Ok....my car has this funny problem. Around 43MPH i get this side to side rocking....and it continues till about 47...then stops....then picks back up around 52. I was told to look at the U-Joints...first....what am I looking for exactly....and how do I know if they are bad...need adjustment...or whatever has to be done? I usually work on my own cars....i don't have money to bring it to a shop. I have a Mitchell cd set...but not really sure what i'm looking for for directions to fix the problem. Can someone point me to a picture of one and where I might find this part? Thanks.

 

Basically, get under the car and look at the bask of the driveshaft, see if your u-bolts are loose or if you have any play where they hold in the u-joints.

Next unbolt them and pull the bearing caps off the u-joints, make sure ya do it slowly or you might drop all the bearings, then again i would replace them just to be safe. If you have a welder its real easy to do, just go pick up a u-joint replacement from autozone or o'reiley's (get one for both ends of your driveshaft).

Pull the driveshaft out and begin to heat the old u-joints, thier held in place by some factory plastic and the plastic will melt and rush outside the joint. Do it until you can get it off them put the new ones on, believe the new ones will be held in place by c-clips.

Its a real easy job and should take no longer than 2 hours if you don't know what your doing.

Any hoot, you might also want to consider just replacing your driveshaft, can snag a LS1 aluminum from www.car-parts.com very cheap nowadays, I got mine for 110. Just a thought.

 

ok....but....i don't know what i'm looking at
I know what the drive shaft is.....
The only thing i can think it would look like is a muffler clamp....without the back part.....
Now....why am i pulling off the bearing caps? What should I be looking for?

I would like to get a newer drive shaft for it....what year and model shaft should i be looking for at
http://www.car-part.com/

 

Oh okay, whoah, my bad hehe, figured you'd had some knowledge but thats no prob if ya don't, we've all been there. Basically if you get under your car and look at the back of your transmission you'll see a long (steel most likely, you may have an aluminum but doubt it) shaft about 42" and 2 1/2" diameter. It goes all the way back to the differential and is only held in place by 2 "U" straps. The other end is pushed into your transmission.

You want to take the bearing caps off to make sure all bearings are in place and be sure they are pretty greased up. You know they are in place because they are almost like tiny rods all lined up against the sidewall of the caps. Make sure the U-joints are properly greased.

 

If you want a newer shaft, look for a 98+ camaro Z28/SS/firebird/transam/Firehawk aluminum driveshaft. Just call them up and make sure you ask if it is aluminum, some came with steel shafts. Also make sure its not an LT1 aluminum shaft, which isn't bad but the LS1 shaft is much better, its 3" in diameter and has a harmonic dampener to reduce vibrations. Be specific when ya ask them the diameter and if its aluminum. Hope this helps.

 

ok...i found a pic of "how do align your driveshaft" in the mitchell thing....i see what you are talking about. I'm going to go out as soon as the muffler cools off.....Is there a grease fitting...like tube/pump grease...or is it a packing grease?

 

Tube type. You'll see on the side of the u-joint a fitting to put a grease pump on it.

 

you...my man....are the man. With the quickness. Thanks much. Gonna look for a new driveshaft once taxes come back. Too bad a Monte SS driveshaft won't work.....I got a 3" in my 86 Monte LS but the yoke has a groove in it....

 

Yea well, im just bored at work . Always glad to help.

 

ok...found it no problem....all tight and looks good. For ****s and giggles i got under the front end....think i found the problem. The piece that goes from the tire to the i think it's called front sway bar...the bushing is so smashed...i can twist the whole thing about and inch! but only on the passenger side. The thing i'm talking about....it looks like 2 bars with a piece in the middle where both bars scew into...and there are rubber bushings on both ends. What would the bushing be called...so i know what to ask for at the parts store. I can take pics of needed....

 

You got me on that one man, im no expert in the suspension area what so ever. Try the suspension boards, they should be able to steer ya in the right direction.

 

Do you mean the end link set that hooks to the sway bar?
Sorry, I don't know how to add an image... I think SPHON has a set for like $15... but you can find these almost anywhere.

 

i posted a pic over here.....
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...87#post1683787

 

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/pro...products_id=43