Loyale - Front CV/Axle: how to press without a press

[Tony Cortado]

Hey guys, it's me again

 

Road trip was successful from Alaska to Southern California.  Since I bought her in April, I've already put on 15,000 miles, including the road trip, passing the 250k mark.

 

I've got to tackle an issue I've had over the summer to finally quiet down my front end.  In May, I replaced both front cv joints, getting a new but not OEM part from Carquest/Advance auto (https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/carquest-new-cv-axle-shaft-assembly-ncv66011/20870575-P?).  When I took apart the knuckle assembly, I remember having to hammer out the original axle shaft to get it freed.  When I put in the new parts, they fit in loosely, but I pulled them through using the axle nut as leverage.  The car sounded great after that,  the axles and hubs were quiet.

 

After a while, both sides started humming (like white noise) on turns, growing subtly louder as days, weeks, and months passed.  I finally replaced the bearings on the passenger side at the suggestion of this forum.  It didn't stop the humming, so I got lazy and didn't replace the bearings on the driver side.  I did make sure the axle nut was at the proper torque.

 

I researched on here some more, and read that when replacing the CV axles, one should replace the spring washers and cone washers.  I found those parts OEM on ebay and replaced them.  No change in the hum during turns.  Again using this forum, I found that overtightening, loosening, overtightening, loosening and overtightning once again on the axle nut is one way to make sure everything is snug; that the bearings are self-torque-something-or-other, so over tightening doesn't burden them.  The humming lessened when I did this, but never went away completely.  During the road trip, both axle nuts backed off a tad, and were stopped by the cotter pins.  I did the overtightening/loosening/etc bit three times during that 5k miles, and finally the nut seems to stay in place.

 

I am still getting hums/white noise on both, but it's a bit louder on the driver side.  I checked all four wheels for play, and the driver side had probably 1/8 to 1/4 inch of play up/down and left/right.  The other three are fine.  I took apart the driver side assembly to the rotor, and when I checked the spindle, it's just loose.  I can feel the play in the hub, and when I push it, it can easily be moved out of the knuckle.  According to installation instructions, the axle shaft should be pressed into the hub using one of those do-dads.  I hate replacing the bearings, but I will probably go ahead and do that on the driver side just for good measure - but I doubt that it'll solve the problem since it is still happening on the passenger side. 

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckAnENBIwBo

 

Any ideas on how to quiet down my front end?

 

Thanks again for all your input!

[Gloyale]

sounds like you didn't get grease well packed into the new bearings or you used cheap (non-c3 grade) 6207 bearings.

 

I have an Axle nut welded to another smaller nut which threads onto my slide hammer.  Very useful for pulling new axles though new bearings.

 

Also, if the nut is coming loose, you didn't get enough torque on it and or you got the spring washer upside down.  The "dome" goes outward. 150 ft/lbs is what I shoot for.

[Dee2]

With that much movement, I suspect you got the wrong bearings or maybe the hub is damaged.

Edited November 19, 2017 by Dee2

[DaveT]

I use a big gear puller to push the axle out.

Then a piece of bar stock I cut to make an offset to push out 1 bearing.

Then a big bolt for the second bearing.

Both pushed with the gear puller.

It's a 2 arm puller, and it's a little funky , but there is a way to get it to grip.

 

To reassemble, I have a big bolt and nut and washers and spacers.

[Tony Cortado]

Well, I feel foolish.  I replaced the driver side bearings.  All the noise is gone.  Left turn and right turn.  I always thought worn bearings only make the noise when its particular side is under stress, but I guess they can make noise whenever the steering wheel is turned, regardless of direction.  The axle was still a little loose getting through the hub and bearings, but it wasn't nearly as loose as with the old bearings.  I need to buy one of those gear pullers!  I used a block of wood with a dry towel (to keep wood particles out of the bearings) to bang the bearings in, as well as the 36mm axle nut socket, and hammered the hell out of it!  

[czny]

Just a note: this tool is currently unavailable thru Amazon but others list it as drop ship. OTC 7535

 

This is what it really looks like:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OTC-7535-Subaru-Front-Axle-Shaft-Installer-Tool-/142541775573

 

https://www.jbtoolsales.com/otc-tools-equipment-7535-subaru-front-axle-shaft-installer/

 

I have one & its the only way I'll re-install axles in front anymore.

[mickytrus]

I bang them in with some sockets that are on the large size.....

 

I tap them out with the end of a ball joint pickling fork......... tapping from side to side gradually getting them out.....

 

I set the hub on some 4"x8"x16" solid cinder blocks.... sorta pinning the hub..

(kinda resting on brake caliper mount and tie rod mount arm

. and using gravity and tapping downward.