Tom Dunn Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 Despite the cold and having to work outside, today I attempted to replace the left front ball joint on my 91 Leagcy. Removeal of the old joint was difficult to say the least, but I got it out. Was not a whole lot easier getting the top of the new one in, but I managed that also. However, I caused my self another problem. In the process of turning the hub and rotor out to better access the ball joint, I pulled the distant end of the front drive shaft out of the splines. The car was jacked up with a floor jack on the left side. With the help of a friend to reach down and hold the end of the shaft, I rotated the hub until the splines lined up. However, it is not fully seated, it lacks about a 1/2 inch of fitting in flush when viewed from above. I was able to get the bottom of the ball joint into the control arm and get the castle nut on the bottom. It is possible that the bottom shank of the ball joint is still a bit cocked, but does not appear to be. I put the tire back on and took it for a VERY gentle test drive. The wheels and steering wheel are straight, there is no unusual noise either. Because I only drove it a couple hundred yards, I could not tell if the 4wd is working. It seemsto be fine, EXCEPT for the shaft not being full seated. The boot does not appear to have slid back. I'm at a loss here, and freezing to death besides. Is there a mid-spline in the drive shaft? Do I need to raise the entire front of the car to take pressure of the entire front drive train? I'm at a loss here folks. I downloaded a FSM sometime back but it does not have the steering or suspension sections in it. Advice appreciated more than I can say!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svxpert Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 will the roll pin line up to be put back in? 1/2 inch isn't much, you just have to push it on more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Dunn Posted February 18, 2005 Author Share Posted February 18, 2005 I didn't take any roll pin out, all I did was turn the hub and rotor all the way to the left to better get at the area of the pinch bolt. The drivers side wheel stayed straight, it's on the ground. After I got the top of the ball joint in, I noticed the far end of the drive shaft had pulled free, you could spin the hub and see the splines at the other end turning and watch the end flop about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrand Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 quote-In the process of turning the hub and rotor out to better access the ball joint, I pulled the distant end of the front drive shaft out of the splines "distant end" meaning the end that attaches to the transmission? That end is held in place with a "spring pin" (big hollow roll pin looking thing) that goes through the end of the axle shaft into the stub that comes out of the transmission. . If the axle slid off without removing that pin, then the pin is missing-perhaps not replaced by a previous repairer. Alingment is crucial, believe that in order to get the pin to line up in only one position. Double check the hole and see if your pin is missing, if so they are a dealer item and you may have to wiggle the end so it seats on the spline or disconnect the ball joint to rotate to the proper position. let us know or if i have misinterpreted what you are seeing as the misalignment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Dunn Posted February 18, 2005 Author Share Posted February 18, 2005 What came out is the male splined end at the end of the driveshaft, toward the center of the car so to speak. I apologize for describing this so poorly. I'm stressing my butt off over this. I removed nothing other than the pinch bolt and the castle nut on the ball joint, thats all. It was during the re-assembly when trying to turn the rotor back to the straight, normal position, in order to locate the tapered ball joint shaft over its mounting hole that I noticed the far end of the drive shaft had come loose. If there is something that should have prevented that end from coming out and dropping free, which sure make sense, it's missing. And now I can't get the disconnected end to slide all the way in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 What came out is the male splined end at the end of the driveshaft, toward the center of the car so to speak. I apologize for describing this so poorly. I'm stressing my butt off over this. I removed nothing other than the pinch bolt and the castle nut on the ball joint, thats all. It was during the re-assembly when trying to turn the rotor back to the straight, normal position, in order to locate the tapered ball joint shaft over its mounting hole that I noticed the far end of the drive shaft had come loose. If there is something that should have prevented that end from coming out and dropping free, which sure make sense, it's missing. And now I can't get the disconnected end to slide all the way in. Not from an expert, but is there a snap ring around the end of the transmission end stub? You may just be up against that, and it may take a tap to get it in. Or perhaps the ring came off when you pulled the shaft out of the tranny. It may be blocking the re-insertion. Pull that shaft again and have a look, I'd think. Pull by the innermost collar, if you can, so as not to pull thee shaft apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Dunn Posted February 18, 2005 Author Share Posted February 18, 2005 I understand now, I believe, what went wrong. There is nothing retaining that end of the shaft, and it should not have pulled free simply by fighting the ball joint. At this point, I'll have to give up. Without a garage to work in, let alone a lift, I'll turn this over to a shop for repair. As said, I'm outside in the snow with a floor jack. Money is tight so the ball joint replacement in these crummy conditions was a "gotta-do what ya gotta do" arangement. But I'm past that point. The shop I will call is just a small garage. If that pin is a dealer part, perhaps I should aquire it ahead of time. Does anyone have a PN, or part name or, perhaps a link to a diagram? There are no Subie dealers anywhere near here if that is who the pin must come from, I'd be WAY ahead of the game if I could procurethe part beforehand. I might mention I've put better than 5000 miles on this car since I got it, I had no idea something was amiss! THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE ADVICE!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to have a couple drinks and thaw out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrand Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 quick search on the net shows they can be had elsewhere-sorry for misleading you, I have only been able to find at dealer so far but that is not too much a problem for me. http://www.maximumautoparts.com/ Navigate though your year, model and click on drive axles, they list the CV roll Pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrand Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 Forgot to mention, coat the spring pin with grease or oil before install-will make removal next time MUCH easier and reduce the chance of breakage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rae houghton Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 this is an old thread, however, pertinent. My roll pin did not go in smoothly. I hammered it out a few times after it got stuck ...and i could not see why. Finally I took a chance and belted the damned pin until it went thru...although a 3 or 4 mm. are still sticking out one end. And so now I have to get my housing assembly with axle inserted and rotor on etc, and get the ball joint into the lower arm without injuring the threads or shaft of the ball joint 'stub' attached are three pic showing the lower arm with ball joint stub behind it. and 2 other pics from different angles. so i have tried a jack to lift the housing assembly up (pushing everything up but I am worried that when (IF) i can get the stub into the hole...at what angle it will enter...and not wreck the threads. Any advice would be welcome thanks Raei would love to just drop the lower arm...BUT...I stripped the outside of the nut on the lower arm in order to avoid taking out the ball joint (although now I am glad i did because it forced me to take the whole housing off, and thus regrease the wheel bearing)..and so now getting the lower arm loose is not so easy (if possible at all). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Just disconnect the sway bar link and use a pry-bar to shove the control arm down. You aren't going to push the spring/strut up, and even if you can, that's the absolutely most unsafe way to do this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rae houghton Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 thanksFairtax4me....that did the trick...could almost get the prybar in one hand and put on the castle nut with the other, but ended up getting the wife to hold up the pry bar ...worked great and I am on the road again. thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 +1 one of those 5 foot 100 pound digging bars makes it a cinch too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rae houghton Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 tHAT IS EXACTLY WHAT i USED.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rae houghton Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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