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Has anyone bought an aftermarket drive line with user replaceable ujoints for a 1rst generation outback?  Searching the forum, I've found links to places that sell them, but I haven't found any post about  experiences with any of these companies.  

 

Thanks

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I think I'd just hit one of the You Pull and Pay yard and save $400.

 

Subaru driveshafts don't fail very often.  I've picked up a few cars that have lost the front U-joint and tore up the trans tail shaft but have always just put a stock one back in.

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I think I'd just hit one of the You Pull and Pay yard and save $400.

 

Subaru driveshafts don't fail very often.  I've picked up a few cars that have lost the front U-joint and tore up the trans tail shaft but have always just put a stock one back in.

 

It would definitely save me some money, but I've tired of replacing this drive line.  I've boughten four used drive lines for this car so fair.  Two of the failures were actually tire related problems, but the other two were just worn out drive lines.  I'm hoping these aftermarket rebuilt drive lines will be a little more robust.  

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you can install brand new Rockford greaseable ujoints in Subaru driveshafts. 

i'd favor a driveline shop if you can find one since they actually deal with ujoints all the time.

take your shaft and 3 new ujoints and i think it took them under an hour, so it won't cost much.

it can even be done yourself if you're up to cutting out the old ones and prepping for the new ones.  you can at least cut the old ones out before you take it in.

 

that's a lot of warn out drivelines, weird.

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.........................that's a lot of warn out drivelines, weird.

 

I do have king springs on the car, so it sits about an 1.5" taller than normal.  That might have something to do with my problem.  Also I'm pretty sure the first two drive lines failed because i had tires that were having tread separation issues at speed.   Do you think there is something else i should be checking for?

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When you put those replacement u-joints in, make sure there is enough room for the clip inside the yoke.  I touch the back of where the clip sits with a grinder, that way the clip sits flat.  The part number at Autozone is 2-0430DL.

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Have a napa part # 1-0430 for replaceabble ujoint

 

 

When you put those replacement u-joints in, make sure there is enough room for the clip inside the yoke.  I touch the back of where the clip sits with a grinder, that way the clip sits flat.  The part number at Autozone is 2-0430DL.

Thanks for the info, but i don't really have the time to rebuild one myself right now.   

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never seen or heard of driveshaft issues with my lifted Subarus or others, doubt that's it, 1.5" is low key.  no clue, bad luck?

 

 

Thanks for the info, but i don't really have the time to rebuild one myself right now.   

 

don't have to. buy the ujoints and let a shop or machine shop do it, it's easy for them.  couple phone calls to find a place and you're done.

get a used one for $25 (or one of your old ones if you have it) and give the shops the parts - done.

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Why do you think the old ones failed?  Bad vibrations?  A rear tire out of balance will feel similar.

 

They tire tread was separating at speed. .  All the tread measure the same depth, but would actually go out of round at highway speeds.  The first two that failed baffled me.  I even took to a private garage that specializes in subarus, and they couldn't figure it out either.     The third drive line broke at about 45 MPH, and broke the transmission mounts.  I ended up having the car towed to a second garage, and they figured it for me.  

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I took the car to a shop for their opinion.  They want to rebuild the rear diff, but I’m not convinced that’s the problem.  I'm going to do some research and see if any LSD differentials from newer outback’s are a direct bolt in replacement.  If they are, I'll use this an excuse to get do a bit of an upgrade.

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So the first problem is that the tires were coming apart on the highway?  And then the driveline failed?  (How did it fail, did the joint break?)

 

It's not a bad idea to check the rear diff, especially after having a failed driveline.  With the tires in the air it's easy to spin the driveline flange by hand and feel if the bearings are grunchy, and it shouldn't have any play in it.  The CV joints going to the wheels do have some play normally.  Also check the backlash, the flange should turn just a tiny bit before you see the inner CV joints move.

 

I honestly can't see how the driveline or rear diff could cause the rear tires to come apart.  I would figure the tires were bad (internal core separation), maybe the wheels are bent, or remotely the bearings/hub could cause it.  Did you run over anything that could have caused the tires to fail?

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It would definitely save me some money, but I've tired of replacing this drive line.  I've boughten four used drive lines for this car so fair.  Two of the failures were actually tire related problems, but the other two were just worn out drive lines.  I'm hoping these aftermarket rebuilt drive lines will be a little more robust.  

 

This sounds odd.

 

Are you sure the front and rear diff ratios are the same?

 

I've seen wrong ratios in the rear end cause very weird vibrations.....espescially in the 4EAT where the rear isn't fully powered all the time.

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So the first problem is that the tires were coming apart on the highway?  And then the driveline failed?  (How did it fail, did the joint break?)

The shop said that tires were coming apart at highway speeds, yes.   The U-joints broke and a transmission mount broke as well. 

It's not a bad idea to check the rear diff, especially after having a failed driveline.  With the tires in the air it's easy to spin the driveline flange by hand and feel if the bearings are grunchy, and it shouldn't have any play in it.  The CV joints going to the wheels do have some play normally.  Also check the backlash, the flange should turn just a tiny bit before you see the inner CV joints move.

The bearings do not feel crunchy when i spin the  driveline by hand.  There is some play went i change direction of the drive line, maybe one or two degrees.

I honestly can't see how the driveline or rear diff could cause the rear tires to come apart.  I would figure the tires were bad (internal core separation), maybe the wheels are bent, or remotely the bearings/hub could cause it.  Did you run over anything that could have caused the tires to fail?

 I'm not sure I understand how different sized tires would cause this, but the vibrations went away with new tires.   :confused:

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This sounds odd.

 

Are you sure the front and rear diff ratios are the same?

 

I've seen wrong ratios in the rear end cause very weird vibrations.....espescially in the 4EAT where the rear isn't fully powered all the time.

Yep I'm sure.  It's the original drive train. well minus the propeller shaft.

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The shop said that tires were coming apart at highway speeds, yes.   The U-joints broke and a transmission mount broke as well. 

The bearings do not feel crunchy when i spin the  driveline by hand.  There is some play went i change direction of the drive line, maybe one or two degrees.

 I'm not sure I understand how different sized tires would cause this, but the vibrations went away with new tires.   :confused:

 

So the new tires fixed the vibration problem?  What is the problem now, the vibration is back?

 

If the trans mount broke, I'd thoroughly inspect the tail housing on the trans is to make sure it's not damaged too.

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So the new tires fixed the vibration problem?  What is the problem now, the vibration is back?

 

If the trans mount broke, I'd thoroughly inspect the tail housing on the trans is to make sure it's not damaged too.

 

When accelerating from a stop with a semi-heavy load, like towing a trailer, there's a thumping sound, maybe from somewhere in the middle of the car. It last for only 2-3 seconds during accelerating. No noise or problems once the car is moving.

 

It also happens with just me in the car if I floor it from a stop while making a hard turn.

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When accelerating from a stop with a semi-heavy load, like towing a trailer, there's a thumping sound, maybe from somewhere in the middle of the car. It last for only 2-3 seconds during accelerating. No noise or problems once the car is moving.

 

It also happens with just me in the car if I floor it from a stop while making a hard turn.

 

Oh, that certainly sounds like torque bind; this is a problem in the transmission where the AWD system binds up.  Does it do it at all if you floor it from a stop while going straight?  Torque bind will only occur when turning.

 

What kind of transmission do you have?

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Oh, that certainly sounds like torque bind; this is a problem in the transmission where the AWD system binds up.  Does it do it at all if you floor it from a stop while going straight?  Torque bind will only occur when turning.

It will do it going straight.  But only with some extra weight and starting off on a hill.

What kind of transmission do you have?

4Eat

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The 4EAT does tend to have more problems with torque bind with the MPT clutch system.  But if it does it going straight it's probably not the problem.

 

Maybe there is still something wrong with your mount allowing the transmission to bump the body during acceleration.  If you accelerate quickly in reverse do you hear a thump?

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