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Aftermarket Subaru STI stub axles


DAT240Z

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I bought a set hub stub axles on eBay for me Subaru 390 conversion into my 71 Datsun 240Z. After installation of the axles I took the car out for a test drive notice that at speeds of 85 miles an hour or higher there was a very violent vibration from the rear end. I remove the axles today for inspection and to my surprise I noticed the splines are not straight but a bit crooked I was wondering if anyone else have these axles off eBay.and are yours the same. Do you guys think this is the source of the vibration. I don't have the seller's name right now but he list them on eBay for $385.

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What engine are you running? If it's some form of an LS powertrain looks like you figured out Subaru stub axles can handle horsepower but not the torque of a V8. That or they are poor quality axles

Edited by 1969honda
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Are you pretty sure they weren't like that before you put them in? Any pictures from the seller that shows them straight initially?

 

Its very unlikely you did that with your engine, IF these are the stubs originally supplied by Todd/wolf creek. Otherwise they were "created" then not properly heat treated. I'd be asking for my money back from the seller. Let us know who it was at the least.

 

I'm surprised those even engage the mating splines in the diff. The flange likely doesn't spin concentrically and is very like the cause of the vibration.

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Thanks for the reply guys I had to take a few days off the car that's been frustrating me. An issue that I'm having with the axles there doesn't seem to be a snap ring on the axles Nor inside the differential the will slide in and pull right back out . Try piece of wood and my five pound sled hammer and try to get them to seat They just will not seat don't know that's my problem or not

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Those axles are ruined.  They've twisted and you're trying to insert them in to straight splines.  They were only engaged at the tips while you were using them before because they weren't held in by the circlips and slid out.

 

Looks, also, like they may have been twisting even when they were fully inserted, since the twist extends the length of the splines.  Might have worked their way out as the twist grew.  Insufficient heat treatment maybe, or just too much torque and tire..  

Edited by NewZed
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Contacted the seller he told me that the twist in the splines are in the design. He said only the tip of the axles are actually used and that's why it was designed that way sounded fishy to me. He also told me that he doesn't give refunds I can send the axle back and he will check them and see if they're damaged and will replace them. I have not gone this route only because if he's going to replace them with another twisted axels I'm not getting ahead

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The only way the replacement axles would be twisted is if he sent you a pair that somebody else twisted and returned.  Hope you used Paypal, and don't let the time limit run out.  He might be stringing you along until time runs out and you can't get your money back.  The BS about the twist being in the design doesn't bode well for you.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's an update on the axles. I filed a complain with eBay and PayPal,sent the part back. I seller contacted me and told he had sent me the wrong part and would send me another set of axles or refund my money. I opted for the refund, he sent me the refund on Saturday. I have ordered a set of Futofab axles hope to have them by the end of the week.

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The system worked.  Could be the seller got caught with poor heat treatment like a couple of the guys on this forum did when they had stub axles made.  The concepts are simple but getting things executed correctly seems to be difficult.

 

Are you going to share the seller's ebay name so others don't get trapped?  CFJ im[plied that Silvermine sells them but they seem to have a decent reputation for quality.  They've been besmirched, indirectly,

 

Make sure you get the clips installed and seated.

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The saga continues, I install the new axles today now the issue I am having is the car will not move. Place the transmission in reverse and off the clutch nothing happens .stick it in first gear and get off the clutch the car doesn't move I thought I might have some issues with the adjustment of my clutch I try that still nothing. I placed the car on jack stands I can see the wheels will turning . What is really odd is that the car will start while it's in gear no matter if it's 1st 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th gear in Reverse I can start the car without having to engage the clutch.Also I can push the car while it's in gear, the car will roll down if its parked on a incline and in gear. Any ideas

Edited by DAT240Z
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Put it back on the jack stands, put the transmission in neutral, apply the parking brake, crawl underneath, grab the driveshaft and turn it.  Does the drivehaft turn freely?  If not, the problems on the front end, not the part you just worked on.

 

Or just watch the driveshaft while you have it in gear with the engine running.  If it's turning, the problems in the back, if it's not it's up front.

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Just did the test with the car on jack stands.the driveshaft turns,do you think the stub axles aren't seated completely. Although I try to pull the axles out by hand and they will not budge I think install correctly.

Edited by DAT240Z
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The driveshaft turns but neither wheel does?  You're sure the stub axles are not turning?  You didn't do something weird like forget to put the halfshaft flange bolts in? 

 

You can put the stub axles in the wrong sides but I think that just turns the LSD in to an open in the worst case, like with a VLSD.  Not sure what it would do to the Subie CLSD.

 

You have an odd problem if the main pinion shaft of the diff (connected to the driveshaft aka propeller shaft) turns but neither output shaft (stub axle) does.  Could be that the splined section of your axles is too small and they're actually stuck in the diff by the seal area.  I'm just making a WAG.  Pull the axles and confirm that the inner splines turn is the next option.

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The driveshaft turns as well as both Axel's while the car is on the jack stands. They dont turn when the car is on the ground .don't know if the stub are different I had the on my workbench and they looked to be the same length.

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I just took out the stub axles , I noticed the passenger side came out quite easily. I stuck my finger in the differential on the passenger side I could not feel the clip. I can pull the axle out with out a lot of resistance. Could this be the cause of my problem. How do I get the clip to drop down.

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The driveshaft turns as well as both Axel's while the car is on the jack stands. They dont turn when the car is on the ground .don't know if the stub are different I had the on my workbench and they looked to be the same length.

They being ..... what?  The stub axles or all three?  You didn't say if the parking brake was on while it was on the stands.  That would lock the wheels.  You're trying to determine if the axles are mechanically attached, via the splines, to the spider gears.  It's not clear what didn't turn while the car was on the ground.  You said "they" instead of actually using the words.  The wheels could turn just from viscous drag of the gear lube, that's why you need to lock the wheels with the parking brake.

 

Look inside the diff holes and see the splines.  They interlock with the splines on your new axles.  The clips just stop the axles from sliding back out fo the hole.

 

http://mech.sharif.ir/~durali/design/Shafting/details/Lecture%2020.pdf

 

http://www.4x4abc.com/4WD101/diff.html

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