I think it broke....

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:44 pm

A few months ago now I had to take out a CV and get the boots replaced. All good, got everything back on right as rain.... or so I thought.

A few weeks later something started clunking when taking off / changing gears.

Turns out I had somehow sheared of part of the axle - WTF?!?!?! Not sure how that happened. But anyway - getting a new CV and hub for it very soon. How can I make sure this doesn't happen again?

Also when getting it all off I seem to have broken the ball joint. I get the new one in no worries, but the book says to only use 39nm of pressure on the bolt - surely that can't be right the ball joint would just fall out.

Also where should I go for new D bushes?

Thanks.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:59 pm

G'day Kevmif,

Some pics of the drive shaft may explain what you're talking about, either that or I'm over tired again...

The ball joint - there's the bolt in the hub that you need to do up - this only holds the Ball joint in the hub through having the bolt there physically (notice the groove all the way around the top of the ball joint - this is where the bolt sits with it in the hub).

Both the bolt and the nut I do up til I think its done. I've noticed on new ball joints that the nut is getting smaller. I've kept my larger nuts (17mm) and chucked the new smaller nuts (14mm) in the random nuts and bolts box...

Cheers

Bennie

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:55 am

El_Freddo wrote:G'day Kevmif,

Some pics of the drive shaft may explain what you're talking about, either that or I'm over tired again...

The ball joint - there's the bolt in the hub that you need to do up - this only holds the Ball joint in the hub through having the bolt there physically (notice the groove all the way around the top of the ball joint - this is where the bolt sits with it in the hub).

Both the bolt and the nut I do up til I think its done. I've noticed on new ball joints that the nut is getting smaller. I've kept my larger nuts (17mm) and chucked the new smaller nuts (14mm) in the random nuts and bolts box...

Cheers

Bennie

Yeah will post a pic or two.... Can I damage anything if I over tighten the bolt on the steering knuckle? My old man is always telling me off for over tightening things... but considering the amount of things he has f**ked up due to under tightening, I think continuing to ignore him is the best solution hehehehe.

I think the damage to the drive shaft happened due to under tightening of the big nut that holds the rotor and steering knuckle onto the driveshaft.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:05 am

Okay, I think we're using the same term for two different things. Are you talking about a problem with your steering shaft and joints?

A drive shaft to me is the shaft from the gearbox to the hub...

Cheers

Bennie

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:28 am

El_Freddo wrote:Okay, I think we're using the same term for two different things. Are you talking about a problem with your steering shaft and joints?

A drive shaft to me is the shaft from the gearbox to the hub...

Cheers

Bennie

Yes, the CV / Driveshaft.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:27 am

Ah, steering knuckle - meaning ball joint - got it now... Sorry for the confusion!

I don't follow torque spec's on these cos I'm lazy (yes, I deserve a slappin'). I just do it up nice and tight, if anything starts clunking under there get under and check the area you've worked on. If that's all good have a look at other components of the suspension or CV.

I don't know how or what you snapped on the drive shaft - was it at one of the CV joints? I've seen drive shafts shear in half in a way that almost looks like it was a clean cut with a grinder. I've also seen them shear along a fault line in the drive shaft. Both were about half way between the two CV joints. Is this the sort of thing you've encountered? And have you been doing any medium to hard core offroading in that time?

Cheers

Bennie

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:26 pm

Went to the wreckers and got a new driveshaft, and roter (plus steering knuckle - all one part). Turns out the driveshaft is f**ked - one of the joints is completely broken and the disc is the wrong size somehow. Mine is a lot thicker and has the grooves around the outside. Not happy - now I gotta go back and hope they give me a refund

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:28 pm

swap the discs over

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 12:58 pm

Yep... driveshaft was shagged. Got a new hub and retained my disc - was nice and easy. The hub was definitely gone, the splines were so worn its not funny.

They have a driveshaft off an EA82 for me that looks identical - but they couldn't get the bloody pin out. Gotta wait til next week for it now.

Why so much variation in the type of discs and the size of the hub? Some of the hubs were a lot shorter for some reason - including the hub off this EA82 so I hope the driveshaft is the right size.

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:06 pm

Grrr the driveshaft from the wreckers was different. They sold me a shagged one and I got Trembath driveshafts here in Ballarat to change the ends over for me (those guys are tops, really friendly and know what they are doing). So now I have everything I need to get it going again, just waiting on my Grandfather to come around with a size 36 socket so I can tighten the nut up properly.

When I am attaching the new hub to the old disc do I put a bit of grease on it or make it completely clean?

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:32 pm

I wouldn't go anywhere near a brake disc with grease , clean everything up with a wire brush and bolt the disc to the hub . If any crud is caught in between the disc won't run true .

A .

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:27 pm

you can however put grease on the spliuned section of the hub where it goes over the CV though.

as disco said no grease anywhere near the braking surfaces.

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:04 am

Ok now i'm confused. Yeah I have disc cleaner and I know that the disc has to be clean.

I guess I should use a small amount of grease between the driveshaft and the splines on the hub, but what about the splines that lock the hub into the disc? Remember the hub is detachable from the disc on the Subarus. I swapped the hub over but retained the disc.

I have already cleaned the disc and the hub to make sure that there is no dirt or anything in there. It looked like there was grease on it originally.

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 2:22 pm

4 bolts lock the hub and disc together ??

kevmif · Post by **kevmif** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:02 am

Haha yeah I was very confused. All figured out now.

I dunno how long it will all hold for but. The nut is torqued up to approx 200ft/lbs but i'm not convinced that the driveshaft is all the way in.... any easy way to tell?

Also the lower control arm, the one that the ball joint goes through, I couldn't get the correct size spit pin in, had to use a smaller one. Its like the nut isn't doing up all the way, but its well and truly tight.

I will be checking everything for tightness periodically - especially the main nut that holds the hub on.

Anything I should pay specific attention to?