"whoomp whoomp whoomp" up front.

[TeamCF]

So I had some problems up front.

I thought it was a bad axle that I over extended when the strut mount broke.

Replaced that.

 

I still have a "whoomp whoomp whoomp" up front from the pass side.

 

Only really does it under acceleration. Not really once cruising.

 

Everything else is good, new axles, new bearings. Eveything is tight.

 

Could it be the front diff?

 

If so I need to come up with a new tranny cheap. :-\

[nipper]

Tires.

 

Rotate the tires and see if it moves.

[idosubaru]

i like nippers idea of starting with tires. i'll add you can visually inspect for missing wheel weights, dented rims, or mud caked up underneath. but best to just rotate to the back and see if it moves.

 

does it seem like it's from one side - that would indicate something non-trans related. trans would seem more central.

 

wheel bearings?

strut?

[TeamCF]

If I take it out on the freeway it does not do it.

Only under semi-hard to hard acceleration. (and at slow speeds like 5-10 mph)

I'll try swapping tires but I really don't think that's it.

They are clean and all weights seem accounted for.

 

Wheel bearings are new.

Struts are not the best but also not bouncy at all in the front (rear shocks on the other hand....).

 

Trans output shafts are wiggly.

 

But it does seem to be from one side.

And that side has all bolts properly torqued.

New bearings, seals and axle put in today.

[nipper]

You didnt forget the retaining sping pin for the axle? You really arent supposed to reuse those, and they are directional in how they get installed. I would look at that too.

 

 

nipper

[[HTi]Johnson]

Front U Joints on the driveshaft?

[TeamCF]

Rotated tires.

Same.

Driveshaft is good, I recently had checked that out when I was under there. Only really does it in 2WD.

Took it for a high speed run again. No problem, nice and smooth cruising.

Slow down and climb a hill in 2WD, problem starts.

Seeming like I feel it more centraly at this point. Hard to tell exactly. Kinda feels like the whole front end is gonna shake itself off. :-\

 

With how this thing has been lately.

I'm thinking of just selling it off.

Let someone else deal with it.

 

It's fun.

But doesn't have low enough gears anyway for the type of wheeling I like.

Need a crawler.

[idosubaru]

did it do this before and after installing new axles?

has it always done it, just started and has it always been the same or gradually getting worse?

 

what brand axles did you use?

 

new wheel bearings - how bad did those get before replacing? could the old ones have damaged the hubs?

 

have you drained the diff fluid to check it for parts?

[TeamCF]

did it do this before and after installing new axles?

has it always done it, just started and has it always been the same or gradually getting worse?

 

what brand axles did you use?

 

new wheel bearings - how bad did those get before replacing? could the old ones have damaged the hubs?

 

have you drained the diff fluid to check it for parts?

 

I had new axles in it. I replaced the one known to be ruined yesterday.

(I broke the strut top on the pass side wheeling one morning but continued to wheel it anyway til about 6 pm that day. And destoryed the DOJ cup on that axle cause it was the only thing limiting droop. I was trying to keep up with more crawler like rigs.)

Eveything was fine it just all of a sudden started on the way home friday night from a quick night wheeling trip. There was nothing gradual about it.

 

EMPI axles. New, not rebuilt.

 

The old bearings were fine, just did them cause I had the axles out anyway.

 

Have not drained fluid yet. Gotta pull the exhaust for it on my car due to the pipe being right over the plug. Always have problems with getting the Y-pipe to seal at the heads. (Mine is wierd, the gaskets from the dealer do not fit)

So it becomes a whole nother headache.

 

=============

Well I just got the other axle out cause it seemed not quite right.

The DOJ is sloppy like a 4-40 bolt in a 3/8 nut.

So 2 months out of the passenger side, and 6 months out of the drivers side..... Seems EMPI axles are not that great. But I have a warranty so another one is going in cause free and now is a good price. (I suck at ordering things like MWE's, I'm too impatient, in stock in town now is how I shop)

So I should see another 6 months out of them. As the pass side got overly abused.

Off to Discount Import.

[baccaruda]

You might have

stuck in your fenderwell. Just a thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*good luck with the axle. If you don't want to drop the Y-pipe, check the fluid levels and notice if the gear oil smells burnt.

[TeamCF]

You might have

stuck in your fenderwell. Just a thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*good luck with the axle. If you don't want to drop the Y-pipe, check the fluid levels and notice if the gear oil smells burnt.

 

 

hehe.

 

Good thought on the gear oil.

Seem to still have a wobbly diff stub.

Gonna throw another new axle at it for now though and see if it cures it.

If the tranny is sloppy it may be eating the axles. But I know the pass side one went so quick due to other reasons.

So I'll have six months or so to figure out a long term cure for it all.

Then get on the hunt for a 5 speed, or something.

[idosubaru]

if the diff stub is loose i'd look at that some more. can you jack up the front and make sure both sides spin properly...spin one side and the other spins the opposite way kind of thing? or see if one side diff stub has too much play (significantly more than the other)?

[Gloyale]

Took it for a high speed run again. No problem, nice and smooth cruising.

Slow down and climb a hill in 2WD, problem starts.

Seeming like I feel it more centraly at this point. Hard to tell exactly. Kinda feels like the whole front end is gonna shake itself off. :-\

 

 

Classic inner joint issue.

 

Yeah, EMPI axles suck. I just get JY axles and reboot them, way cheaper and they last just as long as you keep a well greased boot on them.

[TeamCF]

Yeah I just don't feel like dealing with removing possibly well frozen in axles at the JY. I'd thought of that though.

 

Well that was a wasted 2 hours in the car going to Discount and back.

I kinda just figured an auto parts store was open on sunday, at least for a few hours.

 

Proly just going to order one from Amazon.

 

I wonder if i can take one of my old axles and put the EMPI outer end on it. (as in will the splines on the EMPI CV innards fit the shaft on the old ones.

The DOJ's on my old ones are perfect (well as perfect as it can be).

 

hhmmmm........

[TeamCF]

Well the EMPI grenaded inside, broken needle bearings everywhere. (it's the three roller bearing style DOJ)

 

Can't put one of my old DOJ's on because the EMPI axle is built so much bigger.

 

Amazon is out of GCK axles. And the GCK website is gone. So I'm not holding my breath for that.

 

So I have no axle to put in it and I need it off the jackstands.

Soon or I'll just be calling the wrecking yard to come drag it up on a flatbed.

(kind of fed up with it at this point, but a quick and easy axle will give it a second chance)

 

So other than rebuilding JY axles, which I hate doing cause I have no good way to clean out old grease other than a roll of paper towel. (just went through one today)

 

Where around Portland can a decent new axle be had? (other than another EMPI at Discount)

 

Napa? (I hear bad things but who knows)

Thrifty?

Dealer? (Proly can't afford it though)

 

......?

[nipper]

If its 4wd, just put it in 4wd with the one front axle out of it, it will move on its own.

 

nipper

[TeamCF]

If its 4wd, just put it in 4wd with the one front axle out of it, it will move on its own.

 

nipper

 

Well that really does not solve my problem.

I want to go wheel it. Or at least go wheel something.

And I know I'll break it if I try to turn it on the cement in 4WD, welded diff and I STILL can't get the axle out in the back.

 

Past couple months this thing has really turned into a headache I don't need right now.

Just wanted the needed relaxation of some rolling around in the woods and I get this hassel.

I know unless I pay out the *** for an axle I'm just going to end up doing this over and over to often.

 

Think I'll just call U-pull it tomarrow and have them come get it. :-\

At least I'll save $40 a month on insurance costs.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

I do appreciate it, just bad time for this thing to crap out on me, and I've lost interest in it.

On to a beefier wheeler project I guess.

[Gloyale]

Well the EMPI grenaded inside, broken needle bearings everywhere. (it's the three roller bearing style DOJ)

 

Ughh..... That's why they are junk.

 

 

So other than rebuilding JY axles, which I hate doing cause I have no good way to clean out old grease other than a roll of paper towel. (just went through one today)

 

 

Last time I checked, you can buy new axle boots and a whole lot of paper towels for half the cost of even cheap-o axles, let alone the dealership.

[TeamCF]

Ughh..... That's why they are junk.

 

 

 

 

Last time I checked, you can buy new axle boots and a whole lot of paper towels for half the cost of even cheap-o axles, let alone the dealership.

 

Last time I bought a set of boots that actualy fit right, it almost cost me as much as a new axle. (about $50 for the inner and outer boots all together, I believe it was at Shucks)

 

I've been through the rebuilding of axles, don't like it. I'm short on cash, but I'll pay a little extra for new ones. Just fed up with putting junk on the car only to have it blow up in 5,000 miles. (the longest lasting EMPI I've had)

 

I need to know where people are getting parts for so cheap.

 

(case in point: GD has said he was getting EMPI axles for under $50... I paid $79 each for mine at Discount Import)

[idosubaru]

i was actually going to say this a long time ago but avoided it since you seemed confident the axles were good (new) - don't install anything but MWE or Subaru axles.

 

your best bet is to buy MWE or get a genuine Subaru axle that's in known good shape and put new boots on it. that is the way to go.

 

aftermarket axles suck - period. don't waste your time. i've had them grenade too....in a matter of weeks with just whimpy daily driving duties. never again. search all the threads on here, over and over again after market axles are failing.

 

i'll never install any new axles unless it's MWE. my time isn't worth it.

[TeamCF]

i was actually going to say this a long time ago but avoided it since you seemed confident the axles were good (new) - don't install anything but MWE or Subaru axles.

 

your best bet is to buy MWE or get a genuine Subaru axle that's in known good shape and put new boots on it. that is the way to go.

 

aftermarket axles suck - period. don't waste your time. i've had them grenade too....in a matter of weeks with just whimpy daily driving duties. never again. search all the threads on here, over and over again after market axles are failing.

 

i'll never install any new axles unless it's MWE. my time isn't worth it.

 

Yeah I figured they should still be good..... Boy was I wrong!

 

So MWE or genuine.

Looks like there will be some other calls made tomarrow other than U-pull it.

[idosubaru]

i'll beat the dead horse - try and do a search for axles. not sure if they'll come up since there's tons of various axle questions, but failed new axles are common. the only repeatable solution is Subaru or MWE. the failures are widespread and variable. instant failure (been there done that), or 3 months, one year, blowing apart, clicking on the first rotation, vibrations right out of the box, seaping grease...you name it, it's all on here. i'm surprised companies aren't doing something about it, but i guess there's no recourse or demand for quality or something is jacked up in the process. i suppose it's cheaper to replace broke ones than upgrade the rebuild process.

 

granted there are *some* good axles out there...i don't know what the stats are but it's something like 75% chance of getting a good new axle verses 99% (MWE or Subaru)- that's why you'll see some people say "oh i got such and such brand and it's fine". that's crap for me, my time is not worth it particularly considering MWE is reasonable and Subaru axles are available if you can find them.

 

i am lazy and not wanting to learn this, so i don't do CV's either. i'd take the shop and boots to a machine shop before doing that work myself. so far i haven't had to though - it's either been MWE or good used Subaru units. probably a good bet for someone doing what you're doing offroad and stuff.

[TeamCF]

Yeah I've done tons of searches as well.

Always come up with too much varied info.

But the MWE and factory ones do come out on top if they are even mentioned.

 

 

I'll have to look into them.

Proly actually end up just paying more for Subaru ones as I don't think I'll find MWE's around town. (seems more like a mail order thing, and I'm too impatient for that, I only order stuff as a last resort)

 

Maybe a quick stroll in the JY to at least see if I score gold.

I can just see that turning into a BFH slam fest (if there are even any EA81's back in), and still walk out with no axle though. We'll see.

[idosubaru]

MWE is mail order. Might be worth a call - he could have them setting on the shelf ready to ship. one or two day air might be cheaper than Subaru!?

 

For me it's not worth my time to shop for parts, it's actually easier to have it shipped to my house. It's home waiting for me. No gas, no stopping in, no picking up, no traffic, no waiting in line. I love it and my time is worth too much to waste time like that. But of course everyone's situation and modis operandi is different.

 

Online Subaru has them for $102 but i don't know if all brats are EA81 or some are EA82? The cv joints were $140 for one side and $120 for the other.

A rear brat axle was $900+ each! I doubt if subaru is selling new axles any more though - wonder where they get their remanneds? hopefully they have better spec's than everywhere else.

[subaruguru]

hey if you do decide to get rid of the old beast pm or call me i will give you 100 bucks for it and come get it . my cel 509 929 1101