Front driveshaft removal- stupidly stuck at step one

[Viking_Steel]

G'day, just wondering if anyone could spare some time for a backyard mechanic from Australia with an EJ22 motor and trans that just doesn't want to come out.

 

I'm finally getting around to pulling the engine and trans from a 92 Subaru wagon that my friends and I have been stripping for a couple of months now. I've removed the bonnet, most of the engine bay components, and any other bits of body that were in the way. I got a rented hydraulic lift, chained it to the motor, and then went to start removing the crossmembers and axleshafts so I could lift it out.

 

And here's where the easiest step suddenly blocks my way. Cracking the tension on the driveshaft nut so I can remove the halfshafts from the wheelhub. Peel back the crimped edge of the nut where it locks onto the shaft. So far so good. Then the problem. It doesn't move. Now I don't use or own air tools, but seriously you'd think that a 3' long breaker bar being smacked with a hammer would move something. I managed to get a 1/4 turn out of one of them by removing the wheels, bracing the breaker extension against the cement floor, then hammering the wheel studs to turn the hub.

 

After granting me this small rotation, it then returned to mocking me with Japanese precision.

 

I'm leaving them to soak in more penetrant overnight, and hopefully I can find someone to lend me a rattle gun and compressor in the morning. The service manual says to use a breaker bar, and doesn't mention that this particular nut will hold up to treatment that no bolt on a 30 year old Volvo has ever stood up to.

 

I went and borrowed my housemate's impact driver, but this was laughed off too.

 

I feel really stupid, I'm supposed to be the backyard mechanic that my friends come to for help, and I can't even get a wheel bearing undone. Is it possible to detach the shaft at the inboard end and leave it done up at the wheel? This car's on it's way to the crusher as it is.

 

The transmission is a priority part to salvage, but I won't lose any sleep if I have to take a cutter to the driveshaft, although I think I'd need a bit more than the 9" grinder to get through it.

 

Any suggestions?

[john in KY]

You can split that nut with a good sharp chisel and a 3 lb hammer. Takes about 10 whacks.

[ferret]

If you don't want the driveshafts, separate the lower ball joint on each side and remove the driveshafts from the transmission after drifting out the 'roll' pin on each inner CV joint.

[tcspeer]

I had trouble taking one off with air and impact, it would just set there and make racket, so I finally decided to set the impact to fwd. then I hit it for a few seconds then I set it back to reverce and it came right off. You should be able to take the whole thing off at transmission by following the instructions in the Haynes manual for removing drive axle, and then adding to this step the removal of the strut flange bolts. But using the hammer and cheisel as stated above sounds like a good ideal also.

G'day, just wondering if anyone could spare some time for a backyard mechanic from Australia with an EJ22 motor and trans that just doesn't want to come out.

 

I'm finally getting around to pulling the engine and trans from a 92 Subaru wagon that my friends and I have been stripping for a couple of months now. I've removed the bonnet, most of the engine bay components, and any other bits of body that were in the way. I got a rented hydraulic lift, chained it to the motor, and then went to start removing the crossmembers and axleshafts so I could lift it out.

 

And here's where the easiest step suddenly blocks my way. Cracking the tension on the driveshaft nut so I can remove the halfshafts from the wheelhub. Peel back the crimped edge of the nut where it locks onto the shaft. So far so good. Then the problem. It doesn't move. Now I don't use or own air tools, but seriously you'd think that a 3' long breaker bar being smacked with a hammer would move something. I managed to get a 1/4 turn out of one of them by removing the wheels, bracing the breaker extension against the cement floor, then hammering the wheel studs to turn the hub.

 

After granting me this small rotation, it then returned to mocking me with Japanese precision.

 

I'm leaving them to soak in more penetrant overnight, and hopefully I can find someone to lend me a rattle gun and compressor in the morning. The service manual says to use a breaker bar, and doesn't mention that this particular nut will hold up to treatment that no bolt on a 30 year old Volvo has ever stood up to.

 

I went and borrowed my housemate's impact driver, but this was laughed off too.

 

I feel really stupid, I'm supposed to be the backyard mechanic that my friends come to for help, and I can't even get a wheel bearing undone. Is it possible to detach the shaft at the inboard end and leave it done up at the wheel? This car's on it's way to the crusher as it is.

 

The transmission is a priority part to salvage, but I won't lose any sleep if I have to take a cutter to the driveshaft, although I think I'd need a bit more than the 9" grinder to get through it.

 

Any suggestions?

[Viking_Steel]

I took the rollpin out of the inboard end of the axle, which allows it to move out from the transmission, but I still can't figure out how to seperate either of the joints, so now I just have a driveshaft with more free play in it. I've never pulled apart a FWD car before, so CV joints are a mystery to me. The Haynes says I should be able to seperate the inboard joint after removing the retaining ring. Buggered if I can figure that one out from their illustration.

 

I almost got through one of the driveshafts before I wore away my last grinding wheel. 800W in a 4" grinder packs a punch, just goes through wheels pretty quick.

 

Can anyone make it a little clearer for me how these joints are going to seperate. Otherwise I have to get new griding wheels at 8AM tommorow, then have the engine hoist back by midday, which may be a tall order. I suppose if I undo all the mounts tonight, then cut the shafts last I could do it in time. I don't like the idea of cutting through something that's just suspended by the hoist though.

[johnceggleston]

i pulled the engine and trans without removing the axels from the wheels, but i lowered the whole cross member with wheels , steering knuckles and engine/trans as one unit. i had the car jacked up on stands. the wheels were very 'floppy' once i disconnected the struts.

 

put the car on jack stands, unbolt the steering knuckles from struts, and cross member from frame and engine. remove the whole asembly, axels, cross member, knuckles and all while lifting the engine . block up the cross member off the floor just enough to roll out the engine hopist.

 

hope this helps, good luck.

 

 

I took the rollpin out of the inboard end of the axle, which allows it to move out from the transmission, but I still can't figure out how to seperate either of the joints, so now I just have a driveshaft with more free play in it. I've never pulled apart a FWD car before, so CV joints are a mystery to me. The Haynes says I should be able to seperate the inboard joint after removing the retaining ring. Buggered if I can figure that one out from their illustration.

 

I almost got through one of the driveshafts before I wore away my last grinding wheel. 800W in a 4" grinder packs a punch, just goes through wheels pretty quick.

 

Can anyone make it a little clearer for me how these joints are going to seperate. Otherwise I have to get new griding wheels at 8AM tommorow, then have the engine hoist back by midday, which may be a tall order. I suppose if I undo all the mounts tonight, then cut the shafts last I could do it in time. I don't like the idea of cutting through something that's just suspended by the hoist though.

[Viking_Steel]

I've now removed the engine and transf the nut, and I couldn't find a suitable chisel., still within our 48 hour hire on the hoist. It was pretty satisfying finally getting it out. I didn't quite have enough clearance to pry the inboard CV joints off the output shafts, and there wasn't enough play that I could see a way to seperate the joints without removing that driveshaft nut. The design of the hub prevented me from being able to get in close enough to grind of

 

I just got sick of it and turned the 800W grinder to the axleshafts instead, much more satisfying. Once that was out everything followed.

 

It was my first engine pull, so I was pretty pleased that we hadn't left any wires and hoses in place before removing it. Nothing moved unexpectedly, and it came out nice and smooth once the mounts were undone.

 

A pretty satisfying morning. The main reason for the job was that my friend Paul smashed his Subaru with an almost brand new tranny in it. He bought another car the same, but it has the original trans which is long past it's use by date.

 

It's weird seeing what used to be a very nice car get completely gutted. I've pulled a lot of bits off wrecks, but never from a car that I'd actually driven when it was intact. I convinced Paul to buy a Subaru wagon in the first place and I always enjoyed driving it when I got the chance.

 

Now it's got the whole front missing, no bonnet, just about nothing left in the engine bay. no lights, no wheels, pretty much no interior, seats missing. I feel kind of strange cutting up an old friend.