85 Brat, removing front CV axle?

[odie]

My Haynes manual says no can do, take entire steering knuckle off and have a shop do it...BS I say...

 

 

1. Is there anything special or just remove the axle nut and pull the axle out the back?

 

 

2. Are the wheel bearings and seals destroyed in the process or will the axle stub slide out of the hub/bearings with minimum effort?

 

 

those are really the only 2 questions that I need resolve. Everything else below is just additional situational information.

 

 

 

My wheel bearings seem fine (checked with stethescope while engine/wheel running in top gear on jack stands).

 

 

My inner boot has a 1" long tear (very early it seems) so I'm debating re-boot or replace entie axle. As far as I can tell all the axles are original. The other 7 boots look fine (although one has zip ties so I'm guessing that's a re-boot since the other end has the normal metal bands) and grabbing each axle and yanking, pulling, twisting, etc all the joints check good (no noticable play or noise).

 

 

from doing a search it seems re-boot is kinda popular due to the apparent longevity of the OEM axles.

 

 

My options:

1. reboot inner joint $20ish? (I'm guessing I can maybe leave the outter axle installed???)

 

 

2. Replace entire axle, $55 if bearings are not ruined during removal, about $100 if bearings gotta be replaced.

 

 

if I go option 2 then my OCD kicks in and I would want to do both sides at the same time ($110-200)

 

 

Obviously I like option 1. quick & cheap...but I've never done a re-boot. No clue how tricky getting the CV apart and back together...especially while the other end is still in the steering knuckle.

 

 

and no clue how old or how many miles are on the current axles and bearings...odometer shows 000,117 miles (don't know why) and it is not keeping up either (maybe 90% under)...odometer gear tooth missing?

 

 

but then again, age and miles is not the issue, as long as the bearings & axles retain their grease (all the seal areas look dry) they should not wear out. It's loss of grease and dirt entering a leaking seal/boot that really makes them go bad.

Edited January 27, 2014 by odie

[BratRod]

I have done 5 CVs on my brats (not always replacing) and I can tell you that it can take at most a couple hours provided everything cooperates.

 

Here is how I do them:

 

Bust the 36mm castle nut while on the ground. At this time check and make sure the cone washer and flat washer are there and in good shape.

 

Jack the car up and take the wheels off. Take the caliper and caliper bracket off (2 16mm(?) off and remove the castle nut.

 

then loosen the bolt to the ball joint. And drop the control arm. The radius rod will have some pressure applied, but don't worry about it.

 

Take a block of wood (or rubber mallet) and beat on the end of the axle. Feel free to put the castle nut on upside down to have some peace of mind. If you feel the axle move that's good. There is a special tool for this, and I believe you can use other types of pullers, too.

 

Once you have gotten the axle to move, un-bolt the two bolts to the strut that slide into the knuckle. You should now be able to pull the knuckle off. Hopefully the axle is loose enough to just slide out of the hub. If not, get creative with some "persuasion."

 

Now that you have the axle out; you have to punch the roll pin out of the inner joint. I've heard that these can be... Fairly stuck... But I haven't had this problem. Beat on it with a punch and hammer till it comes out. Then the axle should slide off the inner splines.

 

let me know if I can clarify anything. It's a pretty simple task if your car is all rusted to hell. Its been awhile since I've done one (thank god) so I may have forgotten something. But that is the main stuff to look for.

 

This is how I do it. Feel free to do whatever you want as there are MANY ways to do this.

 

Hope this helps!

[bratman2]

Been a while since I have done some on my Brat. Bought brand new Empi axles a couple of years ago. But I have pulled and rebooted many since I have had my Brat 17 years. I do the same thing to taking the wheel off. Best of my memory is I drop the inside A arm bolt and unbolt the strut rod from the inside top of the A arm. Drive the roll pin out, be sure to drive it out the correct side. The beveled side is in, the flush side is to drive out. Using my foot push the knuckle out while pulling on the DOJ joint. I have had them out and back in with the Brat on the ground in around 20 mins or so. Not counting rebooting!

[bratman2]

Forgot to add then I drive the axle out of the knuckle. With the nut reversed and a 3# hammer. Sometimes I use a claw hammer to help pry the axle back in until I can get enough threads to show and finish with the nut. All this is best to my feeble memory.

[odie]

OK, I was kinda thinking I could remove the inner CV pin and swing the axle clear of the trans and then push/tap the shaft end thru the knuckle...basically not having to detach or unbolt the knuckle in anyway....guess not, or is there a "trick" to get enought clearance?

Edited January 28, 2014 by odie

[bratman2]

Maybe I wasn't clear. I do not unbolt the knuckle. I don't remove the disc or caliper either. I unbolt the strut rod from the A arm and take the bolt out of the hinge of the A arm. This gives you enough room to pull the DOJ off the stub. Then I turn the nut around on the axle and pop it out with a 3# hammer.

[MilesFox]

OK, I was kinda thinking I could remove the inner CV pin and swing the axle clear of the trans and then push/tap the shaft end thru the knuckle...basically not having to detach or unbolt the knuckle in anyway....guess not, or is there a "trick" to get enought clearance?

You got the idea, but you will have to separate the ball joint or the control arm to get room. My preference is doing the ball joint, but be prepared to ruin the boot depending on your methods. You can either pop it out with a pickle fork, whack the control arm sharply with a hammer, or undo the pinch bolt separating the all joint from the knuckle rather than the control arm.

 

To remove the axle from the hub, drive it out with a hammer and a block of wood.

 

same for installation, drive it in from behind, OR, install the inner end, and drive the knuckle onto  the axle with a hammer and block of wood.

 

once you get the axle in enough, you can use the castle nut to draw it in further, then temove the nut, install the washers, and torque it up. Pay attention to the orientation of the flat washer, as it is actually dished (spring washer) with the convex side towards the nut and the concave side towards the cone washer.

 

This video may hep you although it is an ea82 car, but procedure is similar (separating the ball joint)

[odie]

Ok, cool so it can be done...just pop the ball joint for clearance...mine are toast anyway, got new ones ordered.

 

how tight a fit is the axle stub in the inner bearing race? If you put too much force removing/installing you will damage the bearing. I would think it would be a very close/slightly snug fitting but nothing more...On my VW the hub had to be pressed onto the inner bearing race with a support behind the bearing (very tight fit), but then again, those bearings are one time use also (they come apart on hub removal), but then again, the CV axle stub goes thru the hub and not the bearing race and can be pulled out by hand...

 

On the bearings, I guess I just repack the grease and use them again, assuming they roll smoothly and have no noticable wear or play? Are the seals normally damaged during the R&R? I ordered new seals but if the rotor/caliper/hub stays on I can't change the outer seal anyway.

[MilesFox]

This video explains installing and packing the bearings, as well as inserting the axle at the end. It should give you an idea of how rough you can be without damaging anything as this is the required method without using shop presses. Sometimes an aftermarket axle fits more loosely depending on if it has been machined or not. The video demonstrates re-using the seals. There are a few variables with fitment, but nothing would be damaged using these techniques.

 

Edited January 28, 2014 by MilesFox

[BratRod]

So you got that clean Brat in corpus for $1500? Nice.

[odie]

trust me, it wasn't living here for very long. It was out in the "Bluff" 1/4 mile or less to salt water...everything rots out there. Not sure where is came from but I was told from Houston area via Portland north of Corpus (not as salty as Flour Bluff).

 

there are a few, very few "blister" areas I gotta take care of...but from what I've seen of other 1980's Subies...this one is proabably in the top 5% or better body wise. I don't even see evidence of a re-paint. Now the under the hood and interior is another story.

[Gloyale]

Knock the roll pin out should be First and last thing done.

 

If you don''t knock it out first.....you can hyper extend the axle once you start pulling the knuckle outward.  Fine for the old one, but you don't want to install the pin until the knuckle is set in place or you'll risk pulling the new one apart.

 

 

Also, I suggest removing the inner arm pivot, and the sway bar mount rather than messing with the ball joint or strut top pinch bolts.  The more times those pry open and closed, the more likely it is they could crack later. (seen it twice on the balljoint)  Plus it's just easier.

 

For pulling the axle though the bearings, I suggest removing the rotor and the outer wheel seal.  Then thread the nut onto the axle, and use the claws of 2 hammers as prybars to pull the axle through.  In my experience, "hammering" them in from behind can be hard or not work, and can ruin the CV boot.  The pry/pull method is more similar to what subaru outlines in the manual.

 

Alternately, you can weld an old axle nut to a slide hammer and use that to pull the axle through....that is the factory prescribed method.