Removing CV axle

[awdonry]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of removing my axle on a 98 impreza. So far I got the 32mm axle nut off. Now before I continue, I put a piece of wood on the spline shaft, and tried to hammer it to see if it moves. Well it doesn't want to move at all. 

 

The axle should be compress a bit, and it should move if I hit it with a hammer?

 

I don't want to continue if it's stuck. Or do I have to unbolt the 2 Bolts on the strut, and undo the pin and remove the inner stub off the tranny for it to move?

Edited July 20, 2022 by awdonry

[lmdew]

I've had them rust so tight I had to change the knuckle.  

Put a large drift on the end of the shaft.  Keep the nut loose but on to protect the treads.  After soaking in PB Blaster of some other oil give it a good one.

Pin punch to mark the top alignment bolt.  Then remove it and loosen the bottom bolt.  It will allow you to tilt the knuckel enought to remove the inner CV.  You can then get the otter joint out of the hub.

[awdonry]

Thanks, yeah I marked and removed the strut bolts. The axle is stuck. 

 

Before you hit it with the hammer, did you disconnect the axle from the transmission?

[89Ru]

Yes, remove the axle from the transmission so you aren't hammering against it. With the strut free you'll have some play to swing the knuckle away from the transmission and out pops the other end. Make sure you take out the axle pin on the transmission side first.

[idosubaru]

If there's rust around you it's likely rusted up.  I've smashed them so hard the axle nut threads were compressed and unusable.  It will damage the threads on the axles if you pound it hard enough. 

Are you taking it off to repair the axle? If the boots are busted, you could try rebooting it without removing it from the knuckle.  Drop the entire knuckle/axle assembly and just reboot it.  If it's got green inner cups then it's OEM subaru and will be more reliable than a new aftermarket anyway.   I've cleaned ad regreased noisy originanl Subaru joints and they work perfect.  It's like a house door hinge - you generally don't replace the door or hinge when it's noisy you just clean it and lubricate it.  Unless of course it's old, rusty, warn, and sloppy.  OEM axles often aren't though. 

[awdonry]

16 hours ago, 89Ru said:

Yes, remove the axle from the transmission so you aren't hammering against it. With the strut free you'll have some play to swing the knuckle away from the transmission and out pops the other end. Make sure you take out the axle pin on the transmission side first.

Ah **** I whacked it at least 12 times with a 4*4 wood blockin front of the spline. Man I hope I didn't damage anything in the transmission. I removed the pin, it wasn't bad with the proper punch. First time attempting axles.

3 hours ago, idosubaru said:

If there's rust around you it's likely rusted up.  I've smashed them so hard the axle nut threads were compressed and unusable.  It will damage the threads on the axles if you pound it hard enough. 

Are you taking it off to repair the axle? If the boots are busted, you could try rebooting it without removing it from the knuckle.  Drop the entire knuckle/axle assembly and just reboot it.  If it's got green inner cups then it's OEM subaru and will be more reliable than a new aftermarket anyway.   I've cleaned ad regreased noisy originanl Subaru joints and they work perfect.  It's like a house door hinge - you generally don't replace the door or hinge when it's noisy you just clean it and lubricate it.  Unless of course it's old, rusty, warn, and sloppy.  OEM axles often aren't though. 

Thanks. I was going to bring it to a independent shop for a rebuild/reboot. I don't think I have the know how to do it myself. On the plus side I found 2 OEM axle with the boot intact local. I may just get 1 rebuilt/reboot and keep 1 as a spare.

Edited July 21, 2022 by awdonry

[lmdew]

I've removed the inner CV Joint, to reboot an outter that would not come out.  A pain to try to clean out the old grease out of the outter, but you can do the best you can and then add new grease and a new boot to the outter.  The inner can be completely cleaned and regreased and a new boot installed and then put it back on the trans.

Got to do what you got to do sometimes.

[1 Lucky Texan]

I read once long ago of a guy that left the nut on but loose, put the wheel back on, fired-up the car and jooked it back and forth, full acceleration and full braking. Managed to bust it loose. 

[89Ru]

10 hours ago, awdonry said:

Ah **** I whacked it at least 12 times with a 4*4 wood blockin front of the spline. Man I hope I didn't damage anything in the transmission. I removed the pin, it wasn't bad with the proper punch. First time attempting axles.

Thanks. I was going to bring it to a independent shop for a rebuild/reboot. I don't think I have the know how to do it myself. On the plus side I found 2 OEM axle with the boot intact local. I may just get 1 rebuilt/reboot and keep 1 as a spare.

Always nice to find OEM axles. I have whacked things for hours in the past. Sometimes a better tool is the answer, such as a hub puller like OTC 6574, a beast. Probably didn't bother the transmission, it's mostly solid metal anyway and some of that force goes into the control arm.

[awdonry]

Update: me and my buddy had to remove the lca, knuckle, and axle all on 1 piece. I could not seperate the balljoint from the lca. After removing everything I had enough room to swing a hammer to hit the balljoint lose.

My buddy took it home as he has a press, and it worked.

Not %100 sure if the wheel bearing is damage from all the hitting and the press. It spins, no movement in/out, and doesn't grind.

Edited July 24, 2022 by awdonry

[89Ru]

So you were able to get the axle pressed out of the hub. Good job to all. Getting all that irregular knuckle metal/mass balanced in a press can be a bear! At least you have access to a press, as your wheel bearing is press in/out.  Getting a ball joint out without a special tool is no fun. Ball joint tools are not expensive. A bull pin is cheap and effective but has the risk of tearing the boot. 

[awdonry]

Well I was going to get the OEM axle rebuilt but the shop said they cannot. The outer spline/threaded part is fucked up so they won't touch it. Unfortunately Subaru Canada doesn't sell just the outer shaft anymore, saying discontinued.

 

I'll probably get a new OEM one now. 

 

[lmdew]

They are pretty easy to rebuild yourself.  

As far as the outter threads, I've taken several that were mushroomed from beating them out and put a taper on the end at a grinding wheel.  They stick out about a 1/4".  As long as most of the notch is still there to stake the nut into you are OK.

[heartless]

all depends on how badly things are damaged.... if it is just the end, do what lmdew said.. clean it up with a grinding wheel/angle grinder. just take your time and check progress frequently

 

[moosens]

For parts at the dealer you might be able to get them to go through another distribution hub. 
 

For older parts that’s what I have had to do here on the east coast. 
 

Sounds like I would have used my ten pound sledge and a steel drift stuck into the axle end. They can be bears.