Hello USMB! I'm Julianne, and I'm brand new to the forum and in fact brand new to Subaru too. I'm located up in north NJ and I am also really getting into automotive photography. You can check out my photos at www.j-karr.com.auto. I just took home a '79 4WD wagon with a 4 speed. She's pretty solid and runs great. My only worry right now seems to be a repetitive thumping coming from the front when I let off the gas and slow down; I'm guessing it's the DOJ or CVJ, but I have to get under her with some daylight to check it out. Any advice on this problem and advice in general to a new Scoob owner is welcome, I'm all ears! I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys! Here is the car in question (photos are downsized for forum):

 

 

 

Welcome and nice wagon!!!

welcome! super clean ride! thumping is probably a bad axle by the way

Thank you guys! I figured that's what it was... I'll try to get that done ASAP. I hear it's not the worst job. Do I need any special tools for it?

its not hard at all! you just need a big crescent wrench, maybe a cheater pipe, a hammer, and something to push out the roll pins, i personally use a screwdriver with the head ground off

3/16 screwdriver or punch. dont picklefork the ball joint....lever the knuckle off away from the rubber

wait... but you dont need to mess with the ball joint at all?

http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/DC/17209-05324227.html?utm_content=DN&utm_term=1973-1975%2C+1979-1984+Subaru+GL+Axle+Assembly+USA+Industries+AX-4535+Front+Right+73-75%2C+79-84+Subaru+Axle+Assembly+1980+1979&fp=pp&gbm=a&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=PartsGeek+Google+Base&gclid=CKqplcOQgr4CFUNo7AodAFkA_Q

 

I assume this is the part I need?

Hey, if anyone's local and wants to help wrench, beer and dinner on me! I admit, I'm a complete amateur.

looks like it will work, it may not be the best quality one though. here my step by step process.

 

jack up the front end of the car and set it on a block under the crossmember, not the suspension. put the transmission in gear and yank the parking brake. take a wheel off, whichever side's axle you are replacing, lets say drivers side. pull the cotter key out of the axle nut if it has one, then take the axle nut off using the crescent wrench, you may have to slide the cheater pipe onto the wrench to get more leverage, or hit the crescent wrench with a hefty hammer. after you have the axle nut off, take off both washers underneath it, the regular one and the cone one, do NOT lose these. pop the hood, and on the side of the transmission you will see where the axle connects. look for the roll pin going through, you may have to release the parking brake and pull it out of gear in order to turn the axle to see the roll pin. use your tool of choice to force that roll pin out, i use a headless screw driver and smack it through with a hammer. now that you have the roll pin out, pull the axle off the transmission spline, and push it back towards the firewall. put just your axle nut, not the washers, back onto the end of the axle and gently hit it with a hammer, with a piece of wood between the hammer and nut, until the axle pushes through the bearings. there! your axle is out! now to install the new one, you do the opposite of all that. the only thing that is different is sometimes a new axle is difficult to force through the bearings, i just force it through far enough to get a big flat washer and the axle nut on it, then tighten that down, pulling the axle through a little more. then you back off the nut a little, and use a pair of crow bars tow pry on the washer and pull the axle through. hopefully this makes sense

You're awesome Rusty, I'll print that out and get some friends and tools together and give it a whirl. Hopefully it's not something else, but it seems symptomatic of a bad axle.

well im just hoping i didnt forget to include a step! but good luck and keep us posted! if you run into troubles, we'll be here to help! i apologize in advance for any advice i give that doesnt work out, i dont always know what im talking about but i try

^ Sooo if I screw it up, blame you? Got it. 

 

I grabbed a "How to Keep Your Subaru Alive" manual too, so between you and that I think I stand a chance.

If it doesnt work the first time, break it until it does

Castle nuts are 36 mm but you can use a inch 1 1/2 socket or wrench.

Sweet wagon, Julianne. And nice pictures on your site. You picked a pretty cool car to start working on for yourself -- the 1st gen GL subarus are easy to work on, it's just hard to find parts for it. *Some* parts. Yours looks pretty nice, so hopefully you won't need too many of the rare-er parts. Good luck!

Thats fabulous! I love it!

Welcome!

Maybe you'll consider the Carlisle Import Show.

If you go I'll most likely bring my 1978 wagon.

Third weekend in May.

 

Very nice wagon. Enjoy!!

Thanks so much guys! She needs little things here and there, but once I chase down that suspension gremlin, she's good to go. Tracks straight, steering feels good, but once she's not under load that wobble happens. The engine seems to run really well and it has a brand new clutch, which is wonderful at least!

 

Moose, I would totally love to check out that show with you. As far as I'm aware, I have nothing going on that weekend. Feel free to PM me in case I forget!

There should be at least one or two people who will actually make the show. I'm not positive I can make it yet. But there was at least one person definite. They park the Asian cars together and we used to have a good group of Subarus in one corner.

That's awesome, I hope I can make it out there!

 

Bonus pretty spring picture for you guys:

 

Nice wagon! Mine will look like that as soon as I get it painted!

Welcome and keep the Photo's coming

Nice wagon.   Sometimes, the front wheel hop could be a tire separating (maybe a bubble) or out of balance.   I would closely check out all 4 tires at a reputable tire shop. 

I was reading the notes on replacing the front axle.   You should break loose the axle nut while the vehicle's weight is on the ground.   Years ago, I used a 1 7/16" socket to fit the axle nut.   Now I have the correct fit 36 mm.

Any chance of removing the bug shield?  You know that's not original....  and so 1980's.... ha!    Your choice.

As it turned out, it was a combination of bad axle/wheelbearings, which has fortunately been sorted. I have a set of better tires that I'm taking from my Honda and putting on there instead, as the current ones are... quite questionable. I think a set of good chunky snows will be as close as I can get to AT's for now! The bug shield was also removed 

That's a gorgeous wagon! DO NOT let the salt monster of the east eat it away!