2002 Outback Front CV Removal... vs. EA81 CV removal.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

SO my parents '02 Outback is clacking and dad says he can feel vibration in the steering wheel. Sounds to me like the CV is going out.

 

Of course, im not going to let them pay someone to do it, so Im gonna help my father get the job done. Ive done more EA81 and EA82 CV's than i can remember, and can usually have the job done under and hour.

 

How much different are the new subarus? Do they still use pins to hold the CV to the tranny?? Does the hub and rotor still ride on the shaft? Im almost positive the castle nut isnt 36mm, hoping its 32mm like the '91 Legacy I did.

 

-Brian

[Manarius]

Push the pin out at the diff, and undo the either the control arm or strut or something to loosen up that area. Undo the castle nut and wham, the shaft comes out. It's rather easy. 1 hour for a mechanic who knows what he's doing. 2 for one who's letting his Bud help him out.

[SuBrat84]

It's just the same.. if not easier. I prefer breaking the castle (I do think it's 32) while the tires are still on the ground.. Two lower strut bolts for loosening up the outter side is the easier IMO. I think the punch size is 3/16"? Anyway.. it's all the same still!

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Does the legacy have a lower ball joint like the EA81's?? I usually remove the ball joint in order to give enough slack to pull the tranny side of the CV off the trans... then slide it out of the hub.

 

-Brian

[richierich]

Push the pin out at the diff, and undo the either the control arm or strut or something to loosen up that area. Undo the castle nut and wham, the shaft comes out. It's rather easy. 1 hour for a mechanic who knows what he's doing. 2 for one who's letting his Bud help him out.

 

 

and undo the either the control arm or strut or something to loosen up that area.

Is that your professional opinion, or something??

Very easy Brian. Has a ball joint just like the hatch. Just have to get the nut back on very tight because you don't have a cotter pin to stick back through it.

BUT..... it may be in the transmission or bearing issue, not a high rate of axle failure unless the boot has been split or water has gotten into the boot (like someone taking it off road, hmmmm, not Brian of course. )

[Manarius]

and undo the either the control arm or strut or something to loosen up that area.

 

Is that your professional opinion, or something??

Eh, I was writing quickly and not paying attention. Loosening a control arm (I think that's what it's called - maybe it was a trailing arm), was how I saw it done on the back of my car. On the front, he loosened the ball joint.

[BigMattyD]

Eh, I was writing quickly and not paying attention. Loosening a control arm (I think that's what it's called - maybe it was a trailing arm), was how I saw it done on the back of my car. On the front, he loosened the ball joint.

 

I have seen people recommend separating the balljoint, tie rod end, strut bolts, swaybar link or any combination thereof. Which leads me to the impression that anything you can do add some play to the steering knuckle should work ok. Probably some techniques are more efficient than others, but I have a feeling it is more of a personal preference. I will be doing the job sometime in the next week or so, and I plan to remove the balljoint pinch bolt and pop the balljoint out of the steering knuckle. But we will see what happens with my rusty old car, you never know when plan B or C may come into play...

 

Big D

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Richie... my father explains the problem as a light clacking that you can feel in the steering wheel. Sounds to me like a CV, you think maybe otherwise? A bearing would be a raw sound and tranny would be constant. This only happens when he accelerates, not if he lets off the peddle & coasts or while braking.

 

-Brian

[4g63t]

I did one on a Baja YESTERDAY! 32mm nut which you will have to unstake. The familiar roll pin on the tranny end.Take the bolts out of the other end of the control arm (where they bolt to the chassis) 45 min tops.