Got mine earlier this week and finally got it installed this weekend. Here are my initial impressions:
- Joints are really nice quality. Very flexible.
- Shaft is insanely thick. Three, maybe 4 times as thick as the original one.
- Everything fits just as it should. The bolts Martin supplies are very nice as well. They are hex heads with 13mm nyloc nuts, so you'll already have the right tools on hand. I used an SAE hex set as the 5.5 metric was too small and 6 was too large.
Assembly looks great, way nicer than the price would lead you to believe. Installation is conceptually easy but of course your own experience will vary based on skill and condition of your car. My car wasn't the problem - I was. I messed this job up in a couple of ways but nothing serious and nothing that I couldn't overcome with some help from Martin.
That brings me to my next point, Martin himself - stand up guy. Great communication, great service and an exceptional part at a very fair price. This part made the greatest single difference of anything I've done to the car to date.
Other notes:
- I installed this with the DPNW Delrin bushing and it fit with no problems.
- You'd be wise to have some long handled needle nose pliers or vice grips on hand to hold the column while you install the shaft, otherwise it will collapse back inside the car.
- I had to crank pretty hard on the bolt that connected the upper joint to the column in order to get it threaded through the depression in the column end - don't be afraid to do that. I was and it held me up for 2 days, but once I just pressed on there was no issue. Martin assures me that the bolts he supplies are more than strong enough to take this.
- Martin suggested (too late for me, sadly) that the easiest way to get the upper joint on is to work from the access panel in the trunk underneath the fuel/clutch fluid filler. I bet it would have made it a lot easier than working under the car.
- If I had to say anything negative it would be that the paint on the joints started flaking off during the install. But I installed and removed the assembly 5 or 6 times due to my own mistakes, so that was likely the culprit.
After installation the car is driving much smoother, handling a lot easier and no more lumpiness in the steering. My OEM U-joints were completely seized up - when I got the shaft out I couldn't bend them at all by hand. So this was a huge improvement.
Thanks again Martin!
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Originally Posted by DPI JOSH
I am not certain if the joints themselves are stainless as they are painted, but the shaft is a huge chunk of stainless stock.
