The front U-Joint on my driveshaft is going out. There are many used A/T driveshafts available but I can't find mine. Is there a company out there that will change a U-joint on these stupid permanent shafts. I would rather chew on aluminum foil while shaving my head with a cheese grater then spend $1000 to change a friggin U-Joint (buy another shaft new)

 

Look up a local drive shaft shop and tell them what's up, I have Coast Drive Line near by, you just have to bring it in and show them what you need

 

If they will not repair your current unit, most driveshaft shops can make you a single piece (rather than the factory two piece) for $500 ish (plus or minus a hundred bucks) that will hold more power and get rid of the factory center support bearing.

 

a "part broker" is sending me a used one one for $250. I'll see if if it's the correct part shortly.

 

HUGE surprise! The parts broker didn't come through. So I took the previous advise and called all the driveshaft shops around and it was all the same,"They're staked in (whatever that means) and they can't be replaced." Antone know of someone who does replace these U-joints?

 

Unfortunately this is the answer. Other than a good used front driveshaft or a new one from Lexus the only other option is to have an aftermarket driveshaft made.

Fortunately in the latter there are many options for several companies for a one-piece. Driftmotion, etc.

Most of the time the rare 5-speed front driveshafts are paired with W58 transmissions as full swaps.

Before committing to either a new factory part or a custom one piece driveshaft I would keep looking online and put up a WTB ad in both the CL Marketplace as well as the SupraForums MKIV WTB classified section. You may not bear fruit but both are worth a try.

 

Thanx for the response. The one piece is still in the rather chew on aluminum foil category because spending $500+ on U-joint is SO painful. I'm still looking all over the net for one but no luck and I"ve already put an ad in the classified for CL but I didn't think about the supra forum. I'll go there next.

 

No problem. These are just the options we have when we cannot service our stock driveshaft U-joints in the first place. It is the same scenario with our suspension lower control arm ball joints-- also not serviceable once they go bad. However in addition to the new OEM stock supply of LCAs still in circulation there is also an alternative for those as well since Figs Engineering and perhaps one other company I think now make aftermarket fully adjustable aftermarket LCAs for the SC's and MKIVs.

I don't like Toyota's decisions to make some parts non-serviceable either but we do have some alternative options out there thankfully.

In your Supraforums ad specify a stock 93-97 Supra NA 5-speed W58 front driveshaft in addition to a 92-97 SC300 5-speed W58 front driveshaft. It is the same part for both vehicles.