I just received a half axle for my 97 Legacy to replace an aftermarket one that I don't trust and might be making noises on turning and contributing to vibrations on braking. I ordered it online from a popular rebuilder. The joint at the transmission stub end moves quite easily. The joint at the wheel hub end, on the other hand, is extremely stiff. It will move in all directions, but it takes a lot of force. Does this sound normal? The rebuilder has assured me it is ok and I won't have any trouble after installation. I just imagined that both joints should be quite flexible.

 

Thanks,

Jim

actually, both ends should be fairly stiff (tight). what brand is the one you just ordered?

those joints are often stiff when new, they loosen up once they start moving. sounds normal to me.

 

beware though non-Subaru or non-MWE axles have high rates of issues. still plenty of good axles, but no surprise for issues out of the box.

Because of the amount of articulation of the outer joint during driving, the outer joint has 6 fairly large ball bearings housed in a case with very tight tolerances. This is to keep wear to a minimum so that vibration does not occur.

The inner joint sees very little articulation during normal driving, but it has to be able to slide in/out as the suspension moves, so it is a different joint composed of only three large bearings with larger tolerances that are better suited for the type of movement it handles. The result is the inner joint is much easier to move by hand than the outer.

I thought the same thing when I got mine, but they have been great.

Stiff is fine.

 

Notchy, now, might be an issue.

I got a rebuild from MWE 2 years ago. The outer joint was fairly stiff when moved by hand but never had any issues once installed. I was wondering about the same thing back then. Not all rebuilt axles are stiff. I've seen very smooth outer joints at Advance Auto Parts. So I guess how smooth/stiff a joint is does not speak for its quality.

I got a rebuild from MWE 2 years ago. The outer joint was fairly stiff when moved by hand but never had any issues once installed. I was wondering about the same thing back then. Not all rebuilt axles are stiff. I've seen very smooth outer joints at Advance Auto Parts. So I guess how smooth/stiff a joint is does not speak for its quality.

 

Since the joint isn't designed to be moved smoothly by hand, that's not a trait it needs to have. It will do that once it's warmed up.

 

I've been through A LOT of napa axles, and the ones that move smoothly by hand have too much play and often click out of the box.

You guys are making me feel good about the new axle. It is an MWE rebuild, and Marshall has been very quick to answer my emails and ship it to me. Thanks very much! -- Jim

MWE rebuilds only original Subaru axles. Worn out original Subaru axles can be cleaned and repacked and still last twice as long as a brand new aftermarket replacement.

Ive watched him rebuild them. And they usually come out very tight on the outboard CV. Its a good thing.

You Tube on the Rebuild process would be great!

You Tube on the Rebuild process would be great!

 

^ +1 ^ Yeah, that's something I'd like to see too. Anybody?

^ +1 ^ Yeah, that's something I'd like to see too. Anybody?

 

It's mostly cleaning and selecting the correct size balls, I think, unless they are actually re-grinding the ball races.

I'd like to see a vid of getting the CV end apart. You know, without the dumb "pipe trick" that makes holes in your concrete garage floor, destroys the race, and loses the bearings...

I'd like to see a vid of getting the CV end apart. You know, without the dumb "pipe trick" that makes holes in your concrete garage floor, destroys the race, and loses the bearings...

 

Apart is easy, you just rotate the end (the thing the axle goes into) to one extreme and then pop out the ball that presents itself with anything that's softer than the cage or the ball.

 

(after you remove the axle shaft, of course)

 

Putting together, now that I have never even tried.

 

 

Now what is the 'pipe trick'? Never heard of it.

I don't quite follow. So on the CV end, you move it to an extreme and pull a ball, then it just comes apart. That I get, but you have take the axle shaft out of the race first? How?

 

Pipe trick

 

The whole putting a pipe in ball cage part just makes me cringe... haha. It seems like a very un-exact science though, and a good way to break things.

Edited April 20, 201213 yr by 987687

I don't quite follow. So on the CV end, you move it to an extreme and pull a ball, then it just comes apart. That I get, but you have take the axle shaft out of the race first? How?

 

Pipe trick

 

The whole putting a pipe in ball cage part just makes me cringe... haha. It seems like a very un-exact science though, and a good way to break things.

 

I just put the halfshaft in the vice and tugged on the CV joint- came right apart.

 

The pipe trick doesn't look like it will hurt anything.

 

After the halfshaft is out, you turn the cage (as though turning a corner but much further) until a ball is clear of the joint, then you can pop out a ball.

So how is the axle shaft held into the race? How do you get it back in again?

Or is that the tricky part...

It's just "held on" with a circlip. With the axle shaft clamped in a vice you tap the inner race with a brass drift or block of wood and it will pop right off, you do have to be careful that it doesn't fly off and fall on the floor though.

 

A video showing how it's done.

Edited April 21, 201213 yr by Fairtax4me

MWE rebuilds only original Subaru axles. Worn out original Subaru axles can be cleaned and repacked and still last twice as long as a brand new aftermarket replacement.

 

 

Yeah I had a friend that picked up those aftermarket axles and I told him to take them back and I will do the axles on his wife's '02 forester.. It took me longer to get the passenger side on because I forgot my c-clip came with right angles! nevertheless a year later and it's good

 

I think he is due for his 100K service so he wants me to do that.. Speaking of that did '02's have a plastic oil separator plate as well??

You Tube on the Rebuild process would be great!

 

I doubt he would ever do that. Lots of little tricks of the trade that he doesn't want to share I imagine. Ill ask though.

Since this thread has turned into general chat on axles...

I had a weird axle situation yesterday. I was at a rallyx with my GL. Opened the hood for tech checks, and sitting on the engine crossmember was a DOJ ball bearing. And after looking, a hole in the boot just big enough for a bearing to escape through.

 

I have no idea when it went missing, but the drive there on the highway at 80, the whole rallyx, and the drive home on the highway it didn't click, vibrate, or make bad noise.

 

How the hell does a bearing escape the axle, and then how does it not make driving unpleasant?

Maybe someone put it there just to mess with you.

Take it apart and find out what broke.