i just got my 98 outback on the road took it on the highway and i noticed a very heavy vibration over 60mph if i stay below 60 its nott here all all it sort of sounds like a wheel bearing not not really the same sound if i let off the gas the vibration goes away but as soon as i start pressing the gas it comes back. i checked both front and rear diffs and they both have clean fluid and are full the driveshaft has a sort of sound in it like a click when i turn it back and forth but i dont see movement at the joints could the driveshaft be causing the vibration im having and if so will the driveshaft from my 95 legacy wagon fit the 98 outback?

update if i put the fwd fuse in the vibration is lessened but still there it actually starts to vibrate around 65 to 70 im starting to wonder if maby its the tires.

Edited October 30, 20169 yr by sirtokesalot

If vibrations goes away and comes back depending on load, it's drivetrain related.

Most likely a bad u-joint.

If it's not a u-joint, it would be axle(s)

Balance the tires first. If the car has been sitting for a long time the tires may have flat spots and they can take some drive time to get rid of those spots.

 

U-joint or bad carrier bearing on the driveshaft would be my next look after balancing the tires.

are the axles and driveshaft the same from a 95 legacy? i could still pull these parts i have until Wednesday to get parts off the car then the junk yards taking it. ive also been debating if i should pull the transmission and diff how hard is it to get this stuff out of the car would the axles and driveshaft fit the transmission and diff in the 98? i am going to try to rotate the tires tomorrow morning before i drive it to where the 95 is to get some other parts from it.

 

 also will the wheels stay on the other car without the axles in there? im not sure if the axle nuts are what holds things together or not.

 

 the 98 has 261000 miles on it the 95 witch is the doner car till wednesday has 211000

 

 if i did take the transmission from the 95 for an in case situation will i need the transmission computer as well? and where is that

Edited October 30, 20169 yr by sirtokesalot

Axles are the same. Grab those.

Driveshaft varies depending on AT, MT, and L/base model or Outback. You can use a non-outback driveshaft on an outback if you fab spacers or stack some washers and longer bolts to lower the carrier bearing down so the angle of the driveshaft is correct.

 

Wheels will stay on it well enough to get it to a junkyard. The spline shaft of the axle does hold the hub in the bearing and keeps pre-load on the bearing, but it's still a press fit so the hub shouldn't just fall out.

it is the legacy l wagon. the legacy had a vibration from the rear but i knew it was a bearing/right rear axle combo issue the front did not have vibrations.

Those hub/wheel assemblies will come apart if you flat tow that legacy without the front axles or the outer joints installed. That pressfit is not going to keep it together, you wont get more than a mile.

the junk yard is sending something out wensday so i hope they bring a flat bed i told them it was a awd car its currently a nwd car got the transmission front axles and driveshaft out the rear diff is being a stubborn bastard thogh and the 2 bolts going into the back of it are not coming out there so rusty nothing fits them not even a strip nut socket.

the only things left in the 95 that i wanted to keep but dont think will come out are the rear diff and the windsheild.

today i got the transmission driveshaft front axles rear diff and trans computer from the legacy l wagon. i also rotated the tires on the outback witch i think has changed the vibration somewhat. my plan is to do tires first if that doesn't fix it then its the driveshaft and front axles. if that doesn't fix it then the trans and diff go in and at that point it will have the whole drive line from the legacy if it goes that far.

Agree If its not the tyres / wheels bearings etc  and  rear drive shaft.     Look at front axles next  - it could be the front  CV joints failing.

Will the universal joint that connects the steering to the rack swap between the legacy l wagon and the outback?

Outback one is a couple inches longer and won't fit the legacy.

Dam. Guess I'll have to buy one of those for the outback was really hoping to salvage that one.