I'm pretty sure the drive shaft on my sportsman is shot. The guy replaced the joints in the shaft, but the splines and shaft at the rear end have a lot of play! Like forwards and back is ok, but this thing can go in circles and side to side, still connects good but I'm guessing once I ride it, it would have bad vibrations. I was gonna drill through it and put a bolt through to stop side to side play, but it's hardened steel and decided it wasn't a good idea. Was gonna weld it, but it needs a little play. Does this mean I'll have to replace the drive shaft that's inside the transmission and the prop shaft i think it's called. If so then

 

Most times when I got hold of something like this I replaced the whole prop shaft as a unit as piece by piece costs almost as much to replace the u joints and yokes.But a lot of these the shafts were bent also.Since the front is pinned,the rear yoke is way softer metal than the transmission shaft and easily stripped if not kept greased.Some people don't even know there's a zerk fitting there. Sounds like you can probably get by with the rear yoke for 74 bucks and try to save the u joint,but I'd have another one just in case. Or go whole hog and replace the whole prop shaft assy and be done with it. Your call on this.I've never had to replace the internal hardened transmission shaft,just mainly the u joints and a few rear yokes with an occasional prop shaft assy.Item #4 is the yoke.Dirt Cheap Yamaha & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse