U-Joint replacement on a drive shaft is not a hard job. In fact, it’s quite easy to do with very simple tools. Before you pay someone else to do it for you, take a look at this video to see how easy it is to replace your own drive shaft u-joints.
Symptoms of bad U-joints (universal joint) are a clicking noise that is rotational. That is, the faster you go, the faster the clicks come. As the joints deteriorate, the clicking noise can be accompanied by a “shudder” or vibration while driving. Again, this is rotational.
Tools used in this video:
Spicer 5-153x U-Joints (2 of them)
If you’re in this predicament, the worst-case scenario is for the u-joints to fail completely, which can cause further damage to your vehicle and driveshaft. U-joints themselves are not very expensive. I paid $36 for two u-joints on my 2005 Nissan Titan drive shaft. That said, a new driveshaft is over $500.
All you really need to do this job is a wrench to remove the drive shaft, two different sockets to remove the u-joint, a hammer to drive them out, and a pair of pliers to remove the snap rings. These are common tools that most people own.
Check out the video, and I’m sure that you’ll see how easy it is to save some money and replace your own u-joints.