Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

97 subaru legacy L differntial/axle question


w3029790
 Share

Recommended Posts

Quick overview and if more information is need, I am happy to oblige.

 

Thanks for hearing me out!

 

Just bought 97 legacy l wagon. Sticky breaks, though previous owner didn't break em in. Got the car up to 60 and fug into the brakes to get down to 30. Ended up breaking the control arm and sway bar linkages and needing a tow. The control arm was severely rust3d, so better it didn't happen when Gf was driving with the kids and have a deer jump out. Here's where it gets shitty.

 

Seems when the control arm broke the drivers side half axle ripped out of the differential, running the diff retainer. I am new to subis, and I haven't been able to figure out what holds the axle stud into the differential and all. The lock pin is still in the cv axle, and it took out the stub as mentioned. The question is, without being able to post pictures cause I have no clue how, and if the half axle ripped out the stub that should remain in the differential, am I looking at a new tranny/diff unit? Or can I fix this without 100s or 1000s worth of parts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Typing on a phone, so please excuse spelling etc. So to be clear, the cv axle come out still attacked to the male stub that is usually "locked"? in the differential itself. When peering into the differential, the splines seem mint, and I can see a metal rod/tube running perpendicular to the ground, possible where the stub connected to. No clue. SOS.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

the stubs on automatics just pull out and are only held in by circlips.  clean it up, make sure the circlip is in place and tap it back in place.  i'd remove it from the axle first so it's a little simpler. 

 

absolutely do not touch anything else on the front diff like those retaining rings around the stubby shaft - those affect preload and will destroy the diff if you touch them or don't know what you're doing.  

 

if the retaining ring or front diff were damaged during the extrication of the axle you may have additional issues.  

 

a broken control arm - holy smokes that's some awful rust issues.  that's terrible.  i'd inspect the underneath of that car for other issues.  usually the exhaust, rails, bodies, fenders, doglegs, strut towers and other things rust worse than the control arms....it probably sat forever in a grass field and has massive cancer. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried to upload photos but the files were too large..if someone could help a brotha, the carnage is worth the view.the retaining ring was damaged, along with the gasket. Had to take the ring off to get the gasket, new ones are on order the knuckle at the wheel came apart, going to try to figure bow to connect em again and use the axle as it was brand new previous owner.

 

Thanks for the replies! Not sure if I mentioned, but one of the bolts holding the control arm to the rail broke in the rail. Had to cut a hole in the rail where it connects, brake the nut/weld off and am in the process of using 7/16 plate steel as a new load bear/spacer. Again, pics are worth the walk through to get me to upload!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.the retaining ring was damaged, along with the gasket. 

 

that's not good. that ring affects the internal bearing preload and maybe the backlash setting of the front ring and pinion. 

 

if you didn't count and mark exactly how many turns it took to remove or set it up on a dial guage you'll probably need a new transmission in the future.  about 18,000 miles the last one i had happen. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I was going to leave it alone, as the part that was originally broken on the retainer didnt seem to effect the seal whatsoever, but to get the seal out you have to take the retainer off. In doing so, I may or may not have f***** up the retainer, chipping many of the teeth off and whatnot :/ Mechanically minded friend said that it was easy to do. Just screw in, bottom out, ease out an eighth of a turn. Everything I have read says (damn near) the same.

Questions: Every where I look about adjusting preload mentions doing both sides. I would rather not codswallop with the other side as well, can i just do the one side (drivers) and call it good.

I ordered the god damn part blindly, not knowing that the two sides were different from eachother. I am new to subarus, think I am mechanically adept, but the part I ordered was listed as "differential side"..........just from memory, im pretty sure the differential dipstick is on the passenger side, and that would lead me to believe that the part I ordered is for the passenger side. Yeah? Are they interchangeable

Edited by w3029790
  • Like 1
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...