod, rebuilt Becker + Jehnert + Helix audio, OEM Oris roof boxes and surfboard racks, Euro towbar

1983 300TD Reed (Moss) Green / Dark Olive MB Tex Euro spec

1983 300TD Silver Blue / Blue cloth Euro spec, OM648 and 722.6, 15" hubcaps, W126 S2 brakes