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Outback H6 Driveshaft difference


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Help! Any info greatly appreciated. I need a driveshaft for a 2001 H6 wagon and can't find any locally at a wrecker. I can get as many from 2.5 auto ob's as I want. Is it physically a fit length wise and at the two ends? I'm not concerned if it's just the tube size that's different.

Please let me know what you think! Thanks.

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Thanks for the quick reply. That I had understood when I started my search. What I have been trying to confirm is if anyone has actually looked at each side by side. I'm quite sure the yoke ends will be the same. What I can't get any info on is if the length and carrier bearing position will be the same on a 2.5 auto. If the length is the same I will go for it. Tube size or a "heavy duty" bearing aren't a concern. I don't tow with it. Thanks again!

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bearing location and diff side flange end is the same.

 

makes sense - this model was available with the EJ25 which would have EJ25 stuff and carrier bearing mount and the rear diff's are interchangeable so the flange ends should be the same. i just happened to remove a rear drive shaft from a 2003 H6 Outback on Monday and can visually confirm those things. i just looked up H4 driveshafts on ebay and it looks identical to those - but that of course still isn't very helpful but at least it doesn't negate your suspicsions either.

 

now - as to length and trans fitting i'm not sure, though my *guess*, like yours is that there is a chance. not sure how to confirm?

 

if yours is bad - can you remove it and take it to a junk yard with you to verify?

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Ok, first thanks alot everyone for the few bits of info gathered so far. I got under my car yesterday and took a measurement of the front portion of the driveshaft. From the centre of a bolt holding the carrier bearing to to the forward end of the u-joint ear thats welded to the shaft (not including the yoke in the tranny) I have 21 15/16", nearly 22".

Could anyone with a 4 cyl auto Ob measure theirs to see if it's the same? This would nearly 100% confirm that a 4 cyl shaft would fit, just a different part number due to being a "heavy duty" bigger tube and possibly bearing :). Thanks alot and I hope this works. Vacation starts this Saturday.

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  • 2 years later...

I just confirmed today that a H6 driveshaft is shorter from the tranny to the hanger, than a H4. 2.5 driveshaft won't fit on a 3.0. Bummer.

 

Both on Automatic cars????

 

Doesn't make sense.

 

The trans are the same length.  I know....I used a Forrester trans case for an H6 Outback a few years ago.  Chassis is the same too.

 

I can't see how they could be different lengths.

 

Possibly speced with different joints and such in the middle....but should be the same length end to end.  Swap both sectiions......I think the H6 has a CV type middle anyhow so you can't seperate the halves.

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Drive Shaft Repair Option, just had a fellow here in Colorado Springs with vibration and here was his solution.

 
It turns out that it was the 1st u-joint coming out of the transmission. It was super sloppy and quickly self destructing. When I took the driveshaft off I noticed that the front u-joint had been repaired before. I ended up taking the driveshaft to a place called driveline south of downtown. They machined all three yolks to allow removable c-clips (the OEM driveshafts from Subaru are "non-repairable") and I had them replace all three u-joints with greasable ones and balance it. No more clunk and its running fine.
 
Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.
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The H6 was a 2002 Auto and the H4 was a 2001 Auto. Both were Outbacks. The H6 driveshaft was 2" shorter then the H4. The trannys are the same length so the H6 tranny position must be 2" farther back overall. I have an H6 tranny and a H4 tranny on the floor in my shop and they are the same. Had shafts on the floor side by side and the H6 shaft was shorter.
 
My apologies guys, I got so many cars I just remembered the H4 shaft was off a 2001 standard. Maybe that's why it was different from the H6. I will have to compare a standard and auto shaft. I assumed they were the same.

Edited by soobyhobby
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My apologies guys, I got so many cars I just remembered the H4 shaft was off a 2001 standard. Maybe that's why it was different from the H6. I will have to compare a standard and auto shaft. I assumed they were the same.

 

that's why.

 

All with automatics use the same length driveline.

 

Come to think of it , when I pulled the H6 tranny awhile ago , the tranny mounting bracket was shaped like a boomerang. That would place the tranny farther back vs the 4cyl but still use the same body mounting holes.

 

No.....they mount in the same place....you can't move the trans back....it would put the front inner axle cups out of line with the wheels.

 

Different shape to bracket is for the H6 dual exhaust vs. H4

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The H6 I pulled the engine from was hit very hard in the front and the engine was pushed back about 10". the driveshaft was bent and the trans bellhousing was shattered. Hit pretty hard. That may explain boomerang mount lol.

 

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Edited by soobyhobby
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