Axle fitment

[CoupedUpSubie]

Well I normally go to www.opposedforces.com but it seems as though it is down at the moment. While replacing the front axle on my car I found that 1994 and older used different number of splines for the inboard end.

1994 and older has 23 splines

1995 and newer has 25 splines (includes 1994 and older automatic axles)

What is odd is that I have a 95 with 23 splines but nobody shows this on their catalog for parts. Anyone have a guess?

 

[Meyagi]

ive never run into this, every axle ive interchanged from 1990 up into the 2000's has been the same. legacy/foz/impreza

 

[IBratmanI]

I have only dealt with that with the older Loyale turbos. Maybe it's because it's a 2WD?

 

[Chris]

I didn't think EJs did the different FWD axle thing like the older gens did. I've never read anything about that... But by now, opposedforces is probably back up and you can check.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Well opposedforces is semi-working. Due to visiting so many times I was able to directly link to the page about my car. It seems as though it is because it is FWD. There is no questions about AWD or FWD when looking the axle up either. Must just be one of those wierd things.

Oh, Chris. How the hell do you change one of these out in a parking lot? To get the axle nut off I had a 4 foot pipe on the 3/4" ratchet. Maybe the PO didn't use a torque wrench and put it to the 137 ft-lbs it should be.

 

[Chris]

Well opposedforces is semi-working. Due to visiting so many times I was able to directly link to the page about my car. It seems as though it is because it is FWD. There is no questions about AWD or FWD when looking the axle up either. Must just be one of those wierd things.

Oh, Chris. How the hell do you change one of these out in a parking lot? To get the axle nut off I had a 4 foot pipe on the 3/4" ratchet. Maybe the PO didn't use a torque wrench and put it to the 137 ft-lbs it should be.

I have a 2' breaker bar that I can jump on. You really shouldn't treat a 3/8" (I assume you don't mean 3/4"....) wrench like that, you'll strip it out and destroy it. Ask me how I know.

The other trick I've had to use in a pinch, and this works with lug nuts as well... Put the breaker bar on and drive either forwards or backwards (depending on the side) with the breaker bar against the ground. Ok that's dangerous and a bad idea, but hell, in a pinch it gets the job done.

I'm really good at doing things in a very dangerous, but extremely effective manner...

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

No typo. I have a 3/4" drive ratchet, well my father has one. He bought it for his 6-yard dump truck.

 

[Chris]

No typo. I have a 3/4" drive ratchet, well my father has one. He bought it for his 6-yard dump truck.

Damn, well, I doubt you could hurt that working on a car!! That's a beast!

Also, remember I've had my front axles out more than once in the past, so they weren't super duper stuck. But for ones that were, either jumping (and I mean standing up on the hood and jumping [did I mention I'm a nut]) on the breaker bar, or bracing it against the ground and driving gets them loose.

See, for me working in a parking lot isn't really anything out of the ordinary for work space. I actually found it somewhat luxurious because I'm used to working on dirt or gravel where everything with grease gets all dirty, I get all dirty, loose tools, nuts, bolts, etc. Not to mention I could go into the grocery store and get their sink covered in grease and not really care.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Axle number 3.... Bound on one end

 

[Chris]

What do you mean bound on one end?

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Could barely be moved. Nothing like the first one I got. Also the roll pin was junked up. They have another one coming from Ohio.

 

[Chris]

Which end? The DOJ?

Sometimes they'll be a bit tight and if you put them through their range of movement they free right up.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

CV end... Neither my father or the guy behind the counter were impressed with it.

 

[IBratmanI]

All the ones I have bought have been like that. They are nice and tight when they are new/rebuilt.

 

[Chris]

^^

Yep, as I said. Work it around a bit and it'll free up. Especially being so cold. Their store room might be cold and it was just a bit tight.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Tight is one thing but clunking from one position to another is not. Once in a position it would stay.

 

[jaKe]

Most new axle joints (outers) are extremely stiff, especially if were rebuilt joint. Sometimes will click slightly until grease worked in and driven. (even brand new vw axles at 700 a pop)

 

[IBratmanI]

Yeah I'm pretty sure the axle was fine. I have installed more axles than I can even count, and most have them have been like that.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

The last axle they got for me was what I was expecting. It was stiff but not binding stiff. The stiff axle was deemed stiff by 2 other people also(both have worked on vehicles for years). Still have the noise I had before but no where near as loud.