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08 FXT 4EAT intense transmission rumble/shake

('06-'08) 
2K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  nepbug 
#1 ·
Ok so, for starters,
I own a 2008 forester XT
Automatic :(
No major modifications:
Ksport coil overs
Removed intake baffle in front passenger fender
Max boost up'd to 18psi (highest I've seen it do is 16psi)

Story goes, when I put my coil overs on, I popped the inner boot off my front passenger axle by accident. Pushed it back on, made sure it held, took it to Subaru to do an alignment immediately after. They did a whole bunch of other work like an exhaust gasket in the joint beside the rear cat, rear trailing arm bushing and front passenger outer cv boot ripped so they replaced that. I told them to check the inner one and fill it back up with grease and explained to them what happened with the boot. For about a week I felt a slight shake, almost hesitating, so I inspected the axles, and sure enough they needed to be changed. Bought a set of surtrack's from rock auto, just installed them today with no issues. I go to start it up and the motor is rumbling like crazy. Engine was cold by this point. Waited till it got up temperature, and it wasn't as bad but still very evident.
Took it around the block and seems its only under load. Only In reverse and drive. Does not do it in neutral or park. When I slowly accelerate at a green light it rumbles and shakes and can be felt through the floor and the steering wheel. If I accelerate quickly, it shakes at rattles the whole car.
The only thing I can think of is when we lifted the car with the jack I placed it under the crossmember. The same place I always lift it from :s
It doesn't seem to be an exhaust leak, if it was it sounds like the exhaust has been completely removed haha.
If I put it in drive, foot on the brake and rev it to about 1500-2000 rpm it shakes and rattles the most.
I can't see it having anything to do with the cv shafts as the vehicle doesn't have to be moving the create the problem. I'm leaning for towards engine or transmission problem.
The ring/clip on the ends of the axles on the transmission side came out with the old axles so I'm positive they didn't fall in.
Anyone have any idea what could be going on?
 
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#4 ·
hey guys, so just incase anyone's been waiting for an answer on this one....
i'll suck it up to spare others the embarrassment :p
I found out what happened. long story short, the axles I bought were 1/8"too long. bought them from rock auto, did some digging, extensive research, and found compressed lengths of axles for my 08 fxt auto and man, wrx, wrx sti, etc... turns out I got axles for a manual wrx sti. an 04 I believe... even on the parts catalog on the rock auto site, it shows them being 1/8" longer than all the other ones.
so what was happening was when we tightened everything down, it was literally compressing the front diff/tranny, vibrations from the motor were travelling through the shafts, up the struts, and throughout the frame.

total compressed length for front axles on a 2008 forester 2.5xt AUTOMATIC: 30 5/8"
 
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