stumpy Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 I have a 91 Legacy L AWD Wagon. It's been making noise for over 7K miles in the front end. Figured when it got bad enough I would have no problem finding the culprit! I got turned on to this forum and have been doing lots of research, lots of good information here. The boot has been split on the passenger side axle since I aquired it and with winter getting close I don't want to get stranded (Rear drive doesn't engage for some reason) in the cold and/or wet. Got the axle out with no problem but the stub came out with it (Like 2.5"). I managed to get it back in after turning it many times trying out different teeth and ended up tapping it lightly with hammer. The STUB coming out like this doesn't seem normal to me. Any input would be appreciated. Don't want to put it back together if there is other problems that need addressed to make to proper and reliable. Thanks for your help, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 OPPS, there should have been a question some place in the original post, my bag. What holds the axle stub in? Does it just pull out off the transaxle? I read the Haynes manual before the first post and it was of no help. Tried to find help in other posting but that didn't help either. New at using this type of reference and it may just be my lack of search abilities. Looked at my parts car (Axle donor) after the post and the stubs DON'T JUST PULL OUT. Decided to just put it back together as I need to use it tomorrow. Can't remember the persons name who stated that you could interchange axles between AWD and FWD but he was correct. (Donor car a 5sd FWD and receipiant an Auto AWD) No more noise form the front end and as long as the stub stays in place I'm good to go for now. Thanks for your patience and time, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 the tranny stubs do pull out, but typically take quite alot of force to get out. i've always thought it was weird how they just pull out, but they do and i've never heard of someone having a problem with it in the 10 years i've been on internet subaru boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Yes they just pull out after you remove the spring pin. The rears on the other hand can be a real bear. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 Thanks for the input nipper and grossgary. Will be less stressfull knowing that the stub isn't going to cause any problems and I can move on to the next few issues with the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Yes they just pull out after you remove the spring pin. The rears on the other hand can be a real bear. nipper I think that nipper was referring to removing the axleshafts from the trannies stub axles,rather than stub axles coming out of the tranny. My understanding is that there is a spring-ring around the end of the stub axles, at least on the 4EAT/Legacy trannies, and to remove/replace the stub axle enough force has to be applied to compress the spring-ring into its groove in the stub axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 so he wants to rebuild the cv joint or replace the boot? I would recomend just replacing the axle. Once the boot is splt, and its not caught ASAP the joint is contimanted with dirt and will slowly start to eat itself up. There is aloot of work to replace the boot, and its depressing to do it then a month later have the joint start to click. If you need to replace the boot and not be able to replace the axle right now, I find the split boot kits work well. nippper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Nipper, unless I have read this completely wrong (could be... ), one of the splined output shafts from the tranny that the axles shafts (with DOJ and CV joints) slide on and are pinned to has pulled out of the tranny case several inches. As in, if he had pulled it another inch or two then the stub axle would come completely out of the tranny and he could look into the tranny as gear oil dripped out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 ah ok i think....:-\ nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 Northwest is right on the money. The splined output shaft pulled out far enough that I could turn it with out turning any of the internal gears. After I tapped it back into place it doesn't just pull out now. As nipper suggested I did replace the axle but with a used one out of my parts car. The old one had a split boot when I aquired it over 8.5K miles ago and had been knocking after the 1stK. As I only paid $200 for the car in the first place and have used only parts of an existing parts car I can't complain about giving it a little attention. Going to give it a good test drive and go to Portland an 80 mile round trip for me. That should be enough to let me know if all is well. Thanks, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Sounds as if the axel stub had pulled out a bit already somehow. Hmmm, did any oil escape when the axel stub came loose? If not check your front diff oil NOW. Actually I recomend that you change it, before any more damage is done. At the least is is likely low. At worst, perhaps contaminated. Your diff oil dipstick is on the oposite side of the tranny as the tranny fluid (passenger side versus the drivers side for the tranny fluid). Also keep an eye on that side for any leaking that may happen due to the seals being damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted October 19, 2005 Author Share Posted October 19, 2005 Sounds as if the axel stub had pulled out a bit already somehow. Hmmm, did any oil escape when the axel stub came loose? If not check your front diff oil NOW. Actually I recomend that you change it, before any more damage is done. At the least is is likely low. At worst, perhaps contaminated. Your diff oil dipstick is on the oposite side of the tranny as the tranny fluid (passenger side versus the drivers side for the tranny fluid). Also keep an eye on that side for any leaking that may happen due to the seals being damaged. Thanks for the pointer Gnuman, hadn't thought about the oil level for some reason. Apparently I pulled the stub out when I took it apart as the oil level was fine and I took the hub end apart before taking out the pin in the stub. This is the second axle I have done so I'm no expert. Next time I will undo the pin first and see how that works for me. The front end is still knocking and the drivers side axle is needing replaced also I believe. The boot on the knuckle is blown on that side. At least I have a good spare for that side as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Next time I will undo the pin first and see how that works for me. My bet is on "Much better". . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 My bet is on "Much better". . . Got around to doing the drivers side axle today. Went much smoother than the pasenger side did. Took it for a 7 mile test drive with NO cluncks at all this time. Off to other problems now. Thanks All Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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