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Well, my XT is 16 years old, after all...


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After the vast learning experience with replacing my right front axle on an 80's Subaru, I pulled the left front off without a hitch... well sorta. The left balljoint is done for, so while I had the knuckle off of it to change the axle, I tried changing the balljoint...

 

It took me 20 minutes of hammering the control arm away from the knuckle to get that raggedy old balljoint out, and then another hour of trying to remove the balljoint from the control arm. After wasting all that time, I decided to get the axle over with, so at least SOMETHING got done... :banghead:

 

Needless to say, I did not get the balljoint out of the control arm, and I ruined the threads on the bottom of it trying. So my XT is in my garage now with no nut on the left balljoint!

 

I sprayed some WD40 and rust penetrant on it about a half-hour ago, and I'm going to let it sit until Thursday, when I try it again.

 

Anyway, I hate the fact that although the design of the early Subarus makes them pretty easy to work on, their current age takes away all the benefits of the easy design:madder:

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Taking a bigger component out and extracting the part out of it seems to be a really good rule for Subaru's lately.

 

Tonight I was parting out a car and only 1 of the 4 rear axle pins would come out. So what did I do? I took the one out....then I slid the inner end of the axle off thanks to the missing pin.

Then I pounded the stub AND the axle out of the right side, and then I took the entire driveshaft, left rear axle, rear differential and left outer stub out as one huge piece.

 

That allowed me to call it a night and put all the pieces on the garage floor and PB BLASTER the crap out of em. Maybe the pins will cooperate in the morning, or maybe I will just drill them out or something.

 

So take the whole knuckle off, or take the control arm off and pound the balljoint out that way, etc.

 

Maybe you have already done that. If so, holy cow that stinks.

 

-Shawn

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Oh man - shawn you DO NOT want to drill those pins - MAN are they tough. Spring steel. Tried that once and gave up after chewing three bits up, and only going 1/8". 3/16" punch is the best bet - I'm sure you know that. PB probly help too. Problem I have is similar - except the pin comes out - but the stub axle (talking rear axles here), won't come out of the axle. I guess when it's time for a new axle, I'll just get another stub from the JY. Oh well.

 

And the Ball joints are supposed to be tough to get out - that's why there's a puller for them. Pickle fork - only way to fly. Get one at autozone - the free tool rental program works great. All the WD-40 in the world won't loosen that ball joint a bit, since it's not rust that's holding it in.....

 

GD

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I am the MASTER at axle pins, BTW. Once I learned how to extract them and also install them on my Legacy, I pulled off two axle changes on it and had no problem with the axle pins on the XT.

 

But I will give this pickle fork thing a try. I'll just buy it if they're $4.

 

I have not taken the control arm off, because 1) I didn't have enough time and 2) I had to move the car out of the way...

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rrgh. when i put the RX trans/LSD in my wagon, one of the RX's axles was hopelessly frozen onto the LSD's stub. I had to find some place to help me do it the Hard Way at 430pm on a saturday. not easy but some guy at the goodyear store gave me 20 minutes of his time with a couple large pry bars and an air powered chisel or something and we got if off. I had to change the axle stub on the LSD afterward...

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Okay I bought a tie-rod removal tool, I guess that's a pickle fork, I dunno, sorry for not being up on terminology :o

 

Anyway, I hammered the thing all the way into the balljoint, still no luck, after pounding it down towards the ground for about 15 minutes...

 

Ta-Da!!!

 

It came loose, and get this, there was no signs of rust on the balljoint shaft, maybe it's the knuckle. The new balljoint was in in 15 minutes, and I drove the car to work, drives beautifully!

 

Now I just hafta replace the steering bellows, since one is in two pieces and leaking ATF all over the exhuast manifold :madder:, put some new tires on it, and I should be set to go, meaning park the Legacy and give it some much-needed attention :brolleye:

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