Prefer going the OEM route if possible.

 

Vehicle: 1986 GL, on demand 4WD, 5-speed wagon, EA82, SOHC carbureted, H4 engine

im on the ADF  Anderson Design and Fabrication FB group.  They specialize int Subaru Lift kits, and they enthusiactly recomment Cardone Axles.  i have them on my 86 GL and im happy with them

  KYBs are good too. 

Edited May 3, 20187 yr by Mack Truck

Not sure what you mean by "lift". I don't want it lifted any more than it was when it came from the factory.

 

Yes, Cardone is a brand I've looked at. But that does me no good unless I can match up my particular vehicle with the right Cardone product. 

The best thing would be finding a OEM one at a junkyard and regreasing and rebooting it. The OEM ones have a green cage on them if i remember correctly.

 

All of the ones at my junkyard were non oem, so I purchased a few random brands online.

 

I went through three front passenger axles in like 12k miles with the randos. All of them blew their boots on extended road trips across the country. Most still functioned for quite a lot of miles after the grease went bye bye luckily.

 

Then I finally decided to go to Autozone and get one of theirs with a lifetime warranty. Free replacement when the boot blows seems like a good deal when you were going through them like I was. Now it is going on 20k and has made it across the country twice with no signs of the boot cracking at all, but when it does, I'll get a new one for free!

My car is 32 years old. What are my chances of finding good axles in a junk yard that fit a car that old? If they're in a junk yard they are likely junk.

 

I guess I'm a Sube-snob - I would never put junkyard parts in my car.

Edited May 3, 20187 yr by Subarule

As long as the boots are intact, the 30 year old ones are most likely still good.

Junkyards and parts cars saved from the crusher are the pretty much the only source for some parts. More and more things for these old soobies are NLA from the dealer.

I know the parts are hard to find but I'd rather do a lot of online searching for new or professionally rebuilt parts. So far I've been successful. I enjoy the hunt.

I know the parts are hard to find but I'd rather do a lot of online searching for new or professionally rebuilt parts. So far I've been successful. I enjoy the hunt.

  

As long as the boots are intact, the 30 year old ones are most likely still good.

Dave is right... subaru factory axles, as long as they have not been run without grease, are over-built and incredibly durable. My buddy had a set of factory axles on his Forester that he ran with ripped boots for several months (we don’t actually know when the boots ripped, but it had to be several months because there was no sign of grease.) When they finally started sqeaking, I took a peak inside to find that the entire inner part of each axle was filled with rust and road crap... and they STILL worked.

 

But OEM ones are getting scarce even in junkyards. For aftermarket, I use EMPI and usually get 5-6 years out of them... 7-8 if I spray the boots with silicone often.

I'll buy the best ones I can find. I need way more than 7-8 years out of them. The ones on the car now are 32 years old. The only thing wrong with them is that they're leaking a little bit of oil.

The ones on the car now are 32 years old. The only thing wrong with them is that they're leaking a little bit of oil.

Exactly... because they are factory. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you simply will not find an aftermarket axle that will last as long as OEM. I doubt even if you put synthetic rubber boots instead of neoprene you could get any set to last 20+ years. Best option is to re grease and reboot the factory ones. 

You said it yourself. The axles aren't broken. You need boots, grease, and clamps from the dealer. The BOOTS are leaking. The axles are not broken.

 

GD

here u go  for your car....  try these.  they are new and they will fit your car....   on Auto parts warehouse.    https://www.autopartswarehouse.com/shop_parts/axle_assembly/subaru/gl.html

  Scroll down to  "Subaru GL  A1 Cardone 60-7036  u will see they fit your car.

 

A1 CARDONE CONSTANT VELOCITY DRIVE AXLE, REMANUFACTURED

Regular
automotive maintenance is required for secure and comfortable travel.
Reduced level of ride comfort, terrible overall functionality, high… (see more)

• Brand SKU#: A1 Cardone 60-7008
• Location: Front Driver Or Passenger Side
• Condition: Remanufactured
• Product Fit: Direct Fit
• Quantity Sold: Sold Individually
• Anticipated Ship Out Time: 1-2 Business Days

See more

Fits the following Subaru GL Years

• 1985-1989 | Base | 4 Cyl 1.8L
• 1985-1989 | Turbo | 4 Cyl 1.8L

 

Customer Rating :

★★★★★ ★★★★★ (0)

 

Edited May 3, 20187 yr by Mack Truck

keep looking you will find them

Edited May 3, 20187 yr by Mack Truck

The original axles won’t ever fail. Just reboot them. Spend your time looking for OEM boots not axles.

 

It would quite literally be stupid to replace them for a boot issue. Might as well replace all the doors and trunk and hood to get new hinges and windows.

 

Aftermarket axles frequently have issues. “Researching” is futile because the way they label and “new” doesn’t mean donkey crack as the materials and manufacturing are lower grades than OEM which they are and you can’t prove otherwise based on marketing and low grade anecdotal reports. Also online opinions are largely anecdotal.

 

The problem is there are too many people confusing online information and think that the magic unicorn exists and they’ll be the special one to find it. Then they act like they do find it when they have one good experience which is statistically irrelevant, anecdotally ignorant and clouds the Internet with low grade opinions that describe nothing about the overall market.

 

There are like two or so providers of quality axles FWE in Colorado is one of them, but you won’t find them in stores.

All that to say your idea that your current axles need replaced and junk yard axles are junk and worse than aftermarket is way out of touch with reality.

 

I’ve seen lots of new aftermarket axles blow to pieces and fail and click and vibrate. It’s common. It happens if you lift and off-road but otherwise I’ve Never seen an OEM axle failure.

If they ain't clickin', they ain't broke!

Way back in the mid-80s, when I was driving 70s Subarus, there were NO aftermarket axles at all!

 

No one had heard of CV joints at that time, and therefore never bothered to check, or address torn boots.

 

The dealer wanted $300 per joint. I could't afford that, and I worked there!

 

I can remember being overjoyed, after going through 2 or 3 sets from the boneyard, to finally find some that didn't click.

 

Then they stayed good for the rest of the cars lives.

In my experience, third party axles are a crap shoot. I have had some start clicking within 3 months. My advice is to buy lifetime ones and get free replacements. 

 

Last time I checked for new OEM axles from Subaru, they were $500 each and not many left in the country.  I could not justify the cost so went third party which are all rebuilds I think.

Opinions noted & appreciated. 

My car is 32 years old. What are my chances of finding good axles in a junk yard that fit a car that old? If they're in a junk yard they are likely junk.

 

I guess I'm a Sube-snob - I would never put junkyard parts in my car.

You're not gonna have that car long then.

 

Parts are rapidly disappearing from new suppliers.

Actually, most cars end up junked because one thing broke, or maybe 2, and most people just go buy another one.

After reading all this ...  definitely buy aftermarket axles.    Please ship your old leaky, clickity, OEM axles to me in Oregon. 

  Good Grief ... reboot ... reboot ... reboot.    Don't forget the grease!

I was thinking similar. Send me the oem broken boot ones.

absolutely send those OEM axles to these guys, someone will gladly run them forever and avoid aftermarket new craptastic junk.