mike2004tct

So I'm about to replace the U-joints on my truck because it sounds like a bunch of birds are fighting underneath the truck whenever I come to a stop.
Also, when I put it in reverse, there's a loud clunk. Quick accelerations backwards reveal noisy sounds from the rear-end. Not much noise going forward though.

So I jack it up, put it on stands, and roll underneath on my creeper, twist the shaft, and I notice quite a bit of play at the differential end, no play at the tranny. Unbolted the shaft and removed it. Took like 10 minutes.

Off to Advance Auto parts, 15 miles away (closest place open on Sunday, Napa 2 blocks away is closed). Today is my lucky day, there server is down, no parts look-up, and no credit card payments.

So Advance guy looks up the parts , and brings two out. I pay my $33.xx for them and head home (great day to have the vette out, so not completely wasted). They're the heavy duty type, Neapco Brute Force. I'm happy.

Get home, and for the next 1.5 hours, I'm removing the old joints (still the originals, only got 57k miles on the truck). I only had 1 small torch to heat the caps up, wish I had an accetylen torch. Replaced both the front and the rear while I had it aprt.

Go to put the new joint on the tranny yoke, and the sucker is too long to fit inside the opening, by about 1/4". WTF????.
Well, Joe-handyman that I am, I hammered the sucker in. Next, I try to put the caps on, they're too freakin big. I tried to hammer the cap in, and ended up busting the lip on the cap, and of coarse, all the pins flew out.No way they'll fit inside the yoke opening.
So, I quick run into the house, call up Advanceautoparts.com on the Internet (thanks Al Gore) and search the part number Idiot guy gave me, and lo and behold, it's the U-joints for a Sport Addition (which is the Big wheeled, factory lift fitted (ZR?) unit).

Off to advance I go again (good thing I gassed up the Vette earlier- I probably wasted $10.00 in gas chasing back and forth). Got the correct parts this time. Different Advance guy gave me the correct parts, and chided Idiot guy who was helping another customer , "I'm cleaning up your mistake, Jesse". He ignored us. (His name was on the receipt). I remember this Jesse guy from over a year ago, so it's not like he was new to this job.
I returned 1 wrong unit, they wouldn't take back the one I busted.

So, a job that should've taken an hour max, ended up being a 4 hour job.

The moral of the story is this;
Having the computer, next time I'll make sure I have the correct p/n with me before I go to any of the parts stores (which I almost always do anyway- today I just didn't think I'd need to for some basic-cheap parts)

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It's my opinion, don't take it personal.
'04 T&C, '97 Blazer, '97 Sunfire, '85 Vette, '79 Civic, 94 FLSTC

83T/A98Blazer

U-joints have always given me problems in getting the correct replacements. Now I ALWAYS take the old ones in so I can check them before I leave the store.

sickcallawayc12

That sucks man. Glad the people at my local NAPA aren't that stupid.

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1998 Chevrolet Blazer LT (95% stock)
Pioneer AVH-P7500 DVD receiver
12" Alpine Type-R in a sealed box
PIAA Super Plasmas GT-X bulbs
PIAA Xtreme White bulbs
K & N drop-in filter

"Melo" and "AI". Enough said.

warrior_333

we had the same problem but it was for a truck and we brought the old ones which were fried but the told us the new ones would fit comoared them and the were nowhere close took em 3 tries to get it right lol

carls47807

2-3011's.

If you're too stupid to make sure it's the right one before you hammer it in your driveshaft i'd say that it is partly your fault. Never trust a person making minimum wage.

wafrederick

Same way with the local Auto Value,Parts Plus and Carquest parts store in my area,looking up the right parts the first time.AutoZone is that way like Adavanced too,look up the wrong part.I never trust a cheap part which fails real quickly.I know some that went through 6 axles on a Dodge Neon and were all from Advanced.

ZL1power69

Not a good way to start out here . No reason to attack Mike like that. People make mistakes a learn from them.

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2000 Chevy Blazer ZR2
Performance: AEM intake, TB mod, ported stock y-pipe w/precat deleted, 3in catco cat, 2.5in Flowmaster 40 DF,
March pulleys, MSD SF ignition, Taylor 8.2 wires, Transgo shift kit, Corvette servos, B&M trans cooler.
Suspension: Knaffle 1.5in lift shackles, 1.25in rear wheel spacers, 31in BFG AT's
Exterior: custom ZR2 decals, bug guard, vent visors
Interior: Lanzar headunit w/ ipod input, Pioneer speakers, Scanguage II

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3013891

s10drivemecrazy

hahahaha ya u joints can be tricky to get the rite 1, i just look up the part # of whatever i need before i go to advanced auto to buy what i need i just walk in go in the back and get what i need always rite parts that way(nice to know the workers like that) but ya everytime ive ever needed a part they have almost always givvin me the wrong parts... have a good day