Mr.Atlantis Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) Re-packed and booted my orignal Front CV axles last month due to both Trans side boots ripping. I went with the Re-pack option because I was weary of inferior parts from over-seas. They just started clicking last week. So bascically I wasted my time and now I'm going to need to purchase something. Any "tried-and-true" suggestions on some budget axels? On Rock Auto's website I can get some A1Cardone's anywhere between 60-80/ea., Napa gets around 135 (after core)...Yadda yadda, feedback time. Thanks in advance. Edited July 28, 2014 by Mr.Atlantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Strange because I don't think the inner joints click when failing, only the outer joints. Any chance you screwed up the reinstall? Cone washer installed wrong/ditto for washer/insufficient nut torque? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 I can double check nuts, but I should probably mention that when I slipped the axel side cover off to remove old grease - the 3 bearings fell on the table and I completely lost the original positions. I installed them correctly, but bearings may have switched or flipped. Damn thing was too greasy to hold let alone keep track of bearings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) Honestly though, the axels are bad. They need to be replaced. Any good suggestions that have been tried and don't break in the first year? Edited July 28, 2014 by Mr.Atlantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornleyjacob Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I just bought EMPI/Empire axles for by '84 Brat - they are really nice so far. www.rockauto.com seems to have them for your 2008 (if I looked it up right) for ~$60.00 and no core cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) I just bought EMPI/Empire axles for by '84 Brat - they are really nice so far. www.rockauto.com seems to have them for your 2008 (if I looked it up right) for ~$60.00 and no core cost. Yep, that sounds about right for my Outback. Thanks for the feedback. Edited July 28, 2014 by Mr.Atlantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 typically the inner OEm cv joints never fail.. they rip all the time but we reboot them. The EMPI axles are good stuff but they recently swithched name/manufacture to empire and Im not sure if they are the same quality. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 typically the inner OEm cv joints never fail... ... but I should probably mention that when I slipped the axel side cover off to remove old grease - the 3 bearings fell on the table and I completely lost the original positions. I installed them correctly, but bearings may have switched or flipped. Damn thing was too greasy to hold let alone keep track of bearings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 I'll give it a few more miles and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) I've heard good things about the axles from Car Quest. World PAC is the name I believe. I've bought one, haven't installed yet been waiting for my failing one to start clicking after I rebooted. They do have a life time Warranty too. Edited July 30, 2014 by Dinky26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) get some real soob units from car-part.com and rebuild them. Raxles.com just some more ideas. Edited August 1, 2014 by ShawnW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbolt1003 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I went with an EMPI shaft from RockAuto for our one Forester (3) years ago and it's still going strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 I've heard good things about the axles from Car Quest. World PAC is the name I believe. I've bought one, haven't installed yet been waiting for my failing one to start clicking after I rebooted. They do have a life time Warranty too. Car Quest and NAPA get same parts right? Either-way, I've received better reviews from those two and the opposite from Advanced and Autozone. get some real soob units from car-part.com and rebuild them. Raxles.com FWE in Colorado (was MWE - Shawn has them ; http://retroroo.com/subaru-axles-denvercolorado/ ) just some more ideas. I'll look into this, but I fear the frustration involved with rebuilding again.. I went with an EMPI shaft from RockAuto for our one Forester (3) years ago and it's still going strong. Tried and true, exactly what I like to hear! Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Strange because I don't think the inner joints click when failing, only the outer joints. Any chance you screwed up the reinstall? Cone washer installed wrong/ditto for washer/insufficient nut torque? I got to thinking... When I replaced the axles, I also installed new Oil Seals and O-Rings. I counted the turns when I removed the retainers and was sure to re-install them the same. As to not allow the beveled bearings to fall out I replaced one at a time by turning trans on to side allowing gravity to keep all gears and bearings in place. Would noise come from my case if this 'lash' adjustment wasn't performed absolutely, dead nuts perfect? I mean, even if I knew the exact gap between retainer and bearing surface - how could one even get an accurate measurement? It's a sealed enclosure once installed Could I give each side an extra 1/8 of a turn tighter in hopes of fixing the chatter? Or would that introduce a whole world of messy stuff? Edited July 30, 2014 by Mr.Atlantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 the first EMPI I installed was fine, the second one vibrates. ymmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl B. Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 You could try swapping them side to side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 You could try swapping them side to side. I may do that, but I also kept one of my old axles. I may get enthusiastic and rebuild that one to swap back in. EMPI was sold/bought BETWEEN my purchases and, evidently, there have been more problems now than previously. They may be called Empire now ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Could I give each side an extra 1/8 of a turn tighter in hopes of fixing the chatter? Or would that introduce a whole world of messy stuff? No. 1/8th of a turn is 45 degrees which would be 5 or 6 notches......WAAAAY too much Really you shouldn't mess with it at all......if you installed them back to the proper marks......that's were it should be. Bearing preload is only part of it. The cup position also sets the R+P engangement....so messing with it messes with the teeth of that gear which could wreck the R+P And bearing preload doesn't have any effect on CV axles.....if they are clicking after a regrease/boot...... they are just old...time for new ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forester2002s Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) 1/8th turn = 22.5 deg. EDIT: My bad! I used to be good at mental arithmetic. Not any more apparently... Edited July 31, 2014 by forester2002s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) what? 8 x 45 = 360 Edited July 31, 2014 by 1 Lucky Texan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 No. 1/8th of a turn is 45 degrees which would be 5 or 6 notches......WAAAAY too much Really you shouldn't mess with it at all......if you installed them back to the proper marks......that's were it should be. Bearing preload is only part of it. The cup position also sets the R+P engangement....so messing with it messes with the teeth of that gear which could wreck the R+P And bearing preload doesn't have any effect on CV axles.....if they are clicking after a regrease/boot...... they are just old...time for new ones. Ok, I'll leave them alone. I'll just replace the axles soon. What do you mean when you say "R+P engagment"? Not sure I know the meaning of this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Ring and pinion gears/front differential. The "lash", how they engage, has to be just about dead on or failure is very likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Ring and pinion gears/front differential. The "lash", how they engage, has to be just about dead on or failure is very likely. I never took the gears out of the case, I just unscrewed the caps to get the oil seals and o-rings out. However, the gears inside were in my opinion free-floating in the case when I took the caps off. As in, I could have easily removed them, or turned them and whatnot. When I first started to unscrew the driver's side, I had the transmission sitting in it's 'as installed position', and I noticed a beveled gear trying to follow the cap out as I unscrewed it. I quickly turned the case on its side to allow gravity to hold it in there. I was refering to the axel cups and bearing orientation earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Atlantis Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Below is a lil sketch I threw together explaining that I may not have replaced the cap, and bearings exactly where they came from, but did install correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Over the years I have rebooted probably 20 axles. Never was concerned with the placement of the bearings and in my case, never made a difference. Edited July 31, 2014 by john in KY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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