The rubber portion that failed is all about driver comfort - keeping the wheel from getting jerked in your hand. For most that want a factory ride/drive or better, then these shafts are fine. Obviously, you have to check over the parts for defects, but this is hard to see. Personally, being able to feel every crack in the road or when a tire isn't perfectly in balance doesn't bother me as we push our G-body pretty hard at the strip.
The local speed shop carries a shaft that is a direct bolt in for a G-body for under $80 (thank you circle track guys). It has replaceable joints and you can also swap either yoke in case you swap gears or columns. There must be other speed shops that service 'street stock' or'pure' stock classes near you- check with them.
The local speed shop carries a shaft that is a direct bolt in for a G-body for under $80 (thank you circle track guys). It has replaceable joints and you can also swap either yoke in case you swap gears or columns. There must be other speed shops that service 'street stock' or'pure' stock classes near you- check with them.