Wrenchin... Adventures under the hood... Put em here.

**basinbeater** · 03-04-2018, 03:54 PM

Who has the good powder coater in Salt Lake? I have a pile of parts to go.

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**goldengatestinx** · 03-04-2018, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by uglymoney

You tubes has the boot change videos. Super easy job. If it takes you more than 20 minutes you're just playing with the shaft. Laughable that some peeps in various forums complain it took them half the day. Surprised I haven't done it before considering I have tackled much more difficult projects. That is the ticket when the inner boot cracks...replace boot with oem and regrease....done.

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Anyone ever take the axle apart, clean, grease and reboot. Or can it be cleaned well enough without taking apart?

**uglymoney** · 03-04-2018, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by goldengatestinx

Anyone ever take the axle apart, clean, grease and reboot. Or can it be cleaned well enough without taking apart?

Hard to get the boot on without taking it apart. That is the major issue. You can leave the axle in the car for the inner boot swap (still taking the axle apart) but on a Subaru the axle is so easy to remove I don't know why you would do that since cleaning it on the bench is a snap.

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**gravitylover** · 03-08-2018, 04:59 PM

I think we figured out the gremlin I had in my Durango. The cowl.under the wipers drains water right onto the PCM. Apparently a previous owner tried to solve the problem and jury rigged some wiring and it was corroded and shorting out when it got wet. The mechanic cleaned that up, reconnected everything correctly with gobs of dielectric grease on all connections and fashioned a cover to divert water away from the sensitive areas.

I had been under there a while back but didn't realize what I was looking at so it cost me 2 batteries and a couple of extra hours of labor but he's confident the problem is solved for good.

**bonewrenched** · 03-09-2018, 12:39 AM

One of our front outer cv boots is spitting grease, but no tear. Debating between shooting some grease back inside and adding a new clamp or just replacing both axles preemptively (130k on them)

**bagtagley** · 03-09-2018, 08:23 AM

In two separate Subaru axle replacements, I had both generic axles shit the bed. One in under 5K mikes. OEM is a must.

I did split boots because I got tired of failures with non-OEM axles and I was fresh out of college with minimal tools and lying on ice and snow in the freezing cold. Axle replacement is straightforward, but I’m not sure I’d call it easy. I had a breaker bar with a couple of feet of pipe and still couldn’t break the axle nut.

I had a torn boot and an already compromised CV joint. I put a split boot on it with some quality grease and got another 40-50k out of the axle. Did another one preemptively and forgot about it. Sold the car with it still on.

**uglymoney** · 03-09-2018, 12:50 PM

Subie Reman axles are 200 shipped from dealers online if you have cash and want to go the easy route. With subie core (green cups) you get some of that back. They won't give you core $ for aftermarket axles.

Inner boot can be changed without removing axle nut. You still have to remove strut mount bolts to pull it back far enough to separate it and get a new boot on.

Replace the boot. Agree. Do not buy aftermarket. They are junk.

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**uglymoney** · 03-09-2018, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

In two separate Subaru axle replacements, I had both generic axles shit the bed. One in under 5K mikes. OEM is a must.

I did split boots because I got tired of failures with non-OEM axles and I was fresh out of college with minimal tools and lying on ice and snow in the freezing cold. Axle replacement is straightforward, but I’m not sure I’d call it easy. I had a breaker bar with a couple of feet of pipe and still couldn’t break the axle nut.

I had a torn boot and an already compromised CV joint. I put a split boot on it with some quality grease and got another 40-50k out of the axle. Did another one preemptively and forgot about it. Sold the car with it still on.

Fwiw I always use my Milwaukee electric impact on axle nuts. Stubborn nuts seem to spin right off. Trying to break shit loose in the freezing cold with limited tools can make things tough for sure. Axles can get stuck in knuckles also rarely...but most of the usual Subaru gotchas aren't around for the axles.

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**Kailua_Boys** · 03-09-2018, 06:59 PM

If you have a harbor freight nearby, the 1/2 inch corded impact is worth the 40 bucks or so. It's saved me so many times.

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**gravitylover** · 03-10-2018, 08:21 AM

^^Yeah I gotta go get one of those. There are so many times I've needed one and fought my way through whatever it was because a 'good' impact wrench was expensive. With some tools I've come to realize that sufficient is what I really need and high torque cordless or air is more than that and unnecessary.

**Obstruction** · 03-10-2018, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Kailua_Boys

If you have a harbor freight nearby, the 1/2 inch corded impact is worth the 40 bucks or so. It's saved me so many times.

I agree. I use the shit out of mine but One proviso though, it is farging huge, about 18 inches from socket to the back of it. Really limits where you use it.

**uglymoney** · 03-10-2018, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Obstruction

I agree. I use the shit out of mine but One proviso though, it is farging huge, about 18 inches from socket to the back of it. Really limits where you use it.

I had a harbor freight one. Burned it up after some good use and abuse. Figured I would get something better since I used it so much so moved on to the Milwaukee which is a sweet little tool. HF one is excellent for starter shadetree mechanics.

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**Kailua_Boys** · 03-10-2018, 09:02 PM

I splurged and bought the 3/8" m12 Milwaukee impact. That little tool is incredible. I use it for practically everything and pull out the 1/2 inch hf when I need to hit a bigger bolt. The Milwaukee was actually pretty reasonably priced at 150 for the tool, case, charger, and two batteries.

**bagtagley** · 03-10-2018, 09:54 PM

I’ve got a compressor and air tools now, courtesy of the old man who gave up wrenching. Makes a world of difference. No Subaru anymore. Besides oil changes and brakes, I’m hoping to avoid any wrenching on the DDs for a while.

I’ve got an itch to find something older and interesting and “restore” it with the boy. I pass an immobile ‘85 4Runner on a particular bike ride. Been sitting for almost 4 years, and is deteriorating. I want to put a note on the windshield and offer to rescue it.

**Conundrum** · 03-11-2018, 11:29 AM

Bags-if you do the 4Runner. Please make this happen. I just saw it last week in town.

**Mazderati** · 03-11-2018, 11:38 AM

The Ironman would be proud.

**bodywhomper** · 03-11-2018, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

I’ve got a compressor and air tools now, courtesy of the old man who gave up wrenching. Makes a world of difference. No Subaru anymore. Besides oil changes and brakes, I’m hoping to avoid any wrenching on the DDs for a while.

I’ve got an itch to find something older and interesting and “restore” it with the boy. I pass an immobile ‘85 4Runner on a particular bike ride. Been sitting for almost 4 years, and is deteriorating. I want to put a note on the windshield and offer to rescue it.

Is it IFS or solid front?

**Kailua_Boys** · 03-11-2018, 09:37 PM

An 85 is a solid front. Also the only year with the removable top and 22re. They're fairly rare.

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**basinbeater** · 03-12-2018, 06:39 AM

You can see the leaf springs in that one. Solid axle. Looks amazing! I love it!

**bagtagley** · 03-12-2018, 06:45 AM

Yep, solid front.

**Mazderati** · 03-12-2018, 04:54 PM

Anyone with VW/Audi 2.0T TSI experience? Friend is looking at a 2015 off lease. Has 20k miles. Service history shows the radiator, radiator fan controller, water pump, camshaft, timing chain tensioner seal, and drive belts have all been replaced or repaired. Again, 20k miles. Google says these engines have a few problems. Is this normal? I'm about to recommend something more reliable like a turbo rotary.

**Skidog** · 03-12-2018, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Mazderati

Anyone with VW/Audi 2.0T TSI experience? Friend is looking at a 2015 off lease. Has 20k miles. Service history shows the radiator, radiator fan controller, water pump, camshaft, timing chain tensioner seal, and drive belts have all been replaced or repaired. Again, 20k miles. Google says these engines have a few problems. Is this normal? I'm about to recommend something more reliable like a turbo rotary.

Sounds like a lemon. That's a lot of repairs for 20k imho.

My Audi sure wasn't cheap.

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**El Chupacabra** · 03-13-2018, 12:59 PM

Q for the mechanics: can a failing wheel bearing make an intermittent whirring sound at lower speeds?

It's a 2000 GMC Sierra 2500 4WD. No idea when or if the front wheel bearings have been replaced previously. Front wheel bearings are unit hub assemblies.

Whirring noise is apparent during acceleration, coasting, and deceleration, mostly around 15 to 30 mph. No change in sound if accelerating, decelerating, in neutral, in 4WD vs 2WD, or in loading up one side or the other by cornering hard. Sound is not grinding or howling. Sound is audible in cab while driving, seems to be coming from front end or underneath the front of the cab; does not appear to be coming from rear end. Can't locate the sound side-to-side by driving with windows down.

Jacked up the front end and attempted to wiggle the wheel to feel for play. Passenger side has a tiny bit of play up/down. Driver side does not. Both sides have horizontal left/right play, but I think that's due to sloppy steering parts that I haven't replaced yet (idler arm in particular).

Rear driveshaft U joints and carrier bearing were replaced within last 15K miles. No idea on age of front driveshaft U joints, but the driveshaft spins freely by hand (have not removed it to feel for U joint notchiness).

Front differential leaks at the driver side axle shaft. I replaced the front diff fluid, nothing unusual such as chunks of metal, just usual paste on the magnetic drain plug. Fluid may have been a bit low, but quite a bit drained out, so I don't think I killed any bearings by running it low. It is a possibility though.

Checked transfer case; it's full.

Any ideas on the sound? The minor up/down play in the passenger wheel (hub) is the only thing I can think of. The transfer case in this truck is one of the many that GM had that were subject to pump rub failure, but AFAIK that causes the case to lose oil and run dry; whirring noises were not something I could find anything about regarding the t-case.