It's pretty easy, changing the whole shaft is just as much work as changing the joint itself so I would change the joint then you know its going to last! Remember there are 2 types of joint a 23 spline and 30 spline, the only way to tell is to take your current joint off. If you have ABS you need a joint that has the ABS ring. Also you need a deep socket to get the hub nut off. Apart from that its all straight forward nuts and bolts and a bit of hammering.