Possible problem with front axle (FIXED)

[Cold Chuck]

Gents,

 

While driving in 1987 wagon GL with 5 speed DR, it makes ticking noises (somewhere in the front) under power and goes away when coasting. Steering is fine. Now what is strange is that after sometime on highway that the steering wheel keeps tugging (like a child trying to pull and let go and pull again over and over) to the left and smoothes out when going faster than 45 mph. The steering wheel tugging gets real bad only when accelerating from slow speed or from stop and it goes away only when coasting or braking (no power). When the car is cold - it does not do that (exepting the noise) but when after driving for 10 or so miles -it occurs and progressively worse. Putting into 4wd makes little effect.

 

Does that mean the driver's side CV joint is failing? If so, does anyone have a EMPI part number for both front axle? I dont know how many spline counts I have in the transmission. What about possible spider problem inside front diff?

 

thanks

Edited February 12, 2010 by Cold Chuck

[GeneralDisorder]

Bad front axle inner joint (DOJ).

 

You need 23 spline axles.

 

GD

[Cold Chuck]

So is there a hand test to shake to see what falls out? Lift vehicle and shake the shaft to confirm?

[Cold Chuck]

ordered 2 EMPI 80-5504 axles off ebay 51.95 each.

[GeneralDisorder]

No - you probably won't be able to tell other than the joint will likely not feel real tight anymore. Chances are you could clean/regrease/reboot the old axles and the vibration would go away for a time. Not worth it for the cost difference (~$25 savings per side), extra labor, and putting worn joints back in.

 

$52 is a good deal. I pay about $65 local.

 

GD

[Cold Chuck]

Car finally quit moving. Found that pass side outer joint failed completely and the shaft was spinning but not transferring power to the hub. Put it in 4WD and went home. Next day, I pulled tire, brake caliper unbolted the swaybar link to lower arm, unbolted lower arm to chassis. Unpinned the axle and removed castle nut, simply tapping the axle end with a hammer and pulled axle out. Put on antiseize on splines, bearing surfaces and reassemble whole thing. Just for kicks, I removed the boot on old failed shaft, found the ball bearing cage shattered and ball just fell out of the race. This failure is on passenger side outside joint. Inner joints are ok. Drivers' side shafts are ok but I replaced both sides anyways.

 

Whole thing took me 3 hours or so. I have air compressor and impact tools.

 

ON EDIT:

the boots are not torn or leaking. Grease still present and not milky or degraded anything like that. Just failed bearing.

[GeneralDisorder]

Wow - you don't usually get vibration from outer joint's, but that's not typical to have them catastophically fail like that. I've had one that did that but there was no warning at all - no vibration, etc. Typically vibration that doesn't come with REALLY LOUD clicking around turns is an inner joint that's worn or without grease.

 

Can you tell if the axle was a reman or not? Sometimes the reman people weld on the bearing surfaces and regrind them to save bad cup's and race's, etc. Frankly, if the axle were *really* rebuilt the only thing you would be able to save (that isn't a wear item) would be the shaft. Obviously that wouldn't be cost effective so they have short-cuts.

 

Glad you got it fixed.

 

GD

Edited February 12, 2010 by GeneralDisorder

[sube4x4]

ordered 2 EMPI 80-5504 axles off ebay 51.95 each.

 

Hope you had better luck than a friend of mine did(another board member also). He ordered some from a shop off of ebay and only one of the two would fit through the wheel bearings. The one that did poped and clicked like crazy! I would suggest buying from napa, car quest, etc.. Just my 2 cents

 

-cody

[CHIM]

uugg, don't get me wrong, i love subaru's just as much as anyone else here but im getting so sick of CV's:banghead:.

 

Ive replaced so many that with the tools at the ready i can get them replaced in about 15-20 min.

 

When are they gonna make a subaru application for one of these?

http://www.cornay.com/index.cfm/CVX_vs_Legacy_Technologies

[Cold Chuck]

Sube,

 

Got it from this guy...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Right-CV-Axle-Shaft-85-85-SUBARU-ALL-SUBARU-All-Engine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3efca048c3QQitemZ270526335171QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

and it delivered in 4 days by UPS with tracking #. It is quiet and no more vibration or pulling anymore. I bought this on GD's recommendation. Works well for me.

 

GD,

 

I think both shafts are orginial. Car is 76,000 miles. The shafts has hump in the shaft and splined socket ends where EMPI are smooth shaft with smooth outer diameter of the sockets. The bearing cage just broke apart in 4-5 pieces and the balls was just between the socket (hub side) and the shaft end and thusly no power transferred to the socket. I apprecate your insights and time honored experience. I was, too, suprised to see it as I thought it would be driver's side problem given that it kept trying to pull the car to the left. Strange.

 

Chim,

 

I hope this is this is the last job I'll do. I'm a long time heavy truck diesel tech and used to getting BFH on everything. You could probably rebuild a older CAT 3406 engine with a hammer and crescent wrench. Right now, I run the shop not the tools.