My MWE axles arrive tomorrow and I need advice on installation. Do I place on the transmission end first, or do I insert the spindle through the hub first? Does the steering need to be cocked in a particular direction and if so which one? At what point are the roll pins installed? TIA.

TIP: Did the exles come with directions, new axle nut? The pins on the transmission side only go in in one direction. If there is resistance, rotate the axle 180 degrees and try again.

I seperate the outer tie rod end, the swaybar link, and ball joint. The hub swings pretty freely after that. One side of the pinhole is countersunk the pin comes out of and goes back in that side. I usually put the inside in 1st because its eaiser to line up the holes with the outer cv loose. Swing the hub out and install the outer CV. Have fun!

I thought that it would be sufficient to remove the strut pinch bolts, but not the tie rod end or ball-joint. Not so?

You can try whatever you want. After doing dozens of these I found what works for me. The strut bolts are the ones I avoid removing because they control caster and/or camber and I don't want to spend $100. for a aligment everytime I have to do axles. Remember don't turn the outer tie rod end that's the toe in toe out.

But I thought that as long as I marked the eccentric strut bolt and reinstalled it in the same orientation, the camber would not be disturbed. Not true?

But I thought that as long as I marked the eccentric strut bolt and reinstalled it in the same orientation, the camber would not be disturbed. Not true?

 

Yes that's the way I do it. Reason being at least in NY on 10 year old soobs, the ball joint pinch bolts are not coming out easily. If I ever need to remove them they will probably snap. If you mark the eccentric bolt and reinstall to the same position your camber will be close, probalby within 10' of what it was orignally. I say close beacuse there is some play tehre and it depends when the nut was tightened if the suspension was loaded or unloaded.

That'll get you to the alignement shop without shaking the car apart. If you can, have an alignment tech show you how little movment it takes to throw the alignment out you'll understand that marking it is a hit or miss affair. Once you lose alignment you won't get it back on your own without dumb luck.

If you have a level surface and a level you can check your camber fairly easily afterward to see how close it is on. Typically that's what I do and it isn't too hard to get within 10' (minutes, or 10/60 of a degree) that way. The camber tolerance is fairly wide anyway on soobs.

If that works for you porc, great. I drive 600 miles a week almost all hiway I need to know my roo's are aligned or I'll be buying alot of tires.

is the pinch bolt a "bolt and nut" or just a bolt into the housing?

 

I'm used to bolt/nut which is what is on the Tempo. The bolt is serrated on the shaft so I undo the NUT and drive out the bolt and spread the pinch to the ball joint. Just asking because I get to do a LF axle on the IMP once I get it... and don't really want to "break" anything

If I remember right there is no nut or serrations. Use some PB on it, then tighten it up a little more to get it to move, then back it out. I don't think you'll have to drive it out. Use some anti seize on the top of the ball joint and bolt on reasembly.

I found it was easiest to remove the sway bar link bolt and the front control arm bolt. You'll have enough wiggle to clear the inboard differential stub and then you're home free.

 

You just need to torque them back to spec. with all wheels on the ground.

http://www.lovehorsepower.com/SubaruDocs/CVBoot.htm

Yep, that's the way I did it, but I did not find it necessary to remove the two 19mm bolts on the bracket holding the rear of the control arm in place. There's enough play after removing the pinch bolt ("through bolt" in the link povided by johnceggleston).

 

Supporting the control arm with a floor jack eases removal and installation of that bolt.