CV half shaft + broken pullers = bad

[89Ru]

Trying to replace my front half shaft (torn boot) on my '89 EA82 Coupe D/R. Its mostly torn apart (tie rod, stabilizer, pivot joint and lower ball joint free. For some reason the inner splines were stuck? somehow and wouldn't pop out until the ball joint was out. Inner splines are free, now I'm really struggling with the outer. I didn't take off the rotor (??). Hitting the outer CV shaft end with a brass hammer moved it a bit, not much, then I got out the pullers and they broke after pushing the shaft in a little, its sticking out about 1/2". My Legacy was easy compared to this, it just popped out with a few taps on the hammer and didn't mess with the tie rod end or pivot joint. Maybe I messed up the bearings, hate to look and see. :-\ Thought I was following the procedure, thought the brakes and rotors were optional if the split ring behind the 36 mm castle nut didn't break free (in my case I got the split ring out easily and the tapered ring behind it came out too). Any help is appreciated. Didn't touch the 'no touch' bolt (yet).

[86ruguy]

The Cv Shaft Is An Interference Fit In The Bearing...meaning It Doesn't Just Slip Out.

 

You Are Prob Going To Have To Replace The Bearings As I Did On My 86 Wagon.

 

Just Keep This In Mind.

 

Dave

[DaveT]

I'm not sure how you can remove the half shaft *without* removing the brake caliper and the rotor. I drive the roll pin out of the hole on the transmission end (inner). Then remove dust shield, tie rod, stabilizer pivot joint, lower ball joint, then the 2 bolts that clamp the strut. Then remove the shaft with the the steering knuckle / casting together. I have always had to use my puller to remove the shaft from the bearings. Sometimes, doesn't take much, sometimes pretty stiff. Among 5 EA82s over >16 years, I don't remember one being loose enough to do as you descibe. Check them, but unless you beat on it with a BIG hammer, the bearings are probably ok.

 

Dave

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Set your parking brake and you can remove the CV w/out messing with your rotors or caliper. Kinda tricky, but it can be done... and once mastered can cut your CV swap time in half.

 

You will need to remove the lower ball joint from the lower control arm... you should also remove the ball joint from the steering rack, but sometimes you can just rotate the steering wheel all the way toward the CV you are replacing and that will give you enough room to slide the CV off the tranny stub. Once the CV is off the tranny, just slide the shaft out of the bearing and hub assembly. That is, of course, if the CV wants to slide out. Ive done some CV's where i had to beat the snot out of the shaft to get it out of the hub. Usually in that case, the bearing comes out with it and you will then need to replace whichever (or i suggest both) bearings.

 

Ive also done some CV joints where they just slide right out of the hub with barely a tap. Those are the ones I preffer to do :-p

 

-Brian

[DaveT]

Ive done some CV's where i had to beat the snot out of the shaft to get it out of the hub.

 

That explains some of the CV's I have had to work on with buggered up threads! Doesn't matter if the shaft is junk, but I found a few on cars over the years...

[89Ru]

OK, sounds like I may be on the right track. Thanks for the comments, very helpful. Dave you remove the brakes I'm guessing so you can pull the shaft out more freely, but if you do it on-car with pullers it would still work right? Looks like I need to use my larger set of pullers or sacrifice my brass hammer (it was the thin metal extensions that broke on one arm, the end came off like shrapnel when it snapped). As you might guess this is my first axle attempt on the EA82. Thanks for the comments on bearings...I have a set (might need help on getting them in...hope to cross that bridge soon). I might end up bringing the whole knuckle and stuck axle into a shop to press out since I anticipate the new axle will be tricky to install at this point.

[DaveT]

Dave you remove the brakes I'm guessing so you can pull the shaft out more freely, but if you do it on-car with pullers it would still work right? Looks like I need to use my larger set of pullers or sacrifice my brass hammer (it was the thin metal extensions that broke on one arm, the end came off like shrapnel when it snapped).

 

I am just thinking this - with the brakes & rotor on, you have to pull against the rotor. The brakes only hold on one side of the rotor. Appling a force to the axel referenced off the rotor is going to twist the rotor out of line with the bores thorugh the bearings. Any missalignment would aggravate friction sticking the axel in the bearings. In cases of looser fits, this would probably work ok. In some of the tighter ones I have run into, not very well - broken tools, ruined parts.

 

I remove the brakes by removing the 2 17mm head bolts that hold the whole assembly to the knuckle, and hang the brake with a piece of wire so the line isn't stressed. I have never done the on car version of this. The puller I use is big enough to push on the end of the axel, and the arms catch the inner edge of the casting. It is a little tricky getting the little puller "hooks" onto good places, but there is a close enough position that works.

 

For installing, I slip the axel in as far as it goes by hand, then use the big nut, washers and spacers to pull it back together. Once the nut bottoms, back it off, put in a different stack of spacers / washers, tighten up some more. Watch out for the spring washer, it likes to stick to the step in the axel. I have a spacer from a 76 that is slightly shorter than the EA82 spacer that helps with this. A piece of pipe the right size should work also.

[torxxx]

here you go.. unbolt the strut, take the caliper and rotor and the pad bracket off. Take a BFH and pound the hell out of it. It will come out. You said you are replacing the axle, so it doesnt matter if you screw the threads up on the end of the axle. If you are going to make a rebuilt axle and you need to save the threads, use a brass drift the size of the indentation in the end of the axle. These EA82 cars seem to need a lil persuasion with a hammer to get a lot of the stuff apart.

 

I dont know where everyone keeps getting this unbolt the balljoint and tie rod stuff from. You are just making more work for yourselves. Strut, caliper, rotor, pad bracket.

 

Good luck

[89Ru]

Figured removing the ball joint would prevent messing with the strut but I just got over that. Hello alignment? Dave I agree about using pullers against the rotors is bad, my set fit ok over the lug nut plate. My 8" pullers broke on the first turn (guess I got what I paid for I think the set was around $10) so I need to have someone press it out. Two bolts and the rotors/calipers are off. Didn't want to stress the brake lines (original) so they are off too. Will work on removing the hub from the strut next but its too late to hammer on it and keep happy neighbors.

[torxxx]

alignment?!?!?!?!! :lol::lol:

 

I dont think so on a EA82. Let me see, one of the bolts is a pinch bolt and the other is just a guide bolt to make sure you have the strut facing the right direction.

The top bolts can affect the alignment, if you use the chamber plates from a legacy, but stock, you arent hurting anything by unbolting the bottom of the strut from the knuckle

 

I have never EVER had my alignment checked, 6 or 7 years of slamming axles in and out along with new tierods and balljoints when they wear out and my car drives straighter than it did before I got it.

 

I think you are thinking of the Legacy setup for the struts. Those bolts do change the alignment if you dont mark the bolt when u take it off.

[GeneralDisorder]

The easy way to do it - take the lower control arm bolt out, and the sway bar link off and the axle will drop right off the transmission - no need to remove the strut top bolts or the ball joint. Much simple and will yield a lot more room to work as well. The taking the strut top loose you'll have to push down hard on the knuckle to gain the clearance for the axle to clear the stub. Taking the ball joint loose is just asking for problems - those pinch bolts are a pain, and you have to lever the bloody thing down with a prybar to get it out. Control arm to cross member bolt, and sway bar link - very easy.

 

No need for alignment in any case. There is only ONE alignment adjustment on the EA82 - toe adjustment with the tie rods. Don't mess with the tie rods.... not neccesary at all.

 

Put the nut on the threads before beating on it - I use a copper hammer myself - little heavier than Brass, and little peices don't fly off it as easily. Lead works too. Good solid hits - not too hard or you will damage the threads. Moving it a little at a time is better than hitting it like a frieght train and driving it out the other side of the car - totally mashing the threads on the process. You'll make the rebuilders job harder, and the next guy's install harder too.

 

GD

[89Ru]

Good posts. I bashed the axle out of the hub this morning with a copper hammer, soft head with mostly square blows didn't round off the end threads so I figured I was ok, but now that it is off I see the threads are crumpled like an accordion somewhat. Maybe I hit a little hard. Is the axle that soft? A nut on the end would have solved it, holding a piece of wood to do it on-car would have worked if I had a third hand. Like GD says its going to make it hard for the rebuilder.

I see what is meant by interference fit on the bearings, they are offset from each other. All good info on procedures, I admit I'm taking more apart than typical but the inner joint wouldn't clear until I dropped the ball joint out of its pinch joint (it practically fell out with three taps unlike my Legacy which took hours to bash out). I freed up the hub like Torxxx mentioned (two bolts), a few downward taps from the hammer and it dropped off the strut. No worries about an alignment. I see that the only alignment adjustment is on the tie rod and I didn't turn that nut. Thanks for the help, wouldn't have gotten this far without it and probably would have a broken car instead of just some broken tools.

[89Ru]

Got the axle pressed in to the housing at a shop plus repack bearings with new seals. Between raindrops I put everything together and torque to FSM specs. Here's a list of torques with hopefully more accurate names than the confusion that I have posted in this thread

 

Torques of wheel and related fasteners (ft - lb)

lower ball joint pinch bolt, 28-37

lower ball joint castle nut, 22-29

steering tie rod end ball joint castle nut, 18-22

stabilizer bar end bracket (2) to transverse link, 14-22

wheel lug nut, 58-72

transverse link to cross member (pivot joint) lock nut, 43-51

damper strut and housing (2 bolts), 22-29

hub & disc brake assy (2 bolts), 36-51

axle castle nut, 145

Took a test drive and what do I hear but the dreaded CV knock. Seems to happen more on pulling forward but occasionally while turning. The old axle didn't knock (yet) just a torn inner boot so I'm wondering if I have a bad reman. axle. I had a bad stabilizer bar end bushing and spacer (completely gone, just keeper bolt remaining) that I replaced. Wheel bearings were not replaced (probably original with 265K on them). I'll drive on it a while and see if I can narrow it down some. Just read a post on a loose castle nut being the cause of rear knocking, will check that. I didn't bring the hub with me to be pressed on, I just used the castle nut to do that, maybe its loose? Will re-torque after more driving...

[jonas]

a sixer of cold beer will help tremendously. suprised no one mentioned that.

[GeneralDisorder]

Replace the cone washer under the axle nut. They get worn, and do not fit the hub properly - they wear and then the nut is loose. This will cause a very "CV like" sound. Also if the shop didn't press the axle all the way in it may have pulled through further and the nut can be loose. When you tighten the nut - pay no attention to the subaru 145 lbs - just make it "as tight as you can". If that mean 300 lbs, then fine. VW bus rear nuts (pre-67 I think??) are the same size, and spec'd to 250.

 

When you put the brake pads in, did you make sure the anti-rattle clips were in place? There is a legion of them for each wheel. Five "clips" and a backing plate for the outer pad. Without them the pads make a very "CV like" sound as well.

 

Next time - pull the axle into the bearings with a couple screwdrivers and the axle nut. Don't need a shop to do this. Bearings as well - a brass drift will knock the bearings out and the new ones in without much difficulty. I've done the bearings without ever removing the knuckle from the car. Brass punch can be had for about $5 anywhere.

 

GD

[89Ru]

Replace the cone washer under the axle nut...make it "as tight as you can"

 

When you put the brake pads in, did you make sure the anti-rattle clips were in place?

 

GD

 

Good points I didn't even think about.

 

I drove 50 miles today, lots of turns and city driving plus a few 360's in the local grocery store lot. What's that I hear? Silence? The suspiciously CV-like rattle gradually 'disappeared' going from knock-knock-knock in 1st gear pulling away straight, louder with speed, to 'nothing'. Something loose must have wiggled into place? To nail it, after a couple hundred miles I'll re-torque, I think my wrench stops at 150 so I'll stand on my breaker bar.

 

I'll pick up an extra cone washer in the meantime and brass drift punch. Didn't touch those pad clips, the caliper and pads never left the rotor.

 

so its back to being a rolling tool box again instead of a three-wheeled driveway ornament on jack stands. My neighbors brought over some tasty bread today, I think they are happy that the hammering has stopped. Handy tool tho!