I was going to try doing it myself on my wife's '98 Legacy Outback LTD (automatic) because the passenger-side inner CV boot is starting to sling grease. So I want to R&R the axle shafts myself, then bring them to a friend who works at a dealer to have the boot kits installed since I don't have the special tool required to install the new boot clamps properly. Have any of you folks removed/reinstalled axle shafts yourself, and run into difficulty while doing that? I have volumes 8 and 9 of the factory manual so the details are in there...and it doesn't sound too difficult. Am I right when I'm thinking "not too difficult"??

 

Mark

I was going to try doing it myself on my wife's '98 Legacy Outback LTD (automatic) because the passenger-side inner CV boot is starting to sling grease. So I want to R&R the axle shafts myself, then bring them to a friend who works at a dealer to have the boot kits installed since I don't have the special tool required to install the new boot clamps properly. Have any of you folks removed/reinstalled axle shafts yourself, and run into difficulty while doing that? I have volumes 8 and 9 of the factory manual so the details are in there...and it doesn't sound too difficult. Am I right when I'm thinking "not too difficult"??

 

Mark

 

Do a "search" because there is a lot of good information on this board on this subject. I just R&R the front driver half axle on my 99 Forester. It was fairly easy. The biggest problem for most people is probably getting the axle nut off. I live in SC so no rust here. I needed a torque wrench with a higher limit anyway, so I went to Habor Freight and got a 3/4" model for about $70. I removed the anchoring bolt from the front bushing on the stabilzer bar, loosened the pinch bolt and popped the ball joint out of the knuckle. If I have to do the job again, and I probably will, I could do it in about 1/2 hour tops. Do not forget a new roll pin and axle nut. There are probably at least fifty threads on this subject, so read a little first.