17 minutes ago, idosubaru said:

did you try to check for play in the front diff when you pulled the axles?
drain the oil and look for metal
pull the axles and see what the stubby shafts look like. 

i think i'm struggling to understand the symptoms.  some people blow up small things to sound big and some are pretty even and some have a big issue but don't describe it well.

part of your description makes me think brakes/suspension. 

another part makes me think diff. 

I know, it is hard describe what's going on how I am experiencing it, and putting it in a way that y'all will understand. I had les Schwab do my front axles, but I want to pull them off and inspect the splines. See how much they move. I grabbed the inner axle and shock it, and they we're sloppy. So I might get a better idea once I pull the axles and inspect that. Does the diff and trany share the same oil, or do they have separate oils? 

Edited November 30, 20187 yr by ClassySoob

37 minutes ago, DaveT said:

If you turn those, you have to re set the ring and pinion gear mesh...

 

I don't plan to unmesh any of the gears. Just pull of those nuts and see if I can pull the bearings from there without tearing down the trany. Looking at the diagram leads me to believe that it might be possible. Unless it's not, I'm not that experienced with transmissions. Most I've done with them is change the fluid, filter and stuff like that. 

Edited November 30, 20187 yr by ClassySoob

10 minutes ago, ClassySoob said:

IDoes the diff and trany share the same oil, or do they have separate oils? 

MT's share gear oil.  AT's have separate front diff gear oil and ATF. 

8 minutes ago, ClassySoob said:

I don't plan to unmesh any of the gears. Just pull of those nuts and see if I can pull the bearings from there without tearing down the trany. Looking at the diagram leads me to believe that it might be possible. Unless it's not, I'm not that experienced with transmissions. Most I've done with them is change the fluid, filter and stuff like that. 

I can't imagine that is possible to replace the bearings externally, but I dont' know EA81's.  someone here will definitely know or get an FSM and see what it says.

 

Those spanner nuts are the adjustment of the preload on the bearings.  

Theoretically you could unscrew one to look.  But you must mark it, and carefully count the turns.   And if you don't get it back exactly, the mesh adjustment will be off.  That would be bad for the life of the gears and or bearings.  The fsm has the details of what to do when assembling the diff into the housing.  It does not sound like fun.

8 hours ago, DaveT said:

Those spanner nuts are the adjustment of the preload on the bearings.  

Theoretically you could unscrew one to look.  But you must mark it, and carefully count the turns.   And if you don't get it back exactly, the mesh adjustment will be off.  That would be bad for the life of the gears and or bearings.  The fsm has the details of what to do when assembling the diff into the housing.  It does not sound like fun.

So would I be better of installing another trany(if that's the issue)? A scrap yard near me has a 5speed manual single range 4wd from an 89 for $250. Would it be possible to swap my dual range onto it? 

Edited December 1, 20187 yr by ClassySoob

13 hours ago, ClassySoob said:

So would I be better of installing another trany(if that's the issue)? A scrap yard near me has a 5speed manual single range 4wd from an 89 for $250. Would it be possible to swap my dual range onto it? 

No. Doesn't work that way. The low range isn't a separate part you can swap. It's actually done at the front of the input shaft before any of the 5 speed gearing. The single range case is not machined for the low range components. 

You either rebuild the trans you have (very involved - will require some special and/or custom tools including a press, and may not be possible without parts transmissions due to poor availability of many components through Subaru), or you find a replacement dual range.

GD

On 12/1/2018 at 12:55 PM, GeneralDisorder said:

No. Doesn't work that way. The low range isn't a separate part you can swap. It's actually done at the front of the input shaft before any of the 5 speed gearing. The single range case is not machined for the low range components. 

You either rebuild the trans you have (very involved - will require some special and/or custom tools including a press, and may not be possible without parts transmissions due to poor availability of many components through Subaru), or you find a replacement dual range.

GD

Could I still swap the single range into the car ? It seems to be the only trans I can find for it near me. 

 

Yes but you will need more than the trans. There is a whole vacuum/electrical control system for the 4WD push button system. 

GD

7 hours ago, ClassySoob said:

Could I still swap the single range into the car ? It seems to be the only trans I can find for it near me. 

 

What GD said. It’ll bolt up and run fine. But the 4WD is controlled via vacuum lines and electrical components. 

It’s simply one lever on the passenger side of the trans. Push it one way for 4WD and back the other way to disengage. It’s a beefy light switch. You could conceivably attach a metal rod to it and extend it up into the engine bay or try to get it into the cabin to get a car usable.  I’ve done it for “parts” cars before that I want to keep semi drivable. I wouldn’t want to do it for a daily driver.