Driveshaft u-joint
Driveshaft u-joint How can you tell if the driveshaft u-joint is going bad? Is their a way to check it or test it? I have been getting a rattling sound from the rear of my car and after the usual checks for loose bolts,exhaust etc, I figure I would check the u-joint. Thanks. 
My car has 36k on it. The car only makes the noise when I am coasting, not in gear, and turn left and right. When the car is in gear I does not seem to make the rattle. The rattle speeds up and slows down with the speed of the car.Almost like when you put a baseball card in the spokes of a bicycle tire.
Get under the car (jack stands), grab the drive shaft by the joints and carefully move it up and down, side to side etc. Start with the rear as it usually goes bad first. There should be no play in the joints. If you are getting a high frequency vibration it should increase with speed. Sometimes you can't feel a bad joint but you can tell from experience it's going out. If in doubt, replace the rear joint and see if it makes a difference. Pretty cheap if you do it yourself.
Get under the car (jack stands), grab the drive shaft by the joints and carefully move it up and down, side to side etc. Start with the rear as it usually goes bad first. There should be no play in the joints. If you are getting a high frequency vibration it should increase with speed if it's a bad u-joint.
Sometimes you can't feel a bad joint but you can tell from experience it's going out. If in doubt, replace the rear joint and see if it makes a difference. Pretty cheap if you do it yourself.
Sometimes you can't feel a bad joint but you can tell from experience it's going out. If in doubt, replace the rear joint and see if it makes a difference. Pretty cheap if you do it yourself.
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My car does develop a vibration at 50 to 55 mph only in 4th gear. When I am in 5th or 3rd their is no vibration. When in 4th and go faster than 55 the vibration goes away. Go figure.I have never checked the u-joint, but I did try turning the driveshaft. Their was about one eighth of an inch of play in it.
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