a few minutes can save you 200 bucks

A few minutes can save you $200 or more! I needed a driveshaft to fit my car, however it’s not a stock set-up. I went thru all the regular boring B/S to do the measurements and found the measurements I needed to get the right length shaft.
I found that i needed a driveshaft that was approx. 52 inches long. The SN95 driveshaft is 47 in long (tip to tip)and my Fairmont shaft is approx. 52.25 in. Cool… however the yokes on the C4 and the 4R70W are different and not interchangeable….as the u joints are different sizes.
I searched on the net to find a modified u joint that would resolve the issue, with no luck, however i did find some offset u joints for jeeps that will increase the driveshaft angles significantly, so i copied the site down for future reference.
No big deal; got some generic prices for a new tube & balancing, the cheapest was $200 bills. Made some calls, sent some e-mails etc. best price was still $200 and some were even ridiculous.
I figured if it’s only 2 Benjamin’s, and i can’t roll down the road until the deed is done, let’s get rocking..
I was talking to my bud with a Corvette, and he had a similar situation with his car. He turned me on to a little known secret. There is a printed paper book at the local NAPA store that has all kinds of u-joint information. I tried to borrow the book, but felt uncomfortable leaving my liver as a deposit.
I managed to get the correct u-joint to resolve my issue, and it costs $16 bones and some shrapnel, problem solved, with lifetime warranty.
The same guy with the Corvette (and his son) who told me about the NAPA book likes to modify jeeps. They have to buy special drive shafts to accommodate the increased driveline angles. Well guess what…NAPA sells those offset u joints also!!!
So…..if 200 bones is a good deal, what is 16 notes…….a greeaaat deal!!!!

Nice win! Always cool when a little creativity solves a potentially expensive problem!