My front passenger carrier bearing is shot. There is a ton of slop with the stub shaft and cv axle. Drivers side is ok. 

 

I believe you it have to pull the trans apart to set the preload if I replace it right?

You should state MT or AT. 

You have to pull the trans out and remove the front diff to replace the bearings.  The AT has side retaining rings and externally replaced seals, the MT does not.

For preload - If you *locate* and tighten everything back to where it was you can get away without setting preload. Review the FSM procedure for bearing or front diff replacement.  Mark the side retainers and count number of turns and the preload will theoretically be exactly what it was before you worked on it.

A guy on here did just that - swapped front diffs and installed everything the same (counted number of turns of side retainers) and it worked fine. 

Did you price a new bearing yet?  One of those front diff bearings is $100+ each. Replace the side seals while it’s apart - they’re directional so different part number each side. Definitely replace the seals if it’s an MT since they’re only accessible internally. AT can be done externally do they can be skipped snd replaced as needed.

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

You should state MT or AT. 

You have to pull the trans out and remove the front diff to replace the bearings.  The AT has side retaining rings and externally replaced seals, the MT does not.

For preload - If you *locate* and tighten everything back to where it was you can get away without setting preload. Review the FSM procedure for bearing or front diff replacement.  Mark the side retainers and count number of turns and the preload will theoretically be exactly what it was before you worked on it.

A guy on here did just that - swapped front diffs and installed everything the same (counted number of turns of side retainers) and it worked fine. 

Did you price a new bearing yet?  One of those front diff bearings is $100+ each. Replace the side seals while it’s apart - they’re directional so different part number each side. Definitely replace the seals if it’s an MT since they’re only accessible internally. AT can be done externally do they can be skipped snd replaced as needed.

It's the opposite for the seals? The MT definitely has bearing reatainers that unscrew that hold the seals.

i mark mine with a short action with say 3mm drill bit, drill a dimple in side of casing beside the fins of the outer carrier, then a dimple in fin next to it. Marks don't wipe away like paint marks do !

7 hours ago, Ionstorm66 said:

It's the opposite for the seals? The MT definitely has bearing reatainers that unscrew that hold the seals.

This is true too. But the MT must have the bearing retainers removed to replace the seal as the seal is push in place from the diff side of the retainer. I hope that makes sense. 

The gearbox does NOT have to be split to replace these seals for the MTs. 

49 minutes ago, Step-a-toe said:

i mark mine with a short action with say 3mm drill bit, drill a dimple in side of casing beside the fins of the outer carrier, then a dimple in fin next to it. Marks don't wipe away like paint marks do !

more just buy quality markers Steptoe!  I use sharpies and I can’t remove the marks with metho, I think they’d need to be polished out! But I do like your thinking.

Cheers 

Bennie

the dimples also remind me that I have been in there as well, and as the components pass through the hands of scrappies in decades to come, they will think "not a bad idea"

interestingly enough, when I ordered a spare set of these MT axle seals the other day, the subaru spare parts site called them AT. Double checked with tags of previously fitted to 5MT AWD axles of 23 spline and parts manual - figure they made an error. Don't forget these screw in seal holders also use big blue O rings to seal up as well 

EJ MT seals that also use the stub axles are the same as the L series stuff. Spline count doesn’t matter  

Same for the large O ring items!

Cheers 

Bennie