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

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!