PeterD Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 so as many know i need to replace my friends axle on her legacy because the cv joint broke. im after the parts and tools that will make this fix swift and easy. it seems to be very similar to my old 82 wagon in the way it goes to gether but ive never done it so it could be a tiny bit differe.t -Jack the car up, remove axle nut from hub -use punch to remove pin from the inner joint - remove lower ball joint slide axle out of hub.. -slide axle off tranny... -and install reverse from removal. my questions. is the axle nut 32mm. and what is the best way to remove the lower ball joint. ( on my 82 it was much better this way than removing the tirod end. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 yeah, i'd like to know also, i've gotta replace some cv boots, and it's cold out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 That sure sounds right to me but I am not sure of the nut size. I'm sure somebody here has just done it. I yhink the pin is supposed to only go in one direction and a long extension to bang on will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tossem Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I guess it depends on how long the nut has been on since it will take a 1 1/4 inch socket on my 93 Legacy. I had to use a 3/4 inch braker bar as I ended up breaking the 1/2 inch one,and a fence post for leverage. The car had 180,000 miles on it so I went ahead and replaced the ball joints as well (good decission) and the roll pin that fits the inner joint. They do make a roll pin punch that fits perfect and makes it easy to bang the pin out (by the way if you just use a punch what happens is that it tends to work its way in between the pin, thus spreadingit and making it more difficult to extract). I will say this it is not an easy job and I used a few jacks in order to get the ball joint back in place without removing the strut. I did use a bit of grease in order to get the new ball joint in, the old one had a bit of rust which made it difficult to extract so thinking of the future I used a bit of grease for that purose, hope this helps.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tossem Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 One other point to replace the roll pin it goes in the beveled side, just tap it until it is flush and you should be ok. In order to drive the pin out strike it from the non-beveled side... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 -Jack the car up, remove axle nut from hub -use punch to remove pin from the inner joint - remove lower ball joint slide axle out of hub.. -slide axle off tranny... -and install reverse from removal. my questions. is the axle nut 32mm. and what is the best way to remove the lower ball joint. ( on my 82 it was much better this way than removing the tirod end. ) You have the right of it, but you should probably remove the nut before jacking the car up. Yes, the nut is 32mm. put lots of penetrating oil on it to loosen things up. same for ball joint. the lower balljoint is attached to the lower control arm with a tapered shaft like the tie rod end, and to the knuckle with a pinch bolt. The best way to remove it is from the knuckle: -remove pinch bolt (12mm IIRC) -use heavy pipe and large hammer to knock the joint out of the knuckle by placing the pipe verticaly against the lower control arm and hammering (hard) on the other end. the pipe transfers the impact of the hammer (a 3lb sledge should do) directly to the lower control arm, which jars the balljoint out of the sleeve it is in. installation is almost the reverse of removal ( hammer directly on the bottom of the control arm to install). This method is the most reliable, with the least chance of breaking something in the process. The pipe I use is a 1" heavy blackpipe, 36" in length. I got this at a local hardware store and use it often as a cheater bar. as the pipe cost less than $5.00, I find it to be a valuable addition to my toolkit.. total time for the job is about aqn hour per side. Oh, and the punch is a 3/16" drift if you do not already know that. PB Blaster is the penetrating oil of choice for this, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterD Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 thanks guys. i need to locate a little sledge hammer and a pipe. easy enough. and a socket. my goal is getting the car back to where i live.. 65miles away.. if the ball joit needs replacement.. i'll talk to the owner, but it iwll have to limp back to my place and i'll wait for better weather. . the ball joint on my 82 was a PITA removing the pinch bolt and getting out of that cup it was in, was hard.. then getting the new ball joint back in was tough. i gotta make this as swift and easy as possible. how easy is it to pull that ball joint out and put it back in. im sure my old subaru had way more rust and what not. but still i don't want to run into too many problems., thank agian for the tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid_vicious Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 here's to the pipe idea...i used a crowbar to get the balljoints out when i replaced the front axles on my 97 outback. it was a terrible job that would have been much easier with some more leverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctoth Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 also, if the ball joint is still good, all you have to do is back the nut off. Use a bar to pry the a-arm from the ball joint. Put a new cotter pin in the ball joint when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Why are you taking out the ball joint, it dosn't need to come out to do the axle. mark the 2 bolts that connect the strut to the knuckle, and pull them instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterD Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 Why are you taking out the ball joint, it dosn't need to come out to do the axle. mark the 2 bolts that connect the strut to the knuckle, and pull them instead. didn't think that would give me enough room to install the newaxle, but i will surly try that would make it much easyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beezer Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Just a little tip from when I did mine. The pin on the passenger side can be punched out more easily if you put the punch in a socket on a 3" extension. I think it is the exhaust that is kinda in the way. You can take a little better swing at it without worrying about hitting something you don't want to. Good luck with the ball joints, they can make a person very mad. Beezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I just took the hub and spindle off of my 97 last week, and the ball joint was no problem. It came right out with a small pry bar. Be sure to remove the bolt from the pinch clamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Sometimes it's nice to live in Texas and here in CA with no salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I think mine is so easy because it comes off so much, it dont get time to rust. But I have got about three years out of these last axles so that is much better than the ones I use to use. Sometimes it's nice to live in Texas and here in CA with no salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickensheets Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I did ball joints recently on the 97. I pickleforked them off (and replaced with new) and to get them back in the cup I put pressure on the bottom of the control arm with a bottle jack, worked good. The car was on jack stands for the entire procedure. rd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterD Posted January 11, 2006 Author Share Posted January 11, 2006 i removed one part of the axle. removed the pin on the inner joint with a little hammer and a phillips screwdriver:drunk: all i have to remove tomarow when i drive down is take the axle nut off with a breaker bar and a 32mm socket. then undo the strut after i mark the bolts then put it all backtogether with the new axle.. and the dreaded process of getting the inner joint to line up properly... its almost as easy if not easier than my vw.. although my vw i don't have to undoo any bolts.. just the axle nut and the bolts on the inner joint:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I dont remember having any problems getting the inner joint to line up, but I dont remember it being keyed either, but it may have been. I think it would be more easy to pop the ball joint and the control arm link then undoing the strut. If you will get the Haynes manuel it will show and tell which ones to take loose for axle replacement. I used it and it was easy when I replaced the axle a few years back. Last week I had to take spindle and hub off to replace wheel bearing so I had to undo the strut, and I thought it was more work then the way the Haynes gives directions for removing the axle. But I realize other people may think different. But I would look at the Haynes and then decide. i removed one part of the axle. removed the pin on the inner joint with a little hammer and a phillips screwdriver:drunk: all i have to remove tomarow when i drive down is take the axle nut off with a breaker bar and a 32mm socket. then undo the strut after i mark the bolts then put it all backtogether with the new axle.. and the dreaded process of getting the inner joint to line up properly... its almost as easy if not easier than my vw.. although my vw i don't have to undoo any bolts.. just the axle nut and the bolts on the inner joint:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unibrook Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I will echo what Noah says......if it is a newer model and you don't need to replace the ball jt anyway. Mine is a 2001 Forester, and I didn't want to risk tearing the ball jt boot so I just removed the two big lower strut bolts instead. They were tough, but the impact gun won the battle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I have never done an axle this way, it dont seem like this would give enough play to get the axle out. But if you have done it I guess there is. One other thing to remember through is the ball joint does need to be checked every once in a while. I will echo what Noah says......if it is a newer model and you don't need to replace the ball jt anyway. Mine is a 2001 Forester, and I didn't want to risk tearing the ball jt boot so I just removed the two big lower strut bolts instead. They were tough, but the impact gun won the battle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterD Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 so today was suposed to be the day i go and fix the car but i find out i don't have the proper tool. i got my axle from napa and went to find a proper socket to remove the axle nut. its not 30mm its not 32mm... and no one sells 31mm so i went to Sears and got a 6pt 1 1/4 in socket and it will work... i don't plan to remove the ball joint. only if i have to. and yes the inner joint has a key for the pin. that hole is offset from the center.... at least it is on the old subarus. when i pulled the one half of the axle off when i went to rescue her i just undid the strut from the hub and it had a good ammount of room.. i got the tools to remove the balljoint if i have to but i would rather not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterD Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 well i got it finished, probably took less than 45min to do. agian ive never done an axle on these newer subarus. but since its very similar to the old ones i found it quite easy. i didn't have to remove the ball joint fom the lower control arm. BUT it is highly recomended that you do so. just removing the strut strut from the hub will work but you have to stress the joint too much. i got it in but the next time im taking the lower ball joint off. a little more time consuming but it will be better on the CV. thanks for the pointers everyone. another subaru problem fixed:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aa8jzdial Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Just to chime in. I have replaced a few axles and never have popped off the ball joint. Scratch the bolt that is used for castor or camber adjustment (not sure what it is called) with a grinder so you can zero it back in. Take the easy way out. Not a piece of cake but certainly not a major. If I recall, care needs to be exercised when sliding the new axle into output shaft. One way the pin looks like it will go in. Rotate about but not quite 180 degrees and it will go in. rick w. mi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unibrook Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: If I recall, care needs to be exercised when sliding the new axle onto output shaft. One way the pin looks like it will go in. Rotate about but not quite 180 degrees and it will go in. rick I wonder if this is what I ran into on mine (2001 Forester). I kept trying to get the holes to line up perfectly but couldn't. I don't think I tried to rotate it 180....or 179 degrees, because I was so sure it was going on right. So I ended up just using a large cotter pin instead of the spring pin. Works fine anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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