Aluminum or Steel Driveshaft?
 

A friend of mine is going to replace my u-joints, when I call for prices the auto parts stores ask if its steel or aluminum. I am away from home right now and want to have the right parts ready when I get back to get the job done. Its a 89 Formula 5-speed TPI car. If anyone knows let me know. Thanks!

Re: Aluminum or Steel Driveshaft?
 

A magnet sticks to steel, not aluminum.

Re: Aluminum or Steel Driveshaft?
 

Look under the car if the driveshaft is a nice rusty brown it is steel

Re: Aluminum or Steel Driveshaft?
 

Since he's not at home, that makes it tough to check visually.

That being said, are the u-joints actually different for the aluminum vs the steel driveshaft?

Re: Aluminum or Steel Driveshaft?
 

Yes they are and you will want to check to see if they are inner or outer snap rings.

Re: Aluminum or Steel Driveshaft?
 

If you have a steel driveshaft (I have no clue if the Aluminum one is like this or not) , and your U joints are original like the ones in my 1989 Firebird were , there will be no clips on the driveshaft that you will be able to see . The only external clips are on the two cups of the rear U joint where it meets the differential yoke . There is an injected plastic that holds the four cups into the driveshaft and two in the front yoke that must be melted out to be able to press out the old U joint . After the plastic is melted out the new U joint presses in normally and has internal clips to keep the cups in . A MAP gas torch will melt out the plastic and when it melts out it looks kinda like a "cheese curls" snack , except all black & stinky plastic nasty on fire , when the plastic stops oozing out that means enough of it is gone that the old U joint will then press out . When I first tried to do mine I had no clue about the plastic , I pounded , pressed , prayed , cussed & prayed some more , and just couldn't figure why I couldn't get them out like every other U joint I had ever changed . Then I came here and found some threads discussing the injected plastic , and was done with both U joints in half an hour's time :)

Here are some pictures of mine where you can see the recesses on the six old U joint cups where the injected plastic was .

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...8c202e743d.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...b853faeb1f.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...eace64f690.jpg