Can anyone help me with a step by step proceedure for replacing the front axle's in my '98 Forester. I have the axle nut off, but don't have a clue what to remove next in order to slide the axle out. Thanks.

You need to punch out the spring pin that holds the inner part of the axle to the differential spline. Afterwards, disconnect the front swaybar bushing if your car has one. Then remove the control arm from the steering knuckle. There's a bolt that holds it tight ytou can see it from infront of the car. Remove that, then use a prybar or something to pry the arm out. Now work the axel off the differential spline. You might need two people for that, but if you pull the control arm twords the ground, and push the knuckle to the ourside of the car you can pull the axle off. Installation is reverse. You're supposed to use new spring pins and all taht, and make sure you torque to factory specs. Also you should pick up a haynes itll explain most of this (though not very well).

Dave, I haven't done this on a Forester, but I would think it's similar to the earlier cars. Once you have the pin out of the tranny stub axle and the strut loosened from the rest of the front suspension, put the axle nut back on loosely (hand tight only) and then pull out on the hub until the axle separates from the tranny. After removing the axle nut again, the axle should just slide out of the splines on the Forester (hopefully, it's similar to the Legacy that I have done).

THAWA,

Thanks for the help. It went well, just as you described. BTW, I don't think there is a Haynes manual available for the Forester yet.

 

Ed,

I had broken two 19mm sockets trying to loosen the strut nuts:confused:, with a breaker bar and a piece of pipe, but thankfully it was not necessary to loosen them.

Dave, I'm glad you're good to go. No longer an axle-virgin.

In this case, the procedure given in FSM (releasing control arm forward pivot, 17mm nut) is the easiest one.