It's been awhile since I've posted here, but you guys have always been able to help me out in the past. A few weeks ago, I picked up a 99 Legacy Outback with 130,000 miles to replace my 98 Legacy Outback, which rotted out with 230,000 miles on it. The new car is going great and I'm excited about my second Subaru, but I've noticed it shudders when making a hard turn in any direction, fowards or reverse. After doing a little research, I'm thinking I probably need to replace the center diff for the following reasons:

 

1. The problem only occurs when the car is hot. I drove it to a parking lot within a couple miles of my house and the car was fine making tight turns for 10 minutes or so, until it warmed up. The problem got progressively worse from there on, as I continued driving in circles.

 

2. I jacked up a front wheel on the car yesterday, and it was very difficult to turn with the car in neutral (I could do this on my other Subaru just fine). I looked under the car while I was doing this, and I could see the rear drive shaft trying to turn with the front wheel. I then jacked up the other front wheel and same story.

 

Does this sound like it is the center diff? If I do need to replace it, can I swap the one from the 98 Outback? The transmission was replaced about a year ago, and has about 140,000 miles on it and I know the center diff is good. I remember reading somewhere though, that the 99 may be phase II, which means a different center diff.

 

Thanks!

bad news is that it does indeed sound like torque bind.

 

good news is that yes your center diff from the 98 should bolt right onto the 99.

 

it's doable on the car too, no need to remove the transmission.

I did a little googling and according to this - http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f89/center-diffs-how-replace-them-46979/ - the center diffs aren't the same in my 99 and 98 Oh well, it shouldn't be too hard to source a used one.

You can swap in the whole transmission from the '98.

 

GD

I thought about that, but I'd rather not. The synchro in third gear doesn't work all that well most of the time and the pilot shaft bearing whines. I only paid $100 dollars for it, so I'm not complaining.

 

Wrestling that thing back into place when I swapped it before was less than fun, too...

You can easily replace the bearing - most likely the rear input shaft bearing. The syncro's are harder to replace but can be done if you have the right tools.

 

Of course that doesn't make it any easier to install.

 

GD