U-Joint/CV Joint?
 

Hey, does anyone know what the part connecting the transmission axel and drive shaft is called? Its a U-shaped joint, I figured a U-joint but it seems no one knows what the hell i'm talking about. Mine has tons of slop in it and i'd like to replace it if thats possible.

Heres a Pic to help clarify (Click for a bigger image).

http://www.mb190.com/media/190_drive_shaft_small.jpg

Drive shaft center support bearing group or (ujoint)

$650 for a rebuild (don't remember the shop, someone else will) or new (or junkyard) driveshaft.

You cannot replace this one yourself, it is centered and straked in place, not held with clips like the replaceable kind. Or more exactly, you CAN replace (I did), but then you will have to find a way to hold the joint centered and get it balanced, and no one has the tools to balance it, etc.

Used driveshaft in good condition is the easiest.

Peter

drive shaft center joint repair
 

any good drive shaft shop can replace the center U-joint and the center support bearing. Should not be very costly.

I've never had to replace the joint itself. Usually it's part #10 that has gone had, the center support bearing and also the support itself is usually replaced as well. The front part of the shaft where it bolt to the transmission, called the flex disc, commonly wears out over time as well, it is inspected from time to time and is expected to eventually wear out.

Gilly

Yes, any shop can replace the u-joint, but how do you get it to STAY centered? It's straked in place, not held by c-clips -- the assembly fixture rakes deep groove in the yokes to hold the factory joint in place. That means the shop will either have to weld something in to hold the joint centered or machine grooves to do the job with c-clips (not cheap).

And then, you must re-balance, unless you are VERY lucky, and you must have the fixtures to put the shaft on the balancing machine -- no one has them ($1500 each, you need two) because they may see one MB shaft a decade.

There is an outfit that does them in California -- VERY nice work greasable replaceable (with C-clips) u-joint, costs about $650.

I know, I tried. Not a good idea -- mine vibrates.

Peter

You may want to try these guys: http://www.driveshafts.com/

haasman