Installing a new drive shaft

Anyone know the procedure for installing a new drive shaft in a direct drive '99 Outback LS? Please let me know. Thanks.

When you receive the shaft, it already has the coupler machine pressed on, and the face of the coupler is balanced in this fashion. I do not recommend splitting the coupler from the shaft, for what may seem like an easier install. The chances of getting the coupler off and re-installed exactly the same are slim. This may cause you to not properly align the motor and have never ending vibration probs. There is also a possibility of shearing the keyway(most commonly found in Vdrives). To save trouble down the road, I would pull the motor and remove and replace the shaft from inside out. It should take 20 mins. to have that motor airborn(if decently equipped). If this option is not feasable, check with your local dealer to see the job through. If you are a D.I.Yer, great, [email protected] has a faxable instruction sheet for motor alignments. Hope all goes well, keep us posted. Brian Raymond.

Being that the driveshaft has a keyway at both ends, prop and coupler, wouldn't the keyway only allow the shaft to be reinserted into the coupler one way? Therefore, wouldn't that be restoring it to factory location? I noticed when I pulled the old shat out, that the coupler was not pressed on, or possibly my interpretation of "pressed on", is by machine. If the coupler was pressed on then I don't think I would be able to remove it without the use of such machine. Needless to say, I was able to remove the coupler by myself, so is that still considered pressed on?

Even though there is a slotted key area, the coupler can still be installed by hand, but chances are not evenly. When I say machine pressed, it is installed by one that centers and pushes the coupler on to the shaft within the Mfgs. specs. of .001"-.002". This is then lathed, so the entire tolerances of the shaft, coupler, keyway are within .001". I am by no means saying that it can't be done this way, just suggesting what I would do in this scenario with my investment. Brian Raymond.

Hello Brian,
Sorry to labour the point just to satisfy my curiosity. Is the final machining on the lathe carried out on the vertical face of the coupling to ensure it is 90 degrees to the long axis of the shaft? I guess what you are saying is that to maintain the tolerances you quote, you have to think of the coupling/shaft assembly as a single component despite the fact they can be separated.
Thanks, Tony

Tony, you are correct with that statement. Shaft alignment is one of those forgotten maintenance items. Brian Raymond