zyewdall Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Ugggh. The front driveshaft U-joint on the subaru ('99 Legacy wagon, 5MT) snapped yesterday. The immediate issue is to figure out how to get it back to here from Winter Park where it's abandoned in a ski lift parking lot now. But after that.... is it as simple as putting a new u-joint on, or are these the ones that are welded to the driveshaft? And would it have damaged anything else (other than scoring up the exhaust a little where it's rubbing on it now...) I tried (only like a second or two) to move it with the broken U-joint and it just spun with no movement, obviously the viscous coupling was just letting power go to the rear with none to the front... what are the chances the viscous coupling is still okay? It had been making nasty clunk/vibration noises in 1st and 2nd under high torque for a day or two, and I had checked all the axles for a bad DOJ or something (which I've had do that before). But didn't think to check the u-joints.:banghead: It had a lot of ice on the wheels so I figured it was something to do with that, especially since it seemed to be coming from the front right, not the middle (so much for thinking....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Ugggh. The front driveshaft U-joint on the subaru ('99 Legacy wagon, 5MT) snapped yesterday. The immediate issue is to figure out how to get it back to here from Winter Park where it's abandoned in a ski lift parking lot now. being a MT the only way to move it is to get another driveshaft/ujoint on it or tow it. driveshafts are usually cheap, just get a used one and install it in the parking lot. pain working under the car but it's an easy job. be ready for gear oil to come out, if you jack the rear of the car up for room and it'll keep less gear oil from pouring out too. is it as simple as putting a new u-joint on, or are these the ones that are welded to the driveshaft? these are non-replaceable staked in u-joints so the two most common fixes are: 1. get a used driveshaft (which will also help get the car home without towing, etc, as mentioned above) 2. replace the Ujoint with a Rockford ujoint - they make one for these subaru non-replaceable ujoints, you can google that for the part number and install directions. requires some cutting and grinding and making sure the joint is properly installed so the needle bearings don't get hosed. an auto machine shop or driveline shop can easily do this in no time with they're variety of presses, grinders, and other metal working equipment. joints are $30-$40 each, then a very rough $50 or so each to install by a shop. but - give that you drove it until it broke - i'm wondering if the old shaft is any good anyway, it might be damaged in some way. I tried (only like a second or two) to move it with the broken U-joint and it just spun with no movement, obviously the viscous coupling was just letting power go to the rear with none to the front.yep, just acting like an open diff. what are the chances the viscous coupling is still okay?)if your current description is accurate, what you did would not destroy the center diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Thanks Gary! Finding a used driveshaft today... with everything closed ... is not proving doable (unless I just stole the one off another '99 legacy in town... there are four the same color as mine even... but that would be evil). But, I do have a friend with AAA who's willing to kill the day going to get it for beer and dinner.... cheaper than a tow. In the mean time, I resucitaed the '81 GL (fuel pump cutoff doesn't work properly during starting so it has to manually primed with gas if you let it sit overnight), and have been driving it around. Way better in the snow than the '99 I have to say. And soooooo underpowered when you're used to the EJ22... Z being a MT the only way to move it is to get another driveshaft/ujoint on it or tow it. driveshafts are usually cheap, just get a used one and install it in the parking lot. pain working under the car but it's an easy job. be ready for gear oil to come out, if you jack the rear of the car up for room and it'll keep less gear oil from pouring out too. these are non-replaceable staked in u-joints so the two most common fixes are: 1. get a used driveshaft (which will also help get the car home without towing, etc, as mentioned above) 2. replace the Ujoint with a Rockford ujoint - they make one for these subaru non-replaceable ujoints, you can google that for the part number and install directions. requires some cutting and grinding and making sure the joint is properly installed so the needle bearings don't get hosed. an auto machine shop or driveline shop can easily do this in no time with they're variety of presses, grinders, and other metal working equipment. joints are $30-$40 each, then a very rough $50 or so each to install by a shop. but - give that you drove it until it broke - i'm wondering if the old shaft is any good anyway, it might be damaged in some way. yep, just acting like an open diff. if your current description is accurate, what you did would not destroy the center diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 that's no good - just get back to the slopes and ski until something is open or someone calls with the part. post in the parts wanted section and hope a colorado member has one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Fixed. I ended up having the local suby shop put in a used driveshaft since it was so nice and snowy outside and I don't have an indoor garage for myself (and I live at 9,300 feet elevation -- down in Boulder was quite warm this week and would have been a little more diy friendly). One interesting thing they found... it's had a lift done on it at some point to basically turn it into an outback instead of a stock legacy brighton that it was from the factory. The guy at the shop said that they should have put an outback driveshaft in when they did that, but instead they just shimmed the legacy driveshaft, and he thinks that's why it eventually failed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 sweet. 9,300 feet, wow! we hunt around there in CO - that's up there dude. i have to drink a butt ton of water or i get headaches before we drive up there. doubt that's why it failed, but it doesn't really matter. they fail often enough that age and lack of grease is enough. the ujoint should allow plenty of articulation for slight changes, but who knows you got it taken care of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhazard Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I got my drive shaft on eBay for about $70 shipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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