Driveshaft seized splines

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SEIZED DRIVESHAFT SPLINES

Some time ago [Aug 2008] I wrote about how easy it is to remove a front driveshaft from a Liberty. Recently an obstinate Forester turned up; but first the Liberty story is repeated hereunder!
I believe it is still a current precaution.

“…you only have to unstake and remove the axle nut, knock out the roll-pin from the inner joint, pop the hub off the suspension outer ball joint and take out the whole driveshaft with your bare hands. On this occasion no amount of banging would dislodge the axle from the wheel hub. The hub complete with the whole driveshaft was removed from the car and taken to a vehicle workshop to move the axle on a hydraulic press. Nothing doing! It was then taken to an engineering works where an industrial press did the job with a huge bang when it “let go”! On close inspection it was clear the Liberty CV splines had frozen to the hub splines with a probable mixture of carbon, dust and moisture that hardened like black glass. The splines were tediously cleaned one at a time with a small sharp edged file. I am told this can happen to Libertys’ even to the point where a large press and oxy acetylene torch are required to heat the hub whilst under the press. The seals and bearings then have to be replaced which are very expensive and this cannot be done at home. This particular 1992 car had done 50,000 kms with little 4 wheel driving and has been well looked after.”

AND Keith Wilcox’s story 3rd May 2005:
Keith brought his 2001 Forester in [to Ian’s workshop] to have the outer CV splines checked as a compulsory precaution before setting off on the CSR expedition and lucky he did! Though the Forester was not as bad as the Liberty above, it took a considerable amount of banging to free the seized splines on both front axles - not a job for the side of a desert track! It was apparently moisture, dust and corrosion (salt?) that caused the seizure. I sprayed several sorts of “stuff” at the splines from the outside and banged the CV inwards a short distance, then drew it out again by tightening the axle nut. This was done several times until the CV was moving again on the splines but the axle was not removed completely in this case. The rear shafts were checked too and were sliding freely by hand when the axle nut was removed.

It might be wise to occasionally remove all the driveshafts to lubricate the splines with a copper/aluminium/moly anti-seize paste, as the splines on both the Liberty and Forester discussed above did not appear to have any lubrication from new. These days this issue may not arise. However, I still suggest it be an early maintenance job, and replace all the front boots every 5 years or so as they may split from old age/ fatigue or just normal wear and tear.

Ian Johnson @ 10/2014