1987 Subaru GL 4WD coupe (flickin AWESOME snow car)
Car is normally front wheel drive, but can go into 4hi or 4lo with a separate transfer case. Manual 5-spd transmission.
Left (Driver’s side) CV axle boot torn and messy, and popping. No sweat, replace it. I’ve done this operation on half a dozen different cars with satisfactory results, but never on a Subaru so maybe I found a way to botch it. Anahoo. Swapped old part for new part. Test drive I noticed a hard pull to the RIGHT for about a block or so, which I put down as ‘needs alignment’ since I had to disconnect a good bit of suspension. The “pop” then no go. Had to put it into 4WD to get the car home. The pull to the right was gone.
Upon inspection, the new axle had broken at the outside joint, the axle from that point inward spins.
So, either I got a bad part or I found a way to screw up this job. Any ideas? Why would it pull to the right if the left axle was under enough stress to snap the joint?
Are the front axles identical? Probably not.
Could you have put in a Right axle by mistake?
No idea. I installed the part the parts guy gave me. I had pondered this possibility, actually. Despite being primarily a front wheel drive, the engine is not transverse so theoretically it’s possible the shafts could be the same or very nearly the same. There wasn’t an obvious fitment issue.
Unlikely. They tend to be of different lengths.
So either the alignment was totally hosed or it’s a defective part.
The pull to the RIGHT bit… hear me out… the left CV was bad, i.e. would not turn freely, thus the front diff got all confused and xfered the power to the right. Eventually snapping the bad (new) axle.
Stopped by the parts store on the way home and picked up a replacement replacement, swapped it out (2 hours, thankyouverymuch) and no problems. Going to blame the part this time and not the tool. Quickie: I think you’re probably on the right track with the car feeling something wrong and adjusting. Can’t make it work in my head, but even with a good animation I can’t understand the motion of a differential gear so…
Parts people agreed to refund me for the busted new axle so all is groovy. Even got the garage and bathroom cleaned up before the missus got home so Just winning all over the place.
You owe yourself a beer and nachos. I’m about to do driver side wheel bearings next week on my Subie. It should be interesting…
Boy, you ain’t kidding. Armed with a shovel, I used to purposely try to get mine stuck in big snow drifts, just to see if it was possible. Eventually I concluded that it wasn’t.
I’d sure like to have that car back, but it finally rusted down to shrapnel.
Wheel bearings are easy–yank the hubs and drop them off at a shop. I’m good but my monkey hands ain’t packing no bearings, man.
Flagon: We got lucky. This buggy lived most of its life in Arizona. Got a boatload of micro dents that make it look like a golf ball, but only one rust spot–a broken scab over the right quarter panel about 18 inches long. Biggest problem is finding parts. Took me 3 weeks to locate a new clutch plate and I can’t find a master cylinder anywhere–just keep the brake fluid topped off.