While replacing the shocks and springs on my 1992 XJ today, I noticed that I can grab the passenger side axleshaft and rattle it around quite a lot. The universal joint on the other end rattles around pretty hard, too. This is, I'll grant, a stupid question but: is this bad?

If I'm not mistaken, it's been like this for about 60,000 miles, based on some things the previous owner said that are now making more sense. Which I figure either means, "It's no big deal," or, "Replace it now or everything will explode."

 

I say replace the shafts before it explodes

 

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm thinking. That said, I also found some places where the steering knuckle is rusted through. At some point, I really need to surrender and buy a new XJ...from somewhere they don't use salt on the roads.

 

i would go to a junk yard and swap the whole axle. you can pick up a HP dana 30 for about $200 and it would be alot cheaper then new shafts.