92 legacy u-joint question

[bertmann73]

IS THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT U-JOINT REMOVABLE.

IF SO DOES ANYONE HAVE A PART LISTING?

[Razorthirty]

There are no u-joints in the front end of a legacy. The front wheels are driven by two CV Shafts (one per wheel) that come directly out of the front of the Transmission/differential housing (you can see them if you look down the back of the engine bay on either side)

 

There IS a u-joint on the rear 2-piece drive shaft, i am unsure as to weather or not it is removable. I think that it is removable just the same as most are.

 

As for part numbers, i cant help you there.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Razorthirty

[mikaleda]

Subarus ujoints are peened in and non serviceable. That being said there are repkacment ujoints that can be had, I believe at Rockforddrivleine.com IIRC. The old joints need to be cut out and the cups need to be pressed out. Not an easy job, would be much easier to find a low milage used driveshaft from the junkyard.

[idosubaru]

front axles - CV axles -don't have ujoints.

 

if it's the rear driveshaft:

used driveshaft  www.car-part.com

 

or yes you can replace them with rockford and there's another cheaper brand too.  alternately a driveline shop or even an automotive machine shop can install them for you.

order the ujoints and hand them the shaft and ujoints to install.

Edited January 6, 2016 by grossgary

[bertmann73]

thanks for the replies. I ended up finding out the hard way.

and yes...big difference between a cv axle and a drive shaft

I pulled the drive shaft from the 94 that day in the rain and on the gravel only to find a non serviceable drive-shaft. its not in the best of condition and wish i could grease it......but better than the one on the 92 which was metal to metal. 

I took it to a drive line shop and they would not touch it.

Has anyone attempted to drill and install zerk fittings?

I dont know if the u joints have hollow centers. i have the old drive-shaft.. maybe ill use it as a guinea pig to see if i can grease it.

[scar13]

you can find replacement u-joints at the ujointstore.com but as earlier mentioned they were not designed to be replaced as the caps are staked into the yoke. you have to carefully use a dremel to grind the stakes down then disassembly is as normal drive shaft. vise and hammer. the replacements come with snap rings to hold them in from inside the yoke but I found I had to grind slightly on the yoke to get them fully seated. and the inside of the yoke is stepped to increase clearance to pivot. so the c-clips have to be installed so that they are holding on the thich part of the yoke. the joints cost me 20 bucks each. but if you are not very mechanically inclined just get a used unit. I only did it because ive been a wrench for over thirty years and when told "no you can't " , decided "i think I can". I could have gotten a used shaft cheaper at the pull it yourself yard.

[bertmann73]

Thanks. Thats what i needed to hear. i now have a vision of how to do it.

for 20 bucks each i will grind and do it myself.

cheapest shaft i could find is 425 new.

i will not spend money on a used drive shaft unless it is serviceable.

i will not pay that much for a new shaft on an old car

got work to do

Thanks very much.

[bertmann73]

went to site but wanted they wanted 13 for shipping.

did e-bay search and found them for 22.

ordered one for now to replace front. if all goes well i will order the other 2.

Thanks again

[bertmann73]

Thanks to all who replied. I just finished the front u-joint. it went in exactly as described. thanks for the detailed description.

i took the grinder and delicately cut the joint out. i then popped all the caps out with a 16mm socket which i found went through snugly snapping the stakes off as it wnt through.

i then scored the socket with the grinder making a perfect honing tool to grind them smooth using the socket adaptor on my drill.

as i removed the joint i noticed that they are in fact hollow and caps can be drilled to install zerk fittings

I will be adding a zerk fitting to the middle joint as it seems to still be in good shape

 

if anyone wants to attempt this i would advise that it be done from the bottom and with plenty of wd40 or honing oil to avoid any shards getting in the joint.

use a center punch on the selected cap and the right size bit for the zerk fitting( dont know yet the size) then use a threading  tap with lots of oil so the shards run down and away.

these shafts are costly so this is a good low cost mod to the shaft to avoid the bearings drying out.

[Crazyeights]

Good work, thanks for the update

[subnz]

Thats a stupid idea with them not being easily  rebuildable.

 

Rebuilt ones on Brumby / Brat. (easily rebuildable)  popped the circlips tapped out  cups with right sized socket in vice  etc

 

tap in new cups making sure circlip recesses  exposed to refit circlips etc.  easy peasy

Edited January 19, 2016 by subnz