Front half-shaft removal - AWD

[DPDISXR4Ti]

This has probably been covered, but I didn't find anything useful after doing a search. I'm looking to remove the half-shafts from the '85 Brat so that I can pull the engine. What's the easiest way to do this? I'm guessing they have pins like the rears, yes? If I just knock the inner pins out is there enough play to get the shafts out and yank the motor?

 

Thanks....

[calebz]

1) You don't have to pull the axles to pull the motor

2) Theres an excellent tutorial by EdRach on this very subject. Search for it .. Or I will see if I can find it, it might be in the USRM

3) What did you do to make your brat AWD?.. RX trans.. maybe EJ? Unless modofied, Brats are 4WD

[DPDISXR4Ti]

I should have pointed out that I wanted to pull the motor and tranny as one unit, hence the desire to knock the axles out.

 

Okay, I've clearly been exposed now as not really being a Subbie-dude. I tend to use AWD and 4WD interchangeably; I know it's not right, but I guess I've never bother to understand the difference. Wanna splain 2 me???

 

1) You don't have to pull the axles to pull the motor

2) Theres an excellent tutorial by EdRach on this very subject. Search for it .. Or I will see if I can find it, it might be in the USRM

3) What did you do to make your brat AWD?.. RX trans.. maybe EJ? Unless modofied, Brats are 4WD

[WJM]

4WD is engaged manually by user.

Full Time 4WD is constantly in a 4WD mode, but in order for it to be true 4WD, the center diff must be locked...manually by user ofcourse.

All Wheel Drive delivers power to all 4 wheels all the time via Viscous coupling center diff. Some have LSD rear, or Viscous LSD rear. STi's have a type of front LSD...no other SUBARU models here came with any sort of LSD front.

 

The autos are pretty much the same way...4WD=engage manually. FT4WD=clutchpack in center controlling rear power. AWD=almost same as FT4WD, but better system.

[edrach]

1) Theres an excellent tutorial by EdRach on this very subject. Search for it .. Or I will see if I can find it, it might be in the USRM

I went looking for the article also; it's not in the USRM....and I haven't been able to find it using the Search function. If someone runs across it, maybe it could be posted in the USRM for future use. This topic keeps coming up. Sorry, I should have kept a copy for myself so I could just copy and paste.

[CIS Subaru]

To answer the original question, yes you can just knock the pins out. There is not enough play to take the axles off the tranny at first, but once the engine and tranny are free of their mounts (as you start to lift) you should be able to shift the tranny far enough sideways to get one axle off then shift it the other way to get the other axle off. The axles will be a little bit in your way as you pull the motor/tranny out, but this method does allow you to leave the front wheels on the car during the surgery. Just remember to get the axles back onto the tranny (and aligned properly for getting the pins back in) before you get everything all the way back in place when you re-install or you'll be back to not having enough play.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Thanks Noah, that's what I needed to know.

 

To answer the original question, yes you can just knock the pins out. There is not enough play to take the axles off the tranny at first, but once the engine and tranny are free of their mounts (as you start to lift) you should be able to shift the tranny far enough sideways to get one axle off then shift it the other way to get the other axle off. The axles will be a little bit in your way as you pull the motor/tranny out, but this method does allow you to leave the front wheels on the car during the surgery. Just remember to get the axles back onto the tranny (and aligned properly for getting the pins back in) before you get everything all the way back in place when you re-install or you'll be back to not having enough play.

[singletrack]

I went looking for the article also; it's not in the USRM....If someone runs across it, maybe it could be posted in the USRM for future use. This topic keeps coming up. Sorry, I should have kept a copy for myself so I could just copy and paste.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2576

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19884

 

These threads really helped me. Thanks edrach.

[moosens]

I also use a big rump roast "Johnson bar" to move the tranny just enough to get the axles off when not lifting the engine/tranny.There's enough play in there without killing your mounts to flex and pry it off.But like Noah said,if you're lifting it'll pop off anyhow.I like to have them off before I lift more than a couple of inches just because they can be pushed aside sooner.Personal preference.I hate getting caught up while in the middle of all that excitement.

[torxxx]

The axles can be put back in with the engine and tranny both bolted down and the mounts tight. It takes two people and one person has to pry the tranny to the side with a cheater bar. I did that this weekend on a 84 wagon. Put the engine/tranny in together, bolted her down and then installed the axles to the tranny.