Drive shaft
 

I have a drive shaft that I am giving to a friend, but when I took it of the car I did not mark the shaft before I took the two apart. Are there marks from the factory to keep it balanced right? Im just worried about when they put it on her car that it wont be ballanced right.

No, I think they are to keep the flex joints phased properly. Some of the shafts have alignment marks (the very early ones do not, (W123 Chassis)).

It should have marks, but you should probably invest $50-$60 bucks and get it spinned balanced. After a bunch of years and a zillion miles, a good balance job is a good investment.

If there are no marks present, you are (were) supposed to mark where it was when you removed it from the car.

Yes I know, was in a hurry when I took it off.

So if they are a good friend, get it balanced. If not, just guess where it goes and slap it on. :D

There are marks on the shaft.

they started marking the shafts on most of the cars in the mid-80's.
generally there are to little triangular humps on one shaft, and one similar hump on the other shaft. Just line these up with the one hump between the two humps and that's how it came off.

DG