Axle evaluation

[monk50]

I have a 2005 llbean outback 3.0 and seeking experience, evaluations of the heavy duty axles.

 

"Theimportexperts" have standard axles and heavy duty axles.  

 

Has anyone used these axles?

 

Are the heavy duty axles worth the price over the standard and compared to the OEM?

 

Do the heavy duty axles boots last longer?

 

Are they better than OEM?

 

Your experience is appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

Monk in NC

[Rooster2]

I am unaware of standard vs heavy duty axles. I assume you are talking about half shafts. OEM is known to be a good half shaft, others, who knows??

[idosubaru]

The best Subaru axle approach:

 

1.  Reboot your original axles with Subaru boots - they last the life of the vehicle, even people with lifted Subaru's. (is yours lifted and seeing severe offroad or racing use?)

2.  If axles must be replaced - buy used Subaru OEM axles (green inner cups) and reboot them with Subaru boots

3.  FWE axles out of Colorado

 

Those that have have done untold Subaru axles for decades know 3 nearly 100% solutions with no better alternatives available.

 

That being said - those import expert axles look like every other company supplying aftermarket axles. I would expect typical aftermarket axle experience. Those boots do not look good from the pictures - compare them to a new Subaru outer CV boot and you'll see the Subaru boots have more convolutions, and those styles last a very long time while the older style (from the 90's) with fewer convolutions (like on these import expert axles) are not as robust.

 

If you're needing some exceptional performance beyond this here is what I'd recommend:

1. Reuse your axles or get used Subaru OEM axles. Or FWE out of Denver.

2.  Reboot them with high grade, offroad company boots that are severe duty.

 

No one does that though since there's no need with the 3 options I outlined above, so you'll have to research and find those companies, get part numbers, sizes, etc.  But it's easy enough to do if you're bent on some "higher grade" components.

[monk50]

Thanks Elite Master,

 

Reason I am looking is the original began clicking so looking for solutions.

From what you said, sounds as if best to purchase a used half axle and reboot.  

 

Are the half axles for the 3.0  2005 same as the 4 cylinder subaru's.

 

Monk

[monk50]

Has anyone tried the aforementioned axles from "theimportexperts".  I understand that accepted wisdom is to always go OEM; ......but having said that I am still

interested in what experience there is out in Subaru land with these axles?

 

Curious.....any experience?

 

Monk

[idosubaru]

for 00-04 models the H6 and H4 axles are interchangeable/identical.  i'd imagine the same is true for 05 as well.  an ebay or opposed forces or other axle look up would likely delineate that.

 

tried google yet on those axles? a google search would provide broader feedback across many subaru forums and more.  i would start there.  striking out says something too.

 

5 replies, which i doubt you'll get, would be statistically insignificant, anecdotal, and pale next to decades of experience and countless axle threads/discussions/problem/manufacturers regarding the best approach to %100 repeatable solutions.

 

"accepted wisdom" - i did only mean axles, lest one thinks I'm a "Dealer only" kind of person!  i'm not!  people well versed in Subaru (or any manufacturer) know when to use Subaru and when not too. 

 

solutions already exist which have been tried, tested, verified, are easy, and even reasonably priced.  parts with orders of magnitude less sample size and little to no historical record are of little use practically speaking.  i get it, you want to believe the marketing bent, you hope this is a good repair, you want to make a good decision. at the same time, it's an automotively infantile question and looking for a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.  a lot of people do this - come on a board with some outlier solution in their head...which may or may not work (i do this too on non-Subaru forums - surely a psychologist has studied this somewhere?! lol). 

 

if you want to order something "new" or from a company - order from FWE in Denver, you'd get the best product available, excellent service, and be supporting a great guy who has been doing this one thing for 30 years - rebuilding Subaru axles.