# Just wanted to confirm (U-joints)



## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

I've looked all over and from what FAST says and the Haynes manual, you have to get a whole new driveshaft assembly. You cannot change out the u-joints.


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## Spongerider (Nov 18, 2002)

♣AsleepZ♣ said:


> I've looked all over and from what FAST says and the Haynes manual, you have to get a whole new driveshaft assembly. You cannot change out the u-joints.


If that is the case check out the Junkyard. Is your drive line sagging or is the actual U joint F'ed up?


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

If the u-joint has gone out you have to get a new driveshaft for your Z31T.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

It's not gone out yet but she's loose. I can hear it popping sometimes.


alright but that's what I figured just wanted to pass it by you guys.


500 bucks just to tell you guys that ever need one.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Crawled under there and made sure the bolts are tight? 

I'm sure the U-joints have to be replaceable somehow, how would it be put together otherwise. Might be press fit joints or something, though.....


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## ATTAK (Mar 8, 2005)

I think my 1990 300zx might have that same problem. When I start up the car and start moving really slow(particularly when its cold) then I feel this violent thumping noise behind me. I took it to a nissan dealer and they said it was the "rear driveshaft joint boot(Rear Ctnrion Brng)". the handwriting is really bad and apparently theres not enough space on the paper to write it out properly. What do you all think?

Also, do any of you know of a place where i can buy parts for my car? I find plenty of places to buy fancy exhausts and carbon fiber hoods and all that crap, but Im lookin for normal stuff like alternators and spark plugs andsteering gearboxes.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> Crawled under there and made sure the bolts are tight?
> 
> I'm sure the U-joints have to be replaceable somehow, how would it be put together otherwise. Might be press fit joints or something, though.....


Nope; they aren't.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> Nope; they aren't.


x2. The driveshaft and U joints come as one assembly.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

♣AsleepZ♣ said:


> x2. The driveshaft and U joints come as one assembly.


Then tell me how it was assembled.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> Then tell me how it was assembled.


By the factory... That's how.

Even if you could get it disassembled. You cannot buy a replacement U joint for it. So how far does that get you. No where.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Yes, but the factory must have assembled it somehow. This is not some majical process involving pixie dust.....  

Z31.com states that the driveshaft should be easily modifiable by any local machine shop to accept proper U-joints. Personally, I would go that route, as the supply of complete undamaged driveshafts will become non-existent over time. Modification should cost far less than $500 .


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

Yes it is true the driveshaft can be modified so you can swap out the u-joints. Stock though this isn't an option.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

I might have to check it out, but I dunno I'd have to get it machined, balanced, etc..


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> Yes it is true the driveshaft can be modified so you can swap out the u-joints. Stock though this isn't an option.


That's what I'm saying, though, is to have the driveshaft modified. New stock replacements are only going to get more and more expensive. If they can even be found at all, not sure who would have those. I doubt the dealers even can get them, now. And used quality is always in question.....


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> That's what I'm saying, though, is to have the driveshaft modified. New stock replacements are only going to get more and more expensive. If they can even be found at all, not sure who would have those. I doubt the dealers even can get them, now. And used quality is always in question.....



Yes you can still get them.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

♣AsleepZ♣ said:


> Yes you can still get them.


For $500, right? Sorry, my money is worth more than that..... Have the modification done, and then you'll always have it, where as with a new stock driveshaft, you'll be replacing that in 10 years too. Less, with a few Hp mods.....


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> For $500, right? Sorry, my money is worth more than that..... Have the modification done, and then you'll always have it, where as with a new stock driveshaft, you'll be replacing that in 10 years too. Less, with a few Hp mods.....


I wouldn't waste my money modifying one. If I ever have to change out driveshafts it will be for one of the MSA aluminum ones. I won't waste my money going to a shop and having mine mod'd when I can just get a better one.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> I wouldn't waste my money modifying one. If I ever have to change out driveshafts it will be for one of the MSA aluminum ones. I won't waste my money going to a shop and having mine mod'd when I can just get a better one.


If you want a _better_ one, than you might as well get a carbon fiber one. They can handle pretty much whatever the VG30 could possibly ever throw down. And for less than $1000 too.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> If you want a _better_ one, than you might as well get a carbon fiber one. They can handle pretty much whatever the VG30 could possibly ever throw down. And for less than $1000 too.


Find one. I can get an aluminum one for far less then any Carbon Fibre one.


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## strictlyzx (Jan 3, 2005)

*check this out*

i have 1985 300zxturbo2t2 and i just bought a used driveshaft ,went through the yellow pages, i payed 220.00 for it.but as it turned out it wasnt the d.s. it was my brakes it was the calibers were seized up , i know that noise , and i bet you should check your beakes, i was told it is very unlikely for the drive shaft to go bad it would be your u joints that are loose and you take the driveshaft over to a michinery shop. anyway good luck i have one if you dont find one , im in ont. canada : :thumbup:


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

strictlyzx said:


> i have 1985 300zxturbo2t2 and i just bought a used driveshaft ,went through the yellow pages, i payed 220.00 for it.but as it turned out it wasnt the d.s. it was my brakes it was the calibers were seized up , i know that noise , and i bet you should check your beakes, i was told it is very unlikely for the drive shaft to go bad it would be your u joints that are loose and you take the driveshaft over to a michinery shop. anyway good luck i have one if you dont find one , im in ont. canada : :thumbup:



I don't see my brakes making my drivetrain pop.......


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

strictlyzx said:


> i have 1985 300zxturbo2t2 and i just bought a used driveshaft ,went through the yellow pages, i payed 220.00 for it.but as it turned out it wasnt the d.s. it was my brakes it was the calibers were seized up , i know that noise , and i bet you should check your beakes, i was told it is very unlikely for the drive shaft to go bad it would be your u joints that are loose and you take the driveshaft over to a michinery shop. anyway good luck i have one if you dont find one , im in ont. canada : :thumbup:


If you are really so dumb as to go buy a driveshaft and not even know what is going on you should pay someone to work on your car. Because damn!


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## strictlyzx (Jan 3, 2005)

*not so dumb*



JAMESZ said:


> If you are really so dumb as to go buy a driveshaft and not even know what is going on you should pay someone to work on your car. Because damn!


 sorry to tell you that ,Iwasnt so dumb , it was another shop told me that , i then went some where else and i was told then that it wasnt the d.s. it was the brakes, so who do you believe anyway.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Sure as heck not any shop...


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## Nissandrifter301 (Feb 2, 2011)

So if you cannot remove the u joint how do you pull the engine and transmission as on assembly?


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## AZ-ZBum (Nov 21, 2004)

U-joints are in the driveshaft. Driveshaft is very simple to remove by itself.


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## Nissandrifter301 (Feb 2, 2011)

AZ-ZBum said:


> U-joints are in the driveshaft. Driveshaft is very simple to remove by itself.


Ya I found that out right after j posted lol I unbolted it from the rear diff and it slid right out once the mounts were off. It was almost too easy haha


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## wingunder (Jan 5, 2016)

asleepz said:


> Yes you can still get them.


So, where can a driveshaft be found, new, not a salvage item??


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## wingunder (Jan 5, 2016)

*Drive shaft*



asleepz said:


> Yes you can still get them.


Where can they be obtained?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

If you want a brand new driveshaft, you have to go to Nissan; they run about $600-$700 online. If the shaft is not bent and you just have bad U-joints, a propeller shop can cut off the old yokes and weld on new ones with new U-joints and balance the shaft for a less expensive price.


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