Numbchux

I'd like to go, but don't have transportation, I doubt there's any way to convince my parents to let me go...but I may be up to ride with you (if there's still room, my gf would like to come too), and I'd be more than happy to drive it back to MN for you, I'm very close to excelsior.

Just thought I'd follow up on my carnage, I think I figured out what happened. There were a number of things that contributed to it, first off, I found that my strut adjustments werent level, the side that broke both times was a bit higher than the other...oops...note to self... and another was driver error, I took a picture of the spot that killed my axle (I posted it earlier too) the rock in the foreground was nothing, but the one further down in the trail, even with the tree was what did it. I didn't think I could get between it and the tree (turned out I could, but by then my rear axle was dangling from the CV), so I tried to bump the rock with my right front tire to get over it. well, I didn't get it hard enough, and lost traction before I made it over, and rolled back. so the right rear tire was spinning forward, while I was coasting backward, and then it suddenly got traction again...that jarring force was most definately what killed it, and a similar thing happened on sunday. Anyway, now I'm very aware of what my weaknesses are, and will be more prepared in the future. It's good to know that if I get in over my (or my car's) head, my axle will fail before anything more serious. And also, that unless it's an exceptionally extreme situation (or a reman'd axle), with those axle angles, the DOJ will just fail, and not break.

yes, if the seal completely blew, it could. I'm not sure how to describe where the seal is, but since you've already got the front of the motor apart, just poke around and try to see where it's coming from. The oil pump is the sprocket directly under the cam...try turning it my hand, if it's seized, that would cause you to loose oil pressure, but all the oil would stay in the block, and it would probably also break your timing belt. I think you're looking for a main seal on that passenger side head. And...unless you REALLY know what you're doing, start arranging for alternate transportation.

I'm quite happy with my 27s, had to do some bashing/cutting, but not too much. Much more would be necessary for anything bigger. And my car cruises quite comfortably at 70-75 in 5th gear at 1/2 throttle. 80's kindof tough without standing on the gas, unless the wind's working for you. check the FAQ's for more info.

let's do it! Morgan? Arch? TCat? Austin? let's show 'em how subies are supposed to look like!

Dethawed?? very nice...I wish I could find a rust-free brat for 400!

awesome! I'm going to try to go next friday, we should get a bunch of us out there!

I think there is an aftermarket company or two in australia with wheels for older subies. though I don't know anything for sure.

well, I'm in Alexandria today, and will probably be heading virtually straight to Duluth...but sometime...we'll do something

OK...tell him I got his message, but have been out of town with the exception of half of yesterday, ever since...it's good to hear from him, and I should be in town next week, at which point I'll call him!

yep, the camera only takes 30 second clips of decent quality, so he ran out of time....but he made it. and yes, that clip was all with a broken rear axle, I broke it at attempt #1 of the first rock in the video, and then as soon as I lost my momentum on that last hill, I was done. had to get dragged up it....

let me direct you to my signature...and no, I doubt there's anything cheaper than I got these, they came off my uncle's astrovan before his company sold it. I payed to have them mounted. and they do awesome in virtually every condition I've had them in, save probably my buddies swamp, which just caked up the tread on another buddies real live super swampers!

the mud hole: Carnage: The rock that did it : Morgan in the rock gorge : this is after my 2nd broken rear axle...I had to get towed up this hill...

Here's the pics, videos to come! at camp: lining up for the day: on the trail: my wheels are painted flat black! Look at the water line...and my missing lug couple scenic shots:

yep...had mine adjusted all the way up all weekend. but I'm < 6' tall so I don't have trouble with the roof.

Yea, it was awesome, the whole event raised more than 20 grand!!! about the axles...my '85 has dual DOJ rear axles, and my '88 has outer CV's...didn't know they'd be different, that's why I went with a 'new' napa one for the right car, instead of one off the parts car.

yep, here's a pic of it all the way down, a few days before we left, I put on the adjustable fronts (couldn't get the rears off the parts car), and adjusted them up a bit less than an inch, and then adjusted the blocks in the back to match. see at the bottom of the block, there's a nut welded to it, and that joint actually unscrews out of the lift, I only had mine out about 1/2-3/4 inch (turns out to be a bit more on the side that broke...). I'll be putting them back down before I do anything else like that! I don't know...really...not for me, but it would look pretty cool now wouldn't it?

one OR the other...period The AA rear lift is 4 inch strut extensions in the back, with and adjustment that allows for up to another inch (don't do it if you're hardcore at all!), and ONE inch blocks under JUST the rear diff carrier mounts, which brings the stubs on the diff down just less than an inch. The front has 3 inch blocks under the crossmember, leaving the front joints at very close to stock angles, but the rear end has big angles. If you're going to lift it a couple inches, go with just accord springs, and adjustable front struts, you should get a healthy couple inches out of that combo. problem being that the accord springs are quite a bit stiffer, which hurts your suspension travel severly. If you're gonna be doing some real offroading, get an AA lift, and leave it adjusted down all the way, and cut your fenders to fit ~27" tires. and carry an extra rear axle....or 2. He says he's put ___ miles on his test vehicle with no problems, but he must not hit stuff as gnarly as we did, cuz I, literally, blew up a rear DOJ, and dismantaled another. of course, if you intend to drive it solely on the road, then, by all means, put both, and take advantage of a possible 7-8" of lift.

He does...does he???

Check the skidplate in the second picture!! I want it...not just the skidplate.....btw

nope....2!! well, sort of, the second one (morgan's spare....btw, thanks, I owe you one!) within an hour or so on sunday, came apart, nothing broke, but the cage and ball bearings all fell out into the boot. but I put it back together back at camp, wish I would've thought of it while we were on the trail... Anyway, yea, Shady wanted his comparison....he got it. Both lifts showed their strengths and weaknesses, unfortunately, Morgan just got a couple nasty gouges in his mustach bar, and I was forced to return to camp...Morgan successfully navigated a rock gorge that I didn't even try (didn't want to bash up the 3-week old wagon) and I still blew up an axle on a much easier part of the trail. and it BLEW up, inner DOJ exploded, about an inch of the cage and a big chunk out of the cup, along with the balls landed several feet behind the car! heard the noise, noticed my extreme inability to do anything after it, so I got out and looked, and the axle was hanging out by the outer joint. And sunday's experience was similar, went through a pretty gnarly section, but not too bad, shouldn't have had any trouble, got up the first hill, and just at the top, heard the 'horrible clunk' but looked and everything seemed to be intact. Got through a bunch more of the obstacle (downhill.....) and found that I couldn't climb the next hill. and sure enough, my spotter tells me that my back wheels aren't turning. so I got towed out, jacked up the front end, put it in 4lo, and in gear and watched the cup spin, and not the axle.... AND we were there for such a short time, we didn't even use my camcorder, but got some video with my digi. but we had a blast! a couple of the jeep guys had a hard time seeing these station wagons go places their jeeps were going, and not have any trouble. if we had lower gearing, and wider tires, we would've been serious competition! I'm still not home, so I don't have a way to get the pics/vid off of my camera, but tomorrow I should be able to. so check back in the afternoon!

you'd think so wouldn't you? in all reality, they were very much a last resort!

Got it! a torch and an air chisel....it didn't stand a chance.

You think it's possible to take that 'stub' off with the axle attached? I looked in my haynes and chilton's manuals, and found that there's a piece screwed into the suspension arm that holds the bearings in there, I fear that this will get in the way of the bearings and such on the stub, and keep it from coming out. I will try drilling some more, and then try pulling the stub out of the parts car. and if I don't have any luck with that, I'll ready it for the drive to duluth, and maybe we can figure it out there. enchained: we're heading up to the offroad park tomorrow, so I'll be in duluth for a while. that FSM might come in handy. I'll be in touch.

so...I've had a broken rear axle for some time now, but have had some (read: alot) trouble getting the pins out, finally I broke down and bought an actual punch. before we were using a screwdriver that had been cut off (worked great, right size and everything) but I suspect that the plastic handle was soaking up some of the force. anyway, got a punch, punded out both pins in the parts car, and one on my car (inner). then I start on the outer, the last one, of course. I feels like it's going in (always bad...'feels'), but I reached around and found that it wasn't coming out the other side. well, I'll pound just a bit more, and we'll see, the punch broke off in the hole. :banghead:, but it was a pretty clean break, so I tried it on the other side, just to see if it would budge at all, and the same thing happened on the other side! :dead:. NOW WHAT!!!! can that piece of the axle (I don't know what it's called, the piece in the suspension arm/hub) out without taking off the axle? I need to have that axle in tomorrow! it'll be my first official offroad event in the new wagon, and it'll be ruined if I don't have 4WD!!! HELP! oh yea, and thanks!!