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The Universal Joint does a crucial job of holding the drive shaft in its place. Without it, the car vibrates a lot while moving. You will also hear an odd banging noise coming from the car while changing gears. The car ride would be extremely bumpy, to say the least. As such, the Universal Joints can last a lifetime.
But then, there is no guarantee to such a claim. Like other car parts, they can fail as well at some point during the normal course of car usage. Usually, they fail due to the lack of lubrication.
Therefore, it’s important that you get them lubricated periodically by the mechanic during your routine visits to an auto repair shop. This will prolong the life of the Universal Joint to a great extent. As hinted earlier, they can even last a lifetime upon proper care.
How Much Does Universal Joint Replacement Cost?
Prolonged use can cause the Universal Joint to go bad, forcing you to repair it before things get out of hand. The average cost of a Universal Joint repair sits between $175 to $350, depending on the repair shop you take your car to.
The part comes relatively cheap, anywhere around $20 to $50. The rest will go towards the labor fees ($150 to $275). If you are after a good service, don’t choose a shop that offers to get the job done at dirt cheap rates.
| Auto Center | Price |
|---|---|
| Walmart | $20 - $165 |
| NAPA | $175 - $350 |
| Your Mechanic | $150 - $320 |
| Pep Boys | $165 - $345 |
It’s also important that you replace all the Universal Joints together, even if one joint is broken because all the Universal Joints usually wear out at the same rate. By fixing them all at once, you will save the trouble of treating your car again anytime soon.
The Detailed Procedure Of the Universal Joint Replacement
The procedure involves jacking the backside of the vehicle. Then, the drive shaft is removed to gain access to the universal joint. Finally, the universal joint is removed to replace it with the new part. Of course, the car is then taken for a test drive.
As you can tell, it’s a pretty straightforward repair procedure, provided the problem is caught at its early stage. If you prolong the repair work for too long, it can cause severe problems, leading to more repair work. Ideally, you shouldn’t take your vehicle out as soon as you figure out that there is a problem with the universal joint.
If you are already driving, you should stop the vehicle at a safe place and get it towed to the repair shop at the earliest.
How To Save Money When Replacing the Universal Joint?
The best money-saving tip is to get the car serviced at the earliest. This will save you from a major expense down the road. Also, it’s not an overwhelming repair to do on your own. So, you can also save money by performing the repair yourself.
Finally, you can obtain quotes from different mechanics in your area to grab the best available deal. Seriously, you will be surprised to see the price gap between two auto repair shops. So, make sure to shop around a bit.
On the CarServiceLand, you can also find estimates of car repair or maintenance service costs: