greenleg88 Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 hello i have a 2000 impreza outback sport wagon M/T with 153k miles recently i noticed when i turn the wheel back to center (i think only while turning left.) i feel a bit of either resistance or friction in the steering wheel. the way i would describe it is the steering wheel turns back but gets caught and jumps as i turn. i can feel a very slight vibration in the steering wheel as it is happening. this generally only happens at low speeds or making smaller radius turns. i did a search and found cv joints? but it does not clunk when i get on and off the throttle... or is it ball joints... thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 The u-joint in the steering shaft is probably getting frozen up with rust, etc. Remove it and check that it moves freely. It could be a CV also - but those will typically make noises rather than jerking the wheel around. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmark7 Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 OR, (it happened to me in my '98 legacy) the steering rack might be going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 The u-joint in the steering shaft is probably getting frozen up with rust, etc. Remove it and check that it moves freely. It could be a CV also - but those will typically make noises rather than jerking the wheel around. GD hm mkay. wheres the u joint...? is that the piece that allows the steering column to have a bend in it/change directions... if thats phrased correctly. and what kinda noises would cv joint sound like? im not sure i described it accurately to call it jerking around.. i think the way it feels in my mind is.. there is friction as i turn the wheel intermittently and with the friction coming and going many times during the turning of the wheel, it feels liek a vibration.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Sounds like a u-joint to me. That's exactly what they feel like when partially frozen - and you live right in RUST central so it makes sense. Yes - that's what allows the bend in the shaft. It's between the firewall and the rack. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allwheeldad Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Sounds like the same symptoms I had on my legacy. located the steering u-joint and hose it down with a penetrating fluid like wd40. After mine was nicely loosened up I hit it with Fluid Film to give it a longer lasting greasing. I did that over a year (and 30,000 kms) ago and haven't had any problems since. Do this sooner rather than later, you don't want the u-joint to eat away at itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 You also might want to do a visual on the steering rack boots. If they are cracked or split, it will allow debris to contaminate the rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 aha! great! thanks for the help. ill give that a look once i get a chance. that this problem also happened on my 97 legacy as well. but that car was from california and had never seen much salt at all except for the last year i had it. thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 so i took a glance... i see the steering shaft, and the joint doesnt look very rusted at all. its a little polka doted with spots. but there is less than 15 percent covered in rust. coudl that still be it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 so i took a glance... i see the steering shaft, and the joint doesnt look very rusted at all. its a little polka doted with spots. but there is less than 15 percent covered in rust. coudl that still be it you don't care about the rust on the outside, unless it's about to rust through. you are addressing the rust or even the lack of grease on the inside of the joints. oil it. off topic: we all use stuff in aerosol spray cans. we buy them and use them, that's just the way it is. i was on a friends dad's farm last weekend and saw him using an oil can. yep an old fashion oil can. works great on all sorts of things that need oil. not the best at penetrating rust for loosening bolts and nuts, but still a valuable tool. if only it wasn't so oily on the outside of the can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 i wouldn't rule out an issue with the center diff (torque bind). my '95 had the same symptoms, building up over a period of about 2 years, during which i replaced the steering rack (didn't help). when i removed the front section of the rear driveshaft, the steering "tightness" disappeared. i've since replaced the transmission, which solved the problem. just saying the cause of the problem isn't always obvious. wally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 11, 2010 Author Share Posted September 11, 2010 hmm.. it seems like from what i read, theres no torque bind on manual transmissions? or that it was a different case... i had torque bind in my automatic 97 legacy.. it doesnt feel the same as when it first developed in my legacy. that felt more like a wheel slipping around a turn. so i sprayed the two joints with some wd40. nd when that gets some dry time i was going to lube it.. how is white lithium grease? i dont have any of that fluid film stuff. so thats what i had available. but wanted to make sure that stuff is good to go on these components... thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 Yeah - should be fine with whatever you put on there. WD40 is only slighly better than urinating on it...... squirt it down with some ATF from an oil can if you can. ATF thinned with 50% acetone.... even better. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 hmm.. it seems like from what i read, theres no torque bind on manual transmissions? or that it was a different case... i don't know what the case is for the later generation MTs. my '95 MT had a junk viscous center diff, resulting in torque bind (after 225K miles). drove it for another 25K miles in fwd, then replaced the entire transmission, once 3rd, 4th and 5th failed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 my '95 MT had a junk viscous center diff, resulting in torque bind (after 225K miles). drove it for another 25K miles in fwd, then replaced the entire transmission, once 3rd, 4th and 5th failed. I love how - if it only lasts 225k, and you put another 25k on it while broken (but still getting you around), it's "junk" in the Subaru world . This would be amazing for most domestic cars and pretty spectacular for many imports as well. . Not to mention there's probably 100% more parts in a Subaru transaxle being they are AWD...... But yes - VC's on 5MT's can and do fail. In fact 5MT's are less reliable in general than the 4EAT's. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 13, 2010 Author Share Posted September 13, 2010 welll then.. in that case.. i hope that lubing it will keep this vibration away... i think its just about completely stopped doing what i described.. but ill see in a few more days as i havent driven it much... thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 welll then.. in that case.. i hope that lubing it will keep this vibration away...i think its just about completely stopped doing what i described.. but ill see in a few more days as i havent driven it much... thanks! my guess is that these things were / are lifetime lubed at the factory and oiling it is going to have to be repeated unless it is replaced. but if you don't have to oil it very often, no big deal. the only challenge in replacing it is getting the steering wheel straight. once you remove the u joints the wheels and the steering wheel can both turn independent of each other. if one gets turned a little during the installation the steering wheel will be off , a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 my guess is that these things were / are lifetime lubed at the factory and oiling it is going to have to be repeated unless it is replaced. but if you don't have to oil it very often, no big deal. I've had good luck with lubing them. The few I've done (I removed them and worked them by hand till free) haven't required any furthre attention. Eventually they probably will - the rust and lubricant will form a grinding compound inside the joint and in a few years it will probably get sloppy. the only challenge in replacing it is getting the steering wheel straight. once you remove the u joints the wheels and the steering wheel can both turn independent of each other. if one gets turned a little during the installation the steering wheel will be off , a little. Yeah - mark the shafts with a paint pen. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 my guess is that these things were / are lifetime lubed at the factory and oiling it is going to have to be repeated unless it is replaced. but if you don't have to oil it very often, no big deal. the only challenge in replacing it is getting the steering wheel straight. once you remove the u joints the wheels and the steering wheel can both turn independent of each other. if one gets turned a little during the installation the steering wheel will be off , a little. I thought there were flat spots on each end of the shafts where the u-joint bolt clamps so that doesnt happen? I know the EA series are like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 I thought there were flat spots on each end of the shafts where the u-joint bolt clamps so that doesnt happen? I know the EA series are like that. i do not know all the ins and outs of the universals or the EAs, but i got mine a little bit off so i would have to say no, the outbacks are not like the EA cars in this regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 well i didnt do any dismantling but i just sprayed the grease in to the joints and made sure it got in there.. the rubbing went away for a day maybe? but now it seems to be coming back worse. perhaps i didnt really go away and i just didnt notice it for those short few days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 well i didnt do any dismantling but i just sprayed the grease in to the joints and made sure it got in there.. the rubbing went away for a day maybe? but now it seems to be coming back worse. perhaps i didnt really go away and i just didnt notice it for those short few days... what did you spray in?? wd40 will actually wash heavier grease out of a hinge / joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 what did you spray in?? wd40 will actually wash heavier grease out of a hinge / joint. wd40 to clean it. followed by white lithium grease.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 REMOVE the joint and inspect it. Clean/lubricate if needed. Or you may find it's not the culprit. Either way a proper inspection is needed. They are relatively easy to remove. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 hmm. okay. can you give me a rundown on how to do it. what i need im usually very enthusiastic about jumping into any project but ive never done this before and it seems like it can get complicated... thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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