milty60 Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I plan on replacing my son's half axel on his Legacy this weekend (almost constant clicking noise on turns or driving straight ahead - outside boot is gone). Is there a doc available or any gotchas I should watch out for? What size punch or other tool do I use to remove the roll pin? What size is the nut on the Axel - need to buy a socket. Do I need to remove the strut or just break free ball joint to pull out axel, etc. Viewed some videos online but want your advice. Thanks....Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 3/16" pin punch, 32mm socket. With being in CT and the rust, etc you should probably just take the strut bolts loose rather than mess with the ball joint. Unless you want to take the opportunity to replace it as well. Be prepared for a fight. If the pinch bolt won't come out I suggest lubing it liberally for a month or two and then trying it to avoid breaking it if possible. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru Scott Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I like to take the inner lower control arm bolt loose instead of fighting the ball joint. Sometimes they can be rusted in the bushing, so turn the bolt first, to break it loose from the bushing, then hold the nut to loosen. Do this with an impact gun if you have one. Then take out the small bolt connecting the lower arm to the sway bar, and you can easily swing the hub and lower arm out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 (edited) the splines are odd-numbered so, the pin won't go in if you're 180* out-of-phase. old axle nut might buzz right off with a good impact. otherwise you may need some penetrant and a cheater pipe on a breaker bar. the FSM warns against tightening the axle with the car's weight on the ground - some say it isn't an issue - but I just put a big screwdriver in the rotor vent and 'buck-up' against the caliper when I torque the axle nut. Edited May 31, 2017 by 1 Lucky Texan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hzimmerman1111 Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 My only pearl of wisdom is to break the axle nuts free with car on the ground - just enough so they will remove later. Remove the caps at center of wheels to expose the nut.(might be obvious to some folks but not everyone). When free with your breaker bar then jack car up and remove your wheel. You don't have to live up north to have those ball joints tough to get loose. Taking the pinch bolt out and disconnecting ball joint that way is the best if possible though. If you take struts loose it is a good idea to get an alignment afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Strut bolts are the only 100% repeatable and easy method. There's no need for an alignment - mark orientation of top strut bolt head before removing and reinstall it to the same position. ball joints can be hard, difficult, or essentially impossible for a first timer seeing one as bad as they can get. It's a nicer method if the joint comes out of the knuckle, that's just not the norm in the northeast. There's a ton of "my ball joint is screwed up" type threads. Pickle fork great for pulling out of control arm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milty60 Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thanks for all the tips - I hope the roll pin comes out without tons of penetrating fluid wait time - not sure how much longer the axel will last. ...Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 The roll pin always comes out. They're cake and only dependent on how good your tools are. Use he wrong size or wrong tool and it'll get stuck. Use the right tool and they punch out every time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milty60 Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 Axle replacement was successful this past weekend - roll pin came out easily with punch and axle but came off easy with a breaker bar. Thanks for all the tips ..Milty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=CC= Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Glad I saw this thread...this is my job this weekend on my Outback (that lived most of it's life at the beach). Time to read up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Glad I saw this thread...this is my job this weekend on my Outback (that lived most of it's life at the beach). Time to read up aftermarket axles suck - i wouldn't replace it. reboot it. buy a used one and run it while you reboot your old one. www.car-part.com has $15 axles all over the place. you can use 00-04 axles on earlier legacys, just knock the tone ring off, it taps right off, though some people leave them in place. they're better boots and newer axles as well, so i used to do it all the time before all the 90's stuff rusted away.. just don't try to remove the ball joint pinch bolt. they shear off all the time out here. and even if it's removed, getting the ball joint out of the knuckle can be difficult - the worst ones are not removable by any tool made in this galaxy, though you're unlikely to see one that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damnsubaru Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 (edited) i tried to replace the ball joint on my subaru and broke the pinch bolt because it was rusted in,finally got it out,cleaned the hub. think i might just replace the hub, i tried towing with no drive line attached(what an idiot) and the drivers side wheel went sideways at 50 mph chewing up the tire and getting the brake hot enough to melt the hose and the rotors were red hot,i have new pads,new hose ,new bearing and seals, just need new rotors and new bolts and of course new drivelines. next time i will rent a tow dolly even for 10 miles. Edited June 14, 2017 by damnsubaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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