Subaru rear driveshaft u-joints

[D60]

I've been asking a lot of Subaru questions lately, but this is a different, fresh vehicle now: 2005 Outback 2.5na, 179k miles

I find play in all three u-joints in the rear d/s. However, all three have external snap rings, which I'm thinking means this is a Dorman shaft?

I also believe it's Dorman because it was rubbing the heat shield at some point. IME Dormans do this because they use a slightly different carrier bearing design AND the OD of the shaft is a bit larger than OEM. Dorman wouldn't want to build anything that actually fit well.

Nonetheless, 1) is this likely Dorman and 2) does anyone know the part number for replacement joints?

None of the joints appear so bad as to have wallowed the yoke bores yet.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I think the part number is 27111AG15A

 

[GSCJR]

1) is this likely Dorman and 2) does anyone know the part number for replacement joints?

1) No, not likely. Dorman shafts do not have external snap rings from what I can tell when doing an image search, if that helps.
2) 932-982 is the part number for the u-joints, in the event that it is a Dorman shaft.

 

[D60]

Are the OEM joints staked? Or are the snap rings OEM?

 

[D60]

1) No, not likely. Dorman shafts do not have external snap rings from what I can tell when doing an image search, if that helps.
2) 932-982 is the part number for the u-joints, in the event that it is a Dorman shaft.

Poking around on RA, it looks like most aftermarkets have snap rings except Dorman.

Cardone, UltraPower, SKP etc (they may all be the same)

So I guess I'm likely looking for u-joints that would match up with whatever Cardone uses

 

[GSCJR]

Are the OEM joints staked? Or are the snap rings OEM?

Based on my previous experiences with Asian brands they are staked. I also drive a Subaru and can check to confirm.

So I guess I'm likely looking for u-joints that would match up with whatever Cardone uses

Yes, it appears that way.

 

[D60]

Well, I wound up ordering an entire replacement from RA branded as USA Standard Gear.

As is so often the case, I figured the cost of three joints plus labor plus risk of potential problems was greater than an entire replacement. And it seemed I'd just be replacing aftermarket with aftermarket, so it's not like I was scrapping an OEM part that might be worthy of rebuild.

The new shaft fit well enough but they use a rzeppa-esque joint behind the carrier bearing rather than a u-joint. Not sure which approach OEM uses or which is better here.

Anyway the new shaft is in and working. Probably the last one this poor '05 will need before something catastrophic takes it off the road

 

[D60]

I got the old aftermarket shaft disassembled today to get some conclusive measurements on the existing u-joints.

I may rebuild this shaft because I see a lot of these older Subarus and I think this shaft fits most Legacy/Outback/Baja of the era. Not sure if Foresters also had the same wheelbase.

The cups are 24mm and OAW is about 63.2mm. I believe this is a Moog 413 or SKF UJ413. It took me WAY too long to match up those dimensions. This particular aftermarket shaft uses this joint which is listed as an OLD Alfa Romeo joint, so this info won't help everyone with an aftermarket shaft but it might help someone

 

[Trav]

Go to a drive shaft shop if you have one around and ask them to match them. Opel pulled this non replaceable stunt and wanted over 500DM for a new drive shaft, the drive shaft place only charged me 100 to fit some (2).

 

[D60]

Also, for posterity, Moog has a pretty cool resource to just look at u-joints and sizes.

It takes legwork but was the only way I found my answer as no amount of searching even remotely suggested I needed a #413 ‐‐ even when I searched for joints with 24mm cups

Fortunately in this case there are only a few u-joints with 24mm cups, so it made scanning the list easy:
https://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/universal-joints-ujoints.asp

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Personally, I’d probably rebuild the original, have it rebalanced, and put it back in the car. Drop the aftermarket one on eBay to recoup some of the cost. Hopefully you marked the orientation of the yoke before you separated it, otherwise it likely will be terribly out of balance.

Subaru drivetrains are very finicky with some aftermarket brands, or they also don’t last as long as OEM. Axles rebuilt with aftermarket parts or made by other companies are always a crapshoot.

 

[D60]

Personally, I’d probably rebuild the original, have it rebalanced, and put it back in the car. Drop the aftermarket one on eBay to recoup some of the cost. Hopefully you marked the orientation of the yoke before you separated it, otherwise it likely will be terribly out of balance.

Subaru drivetrains are very finicky with some aftermarket brands, or they also don’t last as long as OEM. Axles rebuilt with aftermarket parts or made by other companies are always a crapshoot.

Nah, I began with aftermarket with snap rings and replaced with aftermarket. The replacement also has snap rings but you wouldn't be able to do anything if that rzeppa fails.

However the first one is still rebuildable. Interestingly, all three u-joints have approximately the same amount of slop -- I've just never seen joints wear so uniformly.

In the past I've witnessed these wear so bad before being caught that they eat thru the cap and wallow the yoke, but that's no where near the case here. Thus, the shaft may be worth saving.

The only other variable is the carrier bearing which feels ok. Ironically, it looks like the carrier bearing could also be replaced if necessary, but I fear the saga of finding whatever "they" used.