Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

06' Baja Sport: Removing Transfer Case


Recommended Posts

After the prior thread (http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/134360-another-whats-this-noise-thread/?hl=driveshaft), I've been letting my '06 Baja Sport sit as much as possible, waiting for warmer weather to get underneath it.

 

Rather than take the shotgun approach and swap out the entire transmission, I figured it was worth the energy to pull the transfer case/center diff first and take a look at its bearings. Best case scenario: support bearing is shot, swap it out, and the noise goes away. Worst case scenario: output shaft bearing in the transmission is shot along with the TC/CD, so I put it back together, the noise stays, and I call it a practice run for removing the transmission.

 

So I put the Baja up on ramps today (low 50's, no major rain forecast. maybe spring is finally here to stay), and took a look underneath. Seein' as I don't have to have it done *now*, I figure I'd pop up here for any advice before I go wrenching. Looks like I'll be wanting to drop the exhaust from the center back (should be able to leave the y-pipe up) and the driveshaft, giving me room to work and remove the TC/CD. The heat shield was already removed by the previous owner, so that's out of the way. The shift rod will need to be disconnected, too.

 

With all that out of the way, I should be look past the rear crossmember at the TC/CD, at the back end of the transmission. Looks like I should be able to get to all the retaining bolts, without the rear crossmember interfering. Is there enough room to pull the TC/CD out, between the rear crossmember and the top of the tunnel?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exhaust is much easier to remove in one peice. The bolts on the cat flanges like to rust and will probably break, and the flanges may need some reconditioning to get a good seal afterwards. If you drop the y-pipe the whole system can be removed as one piece and slid out of the way. Remember to unplug all of the O2 sensors first!

 

The tail housing should come off easily, you can unbolt the rear section of the crossmember and let it hang down to get more room. (An inch or two) if you need more just out a jack under the center of the trans and lower it some. You may need to remove the pitch stop mount on top of the trans to tet it to lower more. Remember that the engine and trans are connected, if the trans moves the engine moves too. Don't let it hang down too far or you may stretch the radiator hoses or crush something between the engine and fire-wall.

Edited by Fairtax4me
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That first flange behind the y-pipe like I might need a torch to cut it off, so I'll take your recommendation and drop the y-pipe, too. I've learned my lesson with the O2 sensors in the past, but a reminder certainly can't hurt  B).

 

Thanks for the hint about the rear cross member. I tried getting a good gauge of how much weight it was supporting, and whether unbolting alone would give me enough room.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright. We're getting somewhere.

 

O2 sensors disconnected. Driveshaft flange marked. Exhaust, driveshaft, and rear crossmember are all out. I pulled nine 14mm bolts off the back of the housing. There looks to be enough room to pull the tail housing off.

 

Still doesn't want to come off, though. Judging from the seepage, I'd guess that there is gasket material between the housing and the transmission. Not sure if that is what's holding it up, or the two alignment pins are corroded and holding it tight. For the life of me, I can't see any other bolts holding it in, either.

 

Any tips? Or am I blind and missed a bolt?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Managed to get it separated all the way around, but it's still coming hard. Used the chisel to get the bottom separated, then a putty knife to open it the rest of the way around. It's still coming really hard, and there's nothing obvious binding. I'm really hoping I'm not mangling the mating surfaces bad. If I do, there's my excuse to go hunt down another transmission.

 

I also noted the transfer driven gear shaft (I believe that's the name) is sloppy: 

.

 

Is that normal? Apologies for the wrong aspect on the video, but it was meant to be quick & dirty.

 

Update:

 

Got the housing separated from the rest of the transmission. Mating surfaces look fine, so that's a plus. Both bearings on the transfer driven gear shaft look good, sound good, and aren't in multiple pieces. To me, the center differential looks fine, too. Surfaces are all smooth, no discoloration except the tip of the side that fits into the transmission, and from what I can see of the teeth inside, it all looks good. That big bearing that sits outside on the tranny side looks fine, too.

 

Now, that being said, the only thing that spins by hand on the CD is that outer ball bearing. By reaching inside the tranny side of the CD and moving the inner splines, I am able to get the spider gears to rotate just a little. I'm trying to wrap my mind around how the CD works, trying to understand whether that's normal or not.

Edited by the_bard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got to thinking about the above video: The rear housing might have been slightly off the transmission when I took the video. That probably introduced that play in the shaft.

 

I'm going to be searching around for a replacement transmission now; the "You Pull It"  yard back home has 'em for $125, with the core figured in. 30 day return/exchange, too. That's cheaper than the >$800 I'm seeing from the local yards, and worth the extra effort pulling it, I figure.

 

Is there any use in me (newbie shade tree mechanic that I am) in tackling the job of splitting the old transmission case to see what condition the innards are? Not as an effort to rebuild it, mind you, but more of an educational and forensic exercise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's very difficult to rotate the inner splines of the center diff unit by hand. The center diff is comprised of several layers of fan-like plates spaced very closely to each other and filled with a heavy silicone based fluid. The fluid allows a certain amount of tension between the plates without making actual contact.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...