Engine mating up to trans, axle problems

[89Ru]

2007 Outback Wagon 2.5 with 5MT.  Engine going back in after head gasket job.  What I am having problems with is both front CV axles are somehow locking, they don't rotate freely.  Passenger side inner joint is all stretched out.  Driver side inner joint was at an awkward angle.  The inner joints don't have freedom to flex 360 like they should.  All wheels off the ground.  In neutral.  Parking brake off.   I tried to stretch the inner joint on an old axle all which ways to force it to fail but couldn't.  These are the new axles with the pin-less inner joints.  FSM says to lever them off the transmission.  PS axle is aftermarket for sure, maybe also DS.  Car is new to me this summer. 

Do these axles need replacing or can I just take them out and coax them back into shape? 

Some background:  Before the engine removal I disconnected the transmission mount crossmember and supported the front of the trans with a jack, figuring the extra degrees of freedom of movement with the unbolted supports would help lining things up going back in.  Both front axles left in place.  I left the exhaust hanging by the transmission bracket so now picture the front two cats mated to the passenger side straight pipe all loading the transmission toward that side.  

During the engine reinstall I tried various pitch and roll changes of the engine and trans to get the bellhousings to line up.  Somehow the trans got into an awkward roll to passenger side weirdness and wouldn't budge.  Pulled the engine back out.  The driver side axle's inner boot was bent at an ugly angle and stuck,  LF wheel would not turn more than 45 degrees.  I finally unbolted the center trans exhaust bracket and then was able to lift up the bellhousing and rock the DS axle into a normal position and free it to spin.  PS inner joint is still all stretched with the boot sucked in.  Sometimes the RF wheel won't turn. Engine is just minding its own business on the crane.  I'm doing all this manipulation standing in the engine bay. 

 

 

[89Ru]

[89Ru]

Driver side inner boot torn.  Has to come out.  How to loosen the axle nut with no engine?   I usually use brake power to hold the wheel.

Edited November 10, 2018 by 89Ru

[GeneralDisorder]

The newer style tripod joint axles don't have any retaining mechanism to hold the tripod into the cup of the inner joint. You have pulled the joint apart. You will have to probably disconnect the ball joint to get some play so you can manipulate it back into the joint. You will just have to play with it till it slips back in. 

As for the axle nut - you need an impact. Either electric/pneumatic or a 4lb drilling hammer and a 1/2 ratchet, etc. 

GD

[89Ru]

4 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said:

The newer style tripod joint axles don't have any retaining mechanism to hold the tripod into the cup of the inner joint. 

As for the axle nut - you need an impact. 

GD

Good to know nothing damaged except for boot.  I have a corded dewalt electric impact, can handle lug nuts and then some.  Maybe time to upgrade to the HF earthquake wrench. 

Old style OEM had green painted inner cover.  How can you tell OEM for later models?  I'd rather have it rebuilt then go aftermarket.  

Edited November 11, 2018 by 89Ru

[Mike104]

+1 on the HF Earthquake cordless impact, at least for us backyard DIY guys.  Not sure if it would hold up to everyday use, but for the few times I need it, saves me lots of effort.

[89Ru]

Well the old dewalt DW292 electric impact got the axle nuts off in less than 5 seconds.  Not rusted though.  Pulled the axle out.  Tried to manipulate the joint to get it back into shape but it wasn't happening.  

Took the inner boot off and looks like the tripod style triple-toroid bearing assembly doesn't automatically slip back into the grooves in the cup unless the toroids are at the outer extremes of the center ball.  Just like GD said, there is no keeper mechanism to prevent the bearing assembly from falling out of the cup.  Once it falls out, its probably not going back in unless you can fiddle the three donut shaped bearings back into the cup slots.  

Looks like OEM axle has a stamp in small type on the inner cup, "NTN"  grey coated metal.  Engine bolted up ok to trans a lot easier after the axles were taken out.  Lost a bunch of gear oil.  No axle stubs to keep it in like in the 90's.  Well I wanted to change the gear oil anyway...

[89Ru]

Rebooted the NTN driver's side inner boot.  Drawing shows a circlip for the inner cup but unless it got ground to bits it isn't there.  Tripod is mildly pitted.  I used a Doorman part with a Lisle 30950 band clamp tool.  Disassembled, wiggled the tripod bearings back into the cup, and reclamped the aftermarket inner side.  No problems since reinstalling.  

I know these will need replacing eventually so I'm in the market for salvage yard NTN's to rebuild.  Problem is that in Tennessee at least two salvage yards lists other model years as non-interchange.   One won't bother looking for or selling me anything but my model year.  Opposedforces.com lists 2003 and up as compatible.  

This is the list from the dealer website for front CV axle interchange.  Why do the salvage yards have a different (and much more restricted) list?   Going to shop at car-part.com.  I miss the yards in Maryland who let you bring tools and pull parts yourself.  

Subaru Legacy 2.5L 4AT 4WD Limited	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L 4AT 4WD Limited Wagon	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L 4AT 4WD Sedan	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L 5MT 4WD Limited	2005
Subaru Legacy 2.5L 5MT 4WD Limited Wagon	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L 5MT 4WD Sedan	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 5AT 4WD GT Limited Sedan	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 5AT 4WD GT Limited Wagon	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 5AT 4WD GT Wagon	2005, 2006, 2007
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 5MT 4WD GT Limited Sedan	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 5MT 4WD GT Limited Wagon	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 5MT 4WD GT Wagon	2005, 2006, 2007
Subaru Legacy 2.5L TURBO 6MT 4WD GT Limited Sedan	2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 3.0L 5AT 4WD Limited Sedan	2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Legacy 3.0L 5AT 4WD R Sedan	2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 2.5L 4AT Base	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 2.5L 4AT Limited	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 2.5L 5MT Base	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 2.5L 5MT Limited	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Subaru Outback 2.5L TURBO 5AT XT	2005, 2006, 2007
Subaru Outback 2.5L TURBO 5AT XT Limited	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 2.5L TURBO 5MT XT	2005, 2006, 2007
Subaru Outback 2.5L TURBO 5MT XT Limited	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 3.0L 5AT L.L.Bean	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Subaru Outback 3.0L 5AT Limited	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Subaru Outback 3.0L 5AT R	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

[GeneralDisorder]

Just get reman axles from Subaru. They are $198 each retail but you can probably get them for $125 or so online. There is a core on them though. 

GD

[idosubaru]

Theyre $15-$35 used all day long up here,  keep looking, some yard has a zillion of them.  

just tell the junk yards what year they want to hear to get your part. I do it all the time just for the reason you’re stating. 

Ill even ask if they can grab the inventory number off the car-part site and some inventory that way and can go grab it, some don’t.  

Or I just read the exact year and model I looked up on car-part that shows they have it and regurgitate it to them regardless of what I’m putting it in. 

Ita easy and I do it all the time without even thinking about it. 

[GeneralDisorder]

Or call your local dealer, get reman axles by VIN, and be done with it for 100k+. It's not *that* expensive amortized and given the labor savings not rebooting them.

GD

Edited December 1, 2018 by GeneralDisorder