I replaced the right front axel on my 2007 subaru outback. It ran fine the first say but now there is a vibration when I accelerate and the axel has more play then the left axel. Does anyone have a suggestion to the cause of this problem?

what's the source of the replacement axle?

 

MANY people have had problems with rebuilt axles, sometimes even new aftermarket axles.

It was not a rebuilt axle. But I don't recall the brand. Is there any chance the axle nut is not tight enough?

Edited June 19, 201411 yr by dcam868

Most likely a bad reman if the axle nut was loose it would cause wheel bearing to whine e anbd damage bearing.we only use oem axles at my shop due to vibrations and other annoyances from the lesser axles.

the manual advises to tighten the axle nut with no weight on the tire. Did you torque it sitting on the ground or in the air?

 

I put a big screwdriver in a rotor vane and 'buck-up' against the caliper to torque the axle nut.

 

no harm in checking the nut to make sure it is still staked in place.

sure it could be the axle nut. or

the lug nuts

the roll pin not installed

the axle

 

what do you mean "more play"? 

if you checked for play - why not just check the axle nut to see if it's loose?

 

It was not a rebuilt axle.

 

rebuilt, new, "lifetime warranty":  doesn't matter, aftermarket axles suck.

 

when dealing with Subaru axles:
1. reboot the original axle - they last the life of the vehicle, aftermarket axles do not.

2. or - buy a used axle for $25 - $33 and reboot or have it booted:  www.car-part.com

3. FWE out of colorado core and shipping make it steep but it's a good one-stop-shop solution for many people to avoid aftermarket debacles.

 

if you're going to get aftermarkets - you can plan on 3 out of 10 having issues right out of the box and 8 out of 10 having issues in the next year or three.  terrible odds.  any other product you buy that had a failure rate like that you'd avoid them like the plague.  unfortunately that's just the axle market for some reason.

A pair of FEQs my dealer installed for me worked but were shaky like that.  It would drive fine but it was like I was downgraded to a motorcycle.

 

When the boots finally ruptured I bought a pair of Cardone Select and those had no clicking symptoms at all (although there was some play like that about the axle stub).

 

 

It was a better product overall...you may be best served with a pair of those....

 

 

BTW the OEM axles that are in that my new 2001 Forester do have some play about the axle stub but it's not as pronounced as in two other Subarus I've had the pleasure of getting to know. 

 

 

 

Chow!

 

--Damien

What type of 'play' do you mean? 

The inner race cup was 'wobbly' about the axle stub.

 

 

Not wibbly...wobbly.  :-)

Both inner races ride on the hub, any play is fatal, hub fits tight over the axle stub, any play is fatal... but do you mean either of those cases?

Well...that's what I thought myself sometimes...but it's true only in the static case...not the dynamic one.

 

 

In a way it really is like a motorcycle in a nutshell...when in motion they stay perfectly upright and stable...when stopped they easily tip over.

If the bearings have play between the races and the balls/rollers, either it is worn to death or the axle nut isn't tight and the inner races aren't touching each other.

 

The inner races must be a tight fit on the axle stub.

 

If it is all tight and the inner races aren't 'spinning true', something was really messed up...

So I wanted to get a FEW rebuilt Subaru axle out of Colorado.  I tried contacting RetroRoo in Denver Colorado that Marshal Wolf and FEW went though.  They said they have not gotten anything from him in awhile?  Anyone know if he is still doing axles and how to contact him?  The inner pass. side boot on my '03 GT sedan has been wide open all winter!!

So I wanted to get a FEW rebuilt Subaru axle out of Colorado.  I tried contacting RetroRoo in Denver Colorado that Marshal Wolf and FEW went though.  They said they have not gotten anything from him in awhile?  Anyone know if he is still doing axles and how to contact him?  The inner pass. side boot on my '03 GT sedan has been wide open all winter!!

Is it REALLY noisy yet?

If not, just clean it, pack it with grease, reboot and drive on.