Subaru l series front axles too big for bearing

[Raynman1989]

I got 2 new cv axles for my l series from repco and I'm having a seriously hard time getting them in. For a start they're both different i believe one is a new model and one and old and they both have flaws they make it impossible to install. One of them the shaft that goes through the hub is too big and won't go through at all and the other one the cv joint at the gearbox end falls apart everytime while trying to fit it. Any suggestions? Before I take them back and demand a refund 

[el_freddo]

Take them back and demand a refund. 

The bearings should be an interference fit fit and need quite a bit of persuasion to get them in. 

The inner CV falling apart doesn’t make sense why it’s happening. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[Raynman1989]

The one the "falls apart" slides in quite easily, as does the old one I pulled out. The amount of persuasion it would need would involve a large hammer. The one that "falls apart" it seems the joint simply pulls out of the housing but goes back in with the right amount of force and the biggest issue it is seems to want to push itself apart.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Raynman1989

[ferp420]

ive had to pull the boot and hammer them in before then reseal the boot not a big deal if you can get the shaft in far enuff to get the nut on it then you can pry the shaft in to place using the nut and a pry bar also try to align the axle and the bearings inside the hub you could be hitting one of the bearings from the inner race being slightly off

the one thats pulling apart has something wrong with it they forgot a clip somewere ether the shaft end or inside the joint it self so take it back

[Al Zhiemer]

I use a 19mm piece of pine with a hole drilled in it that the shaft will go through, once I can get the nut on, I slide the pine over the shaft so it is sitting on the hub. Put the nut on and proceed to do it up and pull the shaft through the bearings.

 

Cheers,

 

Al

[idosubaru]

1. Put good effort or offers out for a set of used OEM axles.

2. Keep returning aftermarket every time they break or have issues. What you described is what they usually do out of the box, in a month, or year - send you back to the store.  

How much your time is worth determines whether you pick option 1 or 2. If your time is worth little then plan ahead on returning to the store every once in a while and it’ll feel less annoying knowing it’s coming.

or keep a spare and/or tools in the trunk for break downs on the road. Replace or Disassemble the axle and be prepared to “lock the center diff” so you can drive home. Then at least you can’t get stranded if you need reliability.  I’ve seen countless bad and catastrophically failed aftermarket axles and I’m not a shop.

bad out of the box, explode less than a mile after install, a month later, leave people stranded....zero completely catastrophically failed OEM axles.  I wouldn’t feel any better than what you do right now when you get a “new” axle that does fit fine.

Statistically you’re probably in the majority and won’t have an issue. But the stats are pathetic, probably 30% or some putrid number like that which is intolerable for almost any purchase except axles -somehow people love to buy cheap $9?@@!&&& axles and go back to the store multiple times.

[Raynman1989]

7 hours ago, ferp420 said:

ive had to pull the boot and hammer them in before then reseal the boot not a big deal if you can get the shaft in far enuff to get the nut on it then you can pry the shaft in to place using the nut and a pry bar also try to align the axle and the bearings inside the hub you could be hitting one of the bearings from the inner race being slightly off

the one thats pulling apart has something wrong with it they forgot a clip somewere ether the shaft end or inside the joint it self so take it back

Prying the shaft through won't damage the bearings? Guess I'm returning the one that's pulling apart

[Raynman1989]

15 minutes ago, idosubaru said:

1. Put good effort or offers out for a set of used OEM axles.

2. Keep returning aftermarket every time they break or have issues. What you described is what they usually do out of the box, in a month, or year - send you back to the store.  

How much your time is worth determines whether you pick option 1 or 2. If your time is worth little then plan ahead on returning to the store every once in a while and it’ll feel less annoying knowing it’s coming.

or keep a spare and/or tools in the trunk for break downs on the road. Replace or Disassemble the axle and be prepared to “lock the center diff” so you can drive home. Then at least you can’t get stranded if you need reliability.  I’ve seen countless bad and catastrophically failed aftermarket axles and I’m not a shop.

bad out of the box, explode less than a mile after install, a month later, leave people stranded....zero completely catastrophically failed OEM axles.  I wouldn’t feel any better than what you do right now when you get a “new” axle that does fit fine.

Statistically you’re probably in the majority and won’t have an issue. But the stats are pathetic, probably 30% or some putrid number like that which is intolerable for almost any purchase except axles -somehow people love to buy cheap $9?@@!&&& axles and go back to the store multiple times.

The one I removed was actually oem but I wanted new shaft straight away so I just ordered new ones and figured I'd rebuild the oem one as a spare. I will keep an eye out for more oem ones but I'd say finding them or finding someone that even knows what oem ones are would be pretty slim where I'm from. Also axles would/should last me a while as I only drive the car a few times a month.

People buy cheap because

1. Its all they can afford

2. Availability. 

3. Not knowing what they're doing.

[idosubaru]

11 hours ago, Raynman1989 said:

Prying the shaft through won't damage the bearings? Guess I'm returning the one that's pulling apart

I’m not sure if he’s talking about new ones or old ones with dirt corrosion, rust, on the splines or mushroomed ends but I’d probably return it before shoe horning it in unless he specifically means new ones.  I’ve had them be hard to install from those issues I just mentioned but it’s always been due to less than perfect splines on old hubs or old axles.  I’ve never had new ones need special attention to install. If you’re not sure why I’d rather keep trying for a good new one. 

[idosubaru]

11 hours ago, Raynman1989 said:

The one I removed was actually oem .

Definitely keep that one.  It’ll be fine if you just clean, regrease and reboot it. OEM axles are excellent quality and durability. Every old or noisy OEM joint I’ve cleaned/regressed/rebooted has ran perfectly quite. 

if you’ve hard core off-roaded and beat the snot out of it on welded diffs then maybe the axle is trash..

[idosubaru]

11 hours ago, Raynman1989 said:

 

People buy cheap because

1. Its all they can afford

2. Availability. 

3. Not knowing what they're doing.

totally get it. I was also making the point that if buying any aftermarket axle, it’s helpful to know that what you’re describing is totally normal. Zero surprise. Makes it easier to decide to return them,  since that’s normal, rather than thinking it’s some oddity you need to work through. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by idosubaru

[Raynman1989]

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

Definitely keep that one.  It’ll be fine if you just clean, regrease and reboot it. OEM axles are excellent quality and durability. Every old or noisy OEM joint I’ve cleaned/regressed/rebooted has ran perfectly quite. 

if you’ve hard core off-roaded and beat the snot out of it on welded diffs then maybe the axle is trash..

Just a clean and a regrease + new boot? Even if it was clicking? I don't have locked diffs and while I've had the car it's spent most its life in the shed lol....who knows how it was treated before hand though

[Raynman1989]

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

totally get it. I was also making the point that if buying any aftermarket axle, it’s helpful to know that what you’re describing is totally normal. Zero surprise. Makes it easier to decide to return them,  since that’s normal, rather than thinking it’s some oddity you need to work through. 

Now I know to prepare to be disappointed if/when I buy any more aftermarket cvs haha

Edited April 12, 2020 by Raynman1989

[idosubaru]

5 hours ago, Raynman1989 said:

Just a clean and a regrease + new boot? Even if it was clicking? I don't have locked diffs and while I've had the car it's spent most its life in the shed lol....who knows how it was treated before hand though

yep - i've done a bunch of them. 100% success rate.  the OEM axles are beast.  the clicking is only from either the grease getting old or being lost.  cut the boot open and if the grease is all liquid-y, like water and pours everywhere then clean and regrease and you're golden.  - if the boot is already cracked or has leaked before then there simply isn't enough grease in it.  

i had two bust at 10,000 feet elk hunting in colorado running through trails and slogging mud all up in them and i could barely tow my trailer 2,000 miles home - i had to keep varying speeds and the rear view mirror was nearly useless it was vibrating so bad, and i tried packing grease into the open joints twice but it would sling out after 50 miles.  made it home, rebooted them, and those two axles are now running on a forum members old gen subaru here.  that was 10 years ago. wash, rinse, repeat. no big deal. 

either way - clean and repack and you're right back to where it was before the grease degraded and they're golden. 

the idea that CV axles are "bad" and have "failed" once clicking is heard or a boot is cracked doesn't hold true for subarus. 

there are viable reasons mechanics need one size fits all solutions and comments to the general un-mechanically inclined public like "it's clicking, the axle is bad, we replace them" - which the general public then translates to fact when it's not.

the general public is fine changing oil ever 3,000 or 5,000 miles - then tacitly excepts that axle grease should last a half a century and never need changed.  once you've seen a few and done it - it's really obvious the grease just needs changed like engine oil.  this is true of Subaru OEM axles. I'm not making this claim for any other manufacturer as I focus on Subaru's almost exclusively. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by idosubaru

[ferp420]

On 4/11/2020 at 4:14 PM, Raynman1989 said:

Prying the shaft through won't damage the bearings? Guess I'm returning the one that's pulling apart

if you have it in far enuff to get the nut on and pry on it than you wont be damaging anything just make sure.to line everything up first before beating or prying on anything they should be a tight fit and.some just plain dont fit so dont try to hard but alot of times they just need a light smack or 2 to get to the point that you can get the nut to thread on and pry on

[idosubaru]

3 hours ago, ferp420 said:

if you have it in far enuff to get the nut on and pry on it than you wont be damaging anything just make sure.to line everything up first before beating or prying on anything they should be a tight fit and.some just plain dont fit so dont try to hard but alot of times they just need a light smack or 2 to get to the point that you can get the nut to thread on and pry on

pretty common with used axles and dirty splines too, hard to get started sometimes.  i've even filed the corrosion out of the splines, but prying/smashing them in makes much more sense time-wise!

[ferp420]

On 4/14/2020 at 11:29 AM, idosubaru said:

pretty common with used axles and dirty splines too, hard to get started sometimes.  i've even filed the corrosion out of the splines, but prying/smashing them in makes much more sense time-wise!

i dont know if it makes more sence but when in the feild you dont always have a choice

[idosubaru]

8 hours ago, ferp420 said:

i dont know if it makes more sence but when in the feild you dont always have a choice

Yep, cleaning splines rarely gets all the scale out anyway, will be pushing through some of it so might as well save time and yank it through.