aussies: found a reconditioned prop shaft - good price?

apparently the rear u-joint in my prop shaft is stiff/seized, so i get some vibration under acceleration and a mild jolt when i lift off the loud pedal, and occasional rough shifts... as it's not overly annoying i haven't looked into the cost of fixing it, but i was so bored today i started calling around and i've found a fully reconditioned, balanced shaft for $550AU.. this sounds dirt cheap to me as my mechanic recently did a cut + weld of new joints onto an E36 shaft and the price was $1200, plus it came off multiple times to rebalance !

so i'd say i'm gonna get it, but i just wanted to check esp. with the aussie guys, does this sound about as good as it gets price wise? christmas is looming and i'm pretty strapped but i don't wanna pass this up if it's good

thanks

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Originally Posted by Randell

apparently the rear u-joint in my prop shaft is stiff/seized, so i get some vibration under acceleration and a mild jolt when i lift off the loud pedal, and occasional rough shifts... as it's not overly annoying i haven't looked into the cost of fixing it, but i was so bored today i started calling around and i've found a fully reconditioned, balanced shaft for $550AU.. so i'd say i'm gonna get it, but i just wanted to check esp. with the aussie guys, does this sound about as good as it gets price wise? christmas is looming and i'm pretty strapped but i don't wanna pass this up if it's good thanks

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How apparently is this the cause exactly? The most likely cuplrits are tranny and engine mounts, centre bearing... universal joints almost never go wrong on an auto... I think you are more likely to find the problem is something simple and cheap to fix...

If you had to get yoru shaft professionally refitted with a new uni joint and centre bearing it would cost perhaps AU$150 for the parts... can you put your car on ramps for a week? Put it up, drop the exhaust and the shaft (2 hours to fart around and actually do it) and take it somewhere. They will charge you much less if the car doesn't have to be moved around the shop undriveable... the job is not hard and so long as they put it back together and make the lines line up (I'd be sure to clean the shaft and put the lines on it with decent paint to make it even easier for them to get it wrong- LOL... :)

Otherwise its $550 and ship and then fit... and your old shaft won't sell to offset the cost :( Nick

i'm pretty sure the damage occurred when my torque converter fused tight and sent some very chronic shockwaves down the prop shaft, it made some brutal clunks and jolts and hasn't been the same since.. the transmission guy said the u-joint was stiff and would need replacing and my mechanic confirmed that recently, though whether they're assuming that or have actually seen it i'm not sure

i just spoke to my mechanic, he said even reconditioned shafts are hit and miss and that i should get the guys that sell it to fit it, as then if it doesn't go on right they will have to keep trying until it's good.. he knows them they have a couple of workshops around perth, and delivery is isn't an issue cause it's local

the guys that have the shaft told me this morning that it's around $900 to fix up mine, though yeah that involves the removal of the old one and installing the new one, which i could do with some help from a workmate who has ramps and skills but i'm not sure that's the best idea.. as my mechanic said if i get them to remove/fit and it's not perfect then they can do it again until it's right!

i'll give them a call tomorrow and ask about the cost of labour, thanks for your reply

I have a joint and a bearing here actually. The joint is a press fit... I don't see how they'd charge $900 to fit it!

You would get some joy out of lubricating the uni joint, a squirt can of oil might help, but the best thing would be a hyperdermic syringe- with gear oil in it if it will make it through the needle...

The shaft is a bastard to get apart but its just knowing how to undo the bolt exactly and doing it... perhaps it has to be re-balanced after the new uni is in but I doubt it given the trouble people have balancing them, maybe they are charging up-front for the many returns they might expect you to do before it becomes driveable! :p Nick