Front axle compatibility Gen I / Gen II?

[porcupine73]

Are the AWD axles for the front compatible for say a '96 n/a Legacy and an '00 Outback? The only difference I could see by looking at them side by side was that the '00 Outback axle has a tone ring, which I think I read could simply be driven off if not needed.

 

I didn't count the splines but they looked the same. Appeared to be the same length.

 

I put a reman axle in my '96 Legacy and now it's making this [thread=127722]metal on metal rubbing sound now[/thread]. I have an unused reman axle for an '00 Outback. If i can drive the tone ring off and run it in the '96 that would tell me whether it is the axle making this noise or not.

[GeneralDisorder]

They are probably similar enough to work if you remove the tone-ring.

 

Gen 1/2 axles are the same. You are asking about 2/3 axle compatibility. That I'm not sure of..... but I don't see why they would be any different.

 

GD

[johnceggleston]

yes, 00 - 03 (at least) will fit in the 95 - 99 cars if you knock off the tone ring.

 

i assume 04 will as well but i don't know.

[porcupine73]

Oh sorry I might have my generations mixed up. So I will have a possible axle I can try it sounds like if I knock the tone ring off if I can't figure out what is causing that metal on metal vibrating/grinding sound I got after replacing the first one. I thought about putting the old axle back in as a test but if that makes it go away I really don't want to have to R&R the thing a third time.