I am trying to replace the rear struts in my 95 legacy. I have done lots of searching through here but could not find what I'm looking for. The big problem I am having is with the two lower strut bolts. The way I see it, the only way to even get a socket on the nut is to remove the rear axle. Even then, It seems like there wouldn't even be enough room to break it free with the rotor in the way. Is there something I'm missing or do I have to completely disasseble the break system, control arms, and axle to get these two bolts out?

Can you maybe use a deep well or socket extension? Or can you post a pic of the bolts you're trying to get out? I budged the nuts I think you're talking about loose on my '96 for rear struts but maybe I am misunderstanding what you're looking at....

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I already removed the caliper. My next step is going to be to try and take the axle nut off and slide it far enough towards the diff as to get a socet on that nut and use an extension. I hope that I can slide the axle far enough with out having to remove it from the diff.

Nice pics. Ah yes yes I do remember hassling with those nuts now. I think what I did was get a 6pt wrench on those nuts and then loosen them with a breaker bar from the bolt end. Not ideal but it worked.

When I changed the struts out on my 98 Outback last summer I broke the nut loose with a box end wrench and then used a impact wrench on the bolt head. Yours look to be even worse than mine were and I thought that mine were bad. Use a lot of liquid wrench and good luck.

 

Jim

I managed to get the passenger side completely finished, but now I'm stuck on the other side. What I ended up doing is removing the caliper and using an extension for the top nut. To get the bottom one, I was able to tilt the hub assembly down, pivoting on the bottom bolt, and pound the axle in just far enough to get a socket on the nut. I used a great method I read some where on here to break it free. I ended sitting on a 1/2 breaker bar with a long pipe on the end, while hitting the the breaker bar with a hammer. My problem I'm having now is, I can't get the driver side axle to slide out of the hub. I have puounded the hell out of it, and even put a puller on it. I'm afraid to spray any PB blaster in there because I don't want to mess up the bearings. Any ideas anyone?

Well, I just finished the job, 19 hours later. I was able to break the nuts free by using a closed wrench on the nut side and a breaker bar on the bolt head side. The axle is still stuck in the hub but I'm not going to worry about it until I need to change that out. Thanks to the people who gave some advice. This forum has been so helpful to me over the past few years.