Do-It-Yourself High Performance Car Mods

Driveshafts and U-joints

U-joints and their cousins the CV joints show up in several places in the drivetrain. Both of them are designed to put a joint in a rotating shaft so it can bend. The CV joint, or constant velocity joint, can work at larger angles than a U-joint, making it a good choice for getting power to the wheels if you do not have a solid axle. U-joints are simple and inexpensive, but only work well at small angles before vibration becomes a problem. These are usually found on the driveshaft running from the transmission to the rear axle or differential, which does not move nearly as much as the shafts leading to the wheels themselves. If these joints are not strong enough, fixing this is simply a matter of sourcing a stronger set ...