Hello. I just bought an 88 wagon for my daughter. It's in nice shape other than a CV problem. I also bought the book, "How To Keep Your Subaru Alive" by Larry Owens.

 

I'm going to tear into the CV's today, but I have a question that I don't find the answer to in the book. The CV's clearly need some grease, at least. On the driver's side the front CV doesn't turn the wheel. I can grab the DOJ and turn it and it will turn through the transaxle and the right side (DOJ & wheel) turns, but the left wheel doesn't turn. The car will barely move in FWD, but drives in 4WD. Clunks like hell on any turn. Is the CV just disconnected? Or is this a bigger problem than I hoped...?

 

Also, the power windows don't work. I'm guessing a relay, but if you have any tips, please don't hesitate.

excellent details and pics on repackings cv's here:

http://www.xt6.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5460

 

sounds like you got a busted joint. might be a clip or something, but i'd start sourcing another axle and be prepared. others have mentioned situations like this, but i can't recall details. the information is on this board if you'd like to search for it.

 

good luck. axle removal is fairly straight forward, though i replace instead of rebuild. you should'nt have any problems.

I agree with Gary. I'd replace that one.

excellent details and pics on repackings cv's here:

http://www.xt6.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5460

 

sounds like you got a busted joint. might be a clip or something, but i'd start sourcing another axle and be prepared. others have mentioned situations like this, but i can't recall details. the information is on this board if you'd like to search for it.

 

good luck. axle removal is fairly straight forward, though i replace instead of rebuild. you should'nt have any problems.

 

Thanks for the link. I'll try a search on "CV Joints"...

Pull the hub off as it might be the axle nut was not tight enough and chewed the splines out of the hub. Pretty common - almost as much as bad CV joints.

 

GD

I believe "How To Keep Your Subaru Alive" recommends taking the hub off the vehicle to have the axle pressed out. Don't believe it, it should just come out with a few whacks of a hammer. Lots of good posts on this forum describing a much easier process than the book shows.

 

When turning the wonky DOJ, does the shaft turn, but not the hub? If so, then the hub is pretty likely shot, as GD suggests. If the axle doesn't turn, then it is probably the axle. They are cheap enough.

replace your axle... it can be done in a weekend (or 45 minutes if you're one of the pros on this board)... you can pick up a new remanufactured one for like $65 at a parts place...

 

there's an article here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=49959

 

that covers most of the basics... you don't need any professional tools, just a lot of patience and determination...

 

...

 

I've found that the most common cause of my power window problems are dirty switches...

 

do any of the windows work from any of the switches? if so then check the other switch... taking apart the power window switches is pretty easy, and you can just scrape off the carbon build-up inside them... be sure not to lose the little brass rollers in the switches...

 

--Spiffy

Pull the hub off as it might be the axle nut was not tight enough and chewed the splines out of the hub. Pretty common - almost as much as bad CV joints.

 

GD

 

Thanks, I'll check that first.

I believe "How To Keep Your Subaru Alive" recommends taking the hub off the vehicle to have the axle pressed out. Don't believe it, it should just come out with a few whacks of a hammer. Lots of good posts on this forum describing a much easier process than the book shows.

 

When turning the wonky DOJ, does the shaft turn, but not the hub? If so, then the hub is pretty likely shot, as GD suggests. If the axle doesn't turn, then it is probably the axle. They are cheap enough.

 

The shaft turns, but not the hub -- if by hub you mean the wheel hub. Everything from right wheel to left shaft turns when I turn the DOJ, but the left wheel doesn't. I can turn either the right or left DOJ and the results are the same. Also, if I turn the left wheel, nothing else turns.

 

Thanks for the tip on removing the axle. I am planning on trying to knock it out myself.

 

A friend of mine tells me I'll need a pickle fork. I don't see any instructions in the book for using it. I am familiar with using one to remove a ball joint. ???

replace your axle... it can be done in a weekend (or 45 minutes if you're one of the pros on this board)... you can pick up a new remanufactured one for like $65 at a parts place...

 

there's an article here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=49959

 

that covers most of the basics... you don't need any professional tools, just a lot of patience and determination...

 

...

 

I've found that the most common cause of my power window problems are dirty switches...

 

do any of the windows work from any of the switches? if so then check the other switch... taking apart the power window switches is pretty easy, and you can just scrape off the carbon build-up inside them... be sure not to lose the little brass rollers in the switches...

 

--Spiffy

 

Thanks for the link. I will be reading it and looking for more info in the next hour.

 

None of the windows work from any switch. Other than the fuse box below the dash, is there another fusable link to look for? Is there a relay that may be bad? The book isn't too good on the electricl. (It's not nearly as good as Muir's old VW book, which I used for years on my old bus).

 

This forum is great. Thanks to everyone for your help. I'll report back and offer whatever help I can. I'm hoping we'll keep this buggy for my daughter for a while yet.

Spiffy, I followed the procedure outlined on your link, and it worked well. I had to loosen the upper bolts on the struts to the max to get enough wiggle room to get the DOJ off the stub axle after taking the pivot bolt out of the lower arm. I got remanned axle subassemblies for $69 at Action Auto Parts.

 

GeneralDisorder was right about the splines being stripped out of the wheel hub. The rotor also needed turning (although the shoes looked good). I'm waiting on delivery of a new (remanned) hub and rotor.

 

On the other side the bearings in the hub have the rust colored slime that indicates that water got behind the seal. Any ideas on an easy way to clean it out without having to remove the bearings would be welcome.

 

Still haven't tried to tackle the non-functioning power windows yet. The power door locks work well. The heater/air fan only works on the 3 setting.

 

BTW, another book I found that is well written is the Chilton's book for Subaru's. A lot of Chilton's books are lousy, but this one has a lot of exploded schematics and drawings. Good text too. I checked it out at the library. I mostly used it to identify parts. Ed's instructions turned out to be the best thing to follow, with schematics in hand for reference (I'm only a some time mechanic).

 

Next is trying to find an easy way to repack the CV's and front wheel bearings on the '92 Grand Caravan. Replaced the inner roller on the rear wheel bearings (left the clean races in) between doing the Subaru. Also got to figure out why my '95 Volvo 850 Turbo is losing tranny fluid. When it rains, it pours.

>GeneralDisorder

 

Don't know how to "flag" people on this forum. Hope you see the post above.

 

Thanks again.