05 LGT rear u-joint replacement

Hey Guys,

The rear u-joint on my Rocketbaru has a bit of play in it. The dealer wants $997.00 for a replacement non-servicable drive shaft.
1 - Does anyone know the engineer who designed this drive shaft? I'd like to punch him in his stupid head. jk
2 - Have any of you had any success servicing these u-joints?

Thanks much,

TC

Propeller shaft assembly, 27111AG04A

That's one of the shafts for a 05 sedan. Trying to find for a wagon. The built date is important.

http://opposedforces.com/parts/legac...opeller_shaft/

that may be for the 05 wagon 5mt.

I'll try and find a price.


http://www.trademotion.com/parts/200...iagram=F731045

$560.91

You may have better luck talking to a driveshaft shop ask around the local auto parts stores, somebody will know who to send you to. Maybe a body shop that does a lot of restorations.

Good Luck.

May be a junk yard

Link to my ^mt swap thread. If you going to spend that much for a new OEM drive shaft. Check these guys out. For $650, they will build you a 100% rebuildable drive shaft.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost....0&postcount=87


Mike

Thanks gents,

After contacting 8 driveline shops around me I found one who can rebuild the shaft to my satisfaction and so is serviceable in future.
I'll post up some pics and advise for future reference once it's done.

Cheers,
TC

Great see if they'd like you to put there name and info in a sticky here.

I am heading down the same rabbit trail but a different subbie model. I am amazed because I thought Subbies didn't have any engineering nightmares but apparently they do. The U joint replacement is one of them. Sometimes I think engineers are just mean people! Who and why would the ever, ever design such a thing!

Originally Posted by Trail_Head

Hey Guys,

The rear u-joint on my Rocketbaru has a bit of play in it. The dealer wants $997.00 for a replacement non-servicable drive shaft.
1 - Does anyone know the engineer who designed this drive shaft? I'd like to punch him in his stupid head. jk
2 - Have any of you had any success servicing these u-joints?

Thanks much,

TC

From the beginning;

I pulled my drive shaft so I could replace a sweating front seal on my rear differential. As I removed it I noticed the rear u-joint had some free-play. I was kind of happy that I had found the source of the vibration I had noticed at highway speeds. I had previously though a wheel was out of balance. Easy peasy, I'll replace the u-joints and problem solved, Right? WRONG!

On closer inspection I noticed the the u-joint cups didn't have clips holding them in. A quick search on the interwebz revealed the cups were "stacked" in and not serviceable



WTF? Have modern automotive engineers forgotten about the 1960's and 70's?
Back in the day, we all used to carry spare u-joints around in the trunks of our 600+hp cars so we could make it home from the dragstrip under our own power.

Next a call to the dealership parts guy; Sorry sir, we can't recommend rebuilding that, others have tried and failed. We've got a nice shiny new one for you for $997.00

I called around to a half dozen driveline shops and got schooled;
First up, the cheapskate way to buy more trouble;
I found a number of shops that would press out my old u-joint and press in a replacement, then tack weld it in place.
Here's and example;



This^^ is proof that not all driveline repair shops are created equal. The majority of shops I spoke to recommended this method as a viable repair. It's not serviceable, may damage the yokes and, most importantly, will be very difficult to balance. The thought of an out of balance drive shaft spinning at 4000rpm under your car should frighten you! It's a bad idea. Period .

Replacement serviceable u-joints are available for most "stacked" driveshafts.
Here's the ones that went into my Legacy;



Here's My drive shaft ready for transport to the shop; Note; protect the front yoke coupling to the transmission. If you damage the finish on this it could start leaking.



The most complicated part of this repair is getting the new u-joints centered in the yokes. We're talking about thousands of an inch here! Because the yokes were not designed for clipped in cups they're not machined on the inner surfaces. This is were the skills of a top notch drive line technician and drive shaft balancer are called for. Subaru's are notorious for causing trouble in this regard.

Here's my drive shaft just back from balancing with serviceable, grease-able u-joints;





The drive line shop I dealt with has developed their own techniques for centering the new u-joints in Subaru's. Their balancing shop also has special techniques for getting these drive shafts right! The cost was $225 per joint + $140 for balancing. Well worth it in my opinion as I now have a drive shaft I can service myself in future.

I dealt with Midway Driveline in Ajax, Ontario for this repair. Rick and Joe are great guys with a lot of drive line experience. midwaydriveline@gmail.com

Cheers,
TC

Thank for another option, but you just sent almost $600 (225x2+ 140 =590). Did you check out the shop that did my drive shaft for my 6MT swap in post above. For around $50 more, you get a shaft that 3X strong & 100% rebuildable with U-joint you can get at any auto parts store & you can rebuild it yourself.



IMO this is a better option if you going to spend anything close to $600.

Mike

Glad you got it fixed.

But like you said, back in the 70's I carried a spare U joint in my 340 4-speed Duster, I did change it on the side of the road one day.

I also learned to carry a throttle cable with me too. I guess to much WOT would snap the wires in the cable.

When I was driving lifted, big tire 4x4's. I had u-joints, acc belts, starter & can for Starting fluid (works nice to pop a tire back on when you roll it off the bead of the rim).

Originally Posted by HAMMER DOWN

Thank for another option, but you just sent almost $600 (225x2+ 140 =590). Did you check out the shop that did my drive shaft for my 6MT swap in post above. For around $50 more, you get a shaft that 3X strong & 100% rebuildable with U-joint you can get at any auto parts store & you can rebuild it yourself.



IMO this is a better option if you going to spend anything close to $600.

Mike

I did read about your swap and shop. I even checked shipping costs. Sadly, drive shafts are large and heavy which made that a very expensive option.
My shaft can be serviced now just like yours and the joints in mine are readily available. I've missed your point there
I'm content with the strength of the stock shaft and it's weight should be less then that bigger upgrade.

Originally Posted by Trail_Head

I did read about your swap and shop. I even checked shipping costs. Sadly, drive shafts are large and heavy which made that a very expensive option.
My shaft can be serviced now just like yours and the joints in mine are readily available. I've missed your point there
I'm content with the strength of the stock shaft and it's weight should be less then that bigger upgrade.

Quote from you,

Originally Posted by Trail_Head

The most complicated part of this repair is getting the new u-joints centered in the yokes. We're talking about thousands of an inch here! Because the yokes were not designed for clipped in cups they're not machined on the inner surfaces. This is were the skills of a top notch drive line technician and drive shaft balancer are called for.
TC

My point was, now you have replaceable u-joints. Can you replace then yourself or do need to take it back to shop to get them centered just right & the shaft rebalanced again.

Back in 07, the local drive line shop used in the past for custom shafts for trucks. Told me that they didn't have a u-joint that would fit the stock yokes. Glade you can get them now.

In the end if you're happy, that's all it matters.

Mike

Originally Posted by Trail_Head

I did read about your swap and shop. I even checked shipping costs. Sadly, drive shafts are large and heavy which made that a very expensive option.

Sorry , I didn't see you live in Canada.

Originally Posted by HAMMER DOWN

Quote from you,

My point was, now you have replaceable u-joints. Can you replace then yourself or do need to take it back to shop to get them centered just right & the shaft rebalanced again.

Mike

The yokes have been machined to accept the new joints, they're centered now and will be fine to service with no future balancing required.