question about changing axles
Thread Starter
teh clit wiggler
Joined: Sep 2001
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question about changing axles
helping a friend change both front axles on his 1.8l subaru impreza. Now he told me that the car is only two wheel drive but arent all subarus 4 wheel drive? please be kind and dont flame me.
also to complete the task, does anyone know whats the size of the axle nut? is it 27mm or 32mm just like the acura/honda axle nut sizes?
thanks in advance people
also to complete the task, does anyone know whats the size of the axle nut? is it 27mm or 32mm just like the acura/honda axle nut sizes?
thanks in advance people
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Before 1997 Subaru sold both FWD & AWD cars in the U.S. The axle nut is a 31mm (Subaru has to be odd) but a 32mm will work.
Here's a tip to make the work easier and quicker...
Don't seperate the ball joint like the manual recomends, instead disconnect the sway bar end link and the front lower control arm mount. That will give you enough play to replace the axle without messing with the ball joint. If your good it should only take about 30 to 45 mins per side
Here's a tip to make the work easier and quicker...
Don't seperate the ball joint like the manual recomends, instead disconnect the sway bar end link and the front lower control arm mount. That will give you enough play to replace the axle without messing with the ball joint. If your good it should only take about 30 to 45 mins per side
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danse
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Originally posted by Opie
Before 1997 Subaru sold both FWD & AWD cars in the U.S. The axle nut is a 31mm (Subaru has to be odd) but a 32mm will work.
Here's a tip to make the work easier and quicker...
Don't seperate the ball joint like the manual recomends, instead disconnect the sway bar end link and the front lower control arm mount. That will give you enough play to replace the axle without messing with the ball joint. If your good it should only take about 30 to 45 mins per side
Before 1997 Subaru sold both FWD & AWD cars in the U.S. The axle nut is a 31mm (Subaru has to be odd) but a 32mm will work.
Here's a tip to make the work easier and quicker...
Don't seperate the ball joint like the manual recomends, instead disconnect the sway bar end link and the front lower control arm mount. That will give you enough play to replace the axle without messing with the ball joint. If your good it should only take about 30 to 45 mins per side
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Thread Starter
teh clit wiggler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,011
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Originally posted by Opie
Before 1997 Subaru sold both FWD & AWD cars in the U.S. The axle nut is a 31mm (Subaru has to be odd) but a 32mm will work.
Here's a tip to make the work easier and quicker...
Don't seperate the ball joint like the manual recomends, instead disconnect the sway bar end link and the front lower control arm mount. That will give you enough play to replace the axle without messing with the ball joint. If your good it should only take about 30 to 45 mins per side
Before 1997 Subaru sold both FWD & AWD cars in the U.S. The axle nut is a 31mm (Subaru has to be odd) but a 32mm will work.
Here's a tip to make the work easier and quicker...
Don't seperate the ball joint like the manual recomends, instead disconnect the sway bar end link and the front lower control arm mount. That will give you enough play to replace the axle without messing with the ball joint. If your good it should only take about 30 to 45 mins per side
thanks for the little piece of advice. Ill definitely let u know how it turns out.
Thread Starter
teh clit wiggler
Joined: Sep 2001
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OK, this job didn't go to well. My friend banged the threads on the upper and lower control arm. The bolt wont go in anymore. Also i had so much trouble taking out the axle from both brake rotor sides. I had to bang it out for like 15 minutes. what was the deal with this.
also it started out fine but now he got around 40 ft and then a grinding sound started, the car wouldnt go/move anywhere anymore so we just parked it around my place. Now i feel bad for working on his car and actually just made it worse. I know I lined up both pins on the axle on the transmission side coz it went it pretty easy. MY worst fear is that since we hammered the axle out and hammered the new ones in, the thread in the rotor side might have gotten messed up,
Do you guys have any idea why the grinding sound is happening. any thoughts are appreciated.
thanks
also it started out fine but now he got around 40 ft and then a grinding sound started, the car wouldnt go/move anywhere anymore so we just parked it around my place. Now i feel bad for working on his car and actually just made it worse. I know I lined up both pins on the axle on the transmission side coz it went it pretty easy. MY worst fear is that since we hammered the axle out and hammered the new ones in, the thread in the rotor side might have gotten messed up,
Do you guys have any idea why the grinding sound is happening. any thoughts are appreciated.
thanks
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Last edited by squid00; Nov 27, 2003 at 09:56 AM.
So now I'm a liar...
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First question...did you disconnect the axle from the transmission before you started "hammering" to knock it loose from the hub (rotor)?
If you left this connected while hammering, it could be very bad news as the blunt force would be transferred directly into the transmission...which in turn could destroy the differential.
Secondly, you mentioned you had to hammer the new axle in? Are you sure you got the right axle? It should have just slipped right into the hub if all of the splines were lined up. You just should have needed to tighten the hub nut.
Best case you just wrecked the front wheel bearings while "hammering" the rotor side of the axle in. Worse case the hammering damaged something internally on the tranny.
There should have been no hammering necessary, at most a couple taps with a rubber mallet.
Found this elsewhere on the web:
If you left this connected while hammering, it could be very bad news as the blunt force would be transferred directly into the transmission...which in turn could destroy the differential.
Secondly, you mentioned you had to hammer the new axle in? Are you sure you got the right axle? It should have just slipped right into the hub if all of the splines were lined up. You just should have needed to tighten the hub nut.
Best case you just wrecked the front wheel bearings while "hammering" the rotor side of the axle in. Worse case the hammering damaged something internally on the tranny.
There should have been no hammering necessary, at most a couple taps with a rubber mallet.
Found this elsewhere on the web:
Replacing a CV is not overly hard to do. I suggest getting the latest Haynes service manual for assistance.
You need the following tools and parts
* liquid wrench penetrating oil
* 1/2 drive torque wrench
* 1/2 drive breaker bar
* 1/2 drive 31/32mm socket
* metric wrenches or sockets for the control arm/end-link bolts
* small punch to knock the DOJ joint transmission outdrive pin out
* hammer (for the above punch)
* rubber mallet to tap to push axle out of hub (usually not required)
* replacement CV axle
* replacement axle nut (DO NOT REUSE the old one)
* replacement cotter pin for the ball joint nut
Step 1: spray the axle nut, tie rod nut and DOJ pin with penetrating oil once a day for a few days before the work is to be done.
Step 2: using the 31/32 mm socket and breaker pull remove the axle nut (this is sometimes difficult) (you should use a hardened impact wrench socket, I have seen regular ones shatter)
Step 3: remove bolt from lower control arm to the sway bar end-link.
Step 4: remove bolt front lower control arm at the front mounting point.
Step 5: remove the pin from the inner CV joint.
Step 6: with the end-link & lower control arm frount mount loose you should be able to pull the inner DOJ joint off the transmission outdrive.
Step 7: Pull the CV axle out of the hub.
Step 8: If necessary, use the rubber mallet to tap the CV axle out of the hub. It's a good idea to reinstall the axle nut loosely to protect the axle threads before tapping the axle gently loose.
Reverse for installation of new axle.
You need the following tools and parts
* liquid wrench penetrating oil
* 1/2 drive torque wrench
* 1/2 drive breaker bar
* 1/2 drive 31/32mm socket
* metric wrenches or sockets for the control arm/end-link bolts
* small punch to knock the DOJ joint transmission outdrive pin out
* hammer (for the above punch)
* rubber mallet to tap to push axle out of hub (usually not required)
* replacement CV axle
* replacement axle nut (DO NOT REUSE the old one)
* replacement cotter pin for the ball joint nut
Step 1: spray the axle nut, tie rod nut and DOJ pin with penetrating oil once a day for a few days before the work is to be done.
Step 2: using the 31/32 mm socket and breaker pull remove the axle nut (this is sometimes difficult) (you should use a hardened impact wrench socket, I have seen regular ones shatter)
Step 3: remove bolt from lower control arm to the sway bar end-link.
Step 4: remove bolt front lower control arm at the front mounting point.
Step 5: remove the pin from the inner CV joint.
Step 6: with the end-link & lower control arm frount mount loose you should be able to pull the inner DOJ joint off the transmission outdrive.
Step 7: Pull the CV axle out of the hub.
Step 8: If necessary, use the rubber mallet to tap the CV axle out of the hub. It's a good idea to reinstall the axle nut loosely to protect the axle threads before tapping the axle gently loose.
Reverse for installation of new axle.
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Thread Starter
teh clit wiggler
Joined: Sep 2001
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Originally posted by Snowman
Also the mechanic said that it was the wrong axle. YES, MOTHER F&%*ckin discount auto parts gave my friend the wrong axles ( they gave him axles for an automatic). I noticed that the hole on the transmission side of the automatic axle is WAY bigger compared to the manual ones (there was to much play, that is why it snapped the roller pins).
well we learn new things everyday.
LESSON 1: NO HAMMERING of control arm threads.. the mechanic bitched about the threads being F*cked up. He had to rethread the whole thing. Yes i know, it was really stupid of me.
LESSON 2: ALWAYS check compatibility of the old axles to the new ones that one bought. If it doesn't look right, return it. I had to return the discount auto part axles and drive 24 miles to Tri City automotive to get my axles So i can get the car out of the shop at 6pm.
end of rant
