How To: Replace/Rebuild torn CV boot and/or Axle

There is even an easier way.

 

Just remove the wheel, undo the LCA on both points where it attaches to the subframe/body, and undo the swaybar from the LCA. LCA stays connected to the hub. Now the LCA/hub/brake/strut assembly now will swing away enough that axle can be pulled from the tranny and the hub. That's it.

 

Maybe a slight downside is that for reassembly one should load the suspension before torquing down the front LCA bolt.

 

Btw, it helped that my axle just slid out of the hub without a need for any persuasion (not bad for 10+ year old car, but then this one never saw winter). I would have to remove the caliper and the rotor to use a puller if it didn't.

Edited June 1, 2015 by unclemat

^^^ or an even easier way is to remove the ball joint pinch bolt and the sway bar link. I use a cheater bar to push down on the LCA and the whole strut/knuckle assembly is free to move where you please. Took me less than 30 minutes to change out my damaged hub.

^^^ or an even easier way is to remove the ball joint pinch bolt and the sway bar link. I use a cheater bar to push down on the LCA and the whole strut/knuckle assembly is free to move where you please. Took me less than 30 minutes to change out my damaged hub.

 

Thats because your car is from California. Those with "weather" wont have such an easy time. Pinch bolts routinely seize and snap off in the knuckle. Bearings routinely seize in the knuckle... and it gets worse.

Thats because your car is from California. Those with "weather" wont have such an easy time. Pinch bolts routinely seize and snap off in the knuckle. Bearings routinely seize in the knuckle... and it gets worse.

 

Nope. Came from NoVa. Our Fozzie is the Cali girl.

 

My old ford truck was a different story. It was easier to cut and replace parts on that one.

You are in the 1% if the car came from NoVa and nothing was seized up. Was it garaged all winter??? My wifes 08 LGT spent 1 winter in NYC and her front wheel bearings required me to upgrade my air hammer. Heck, just separating the axles from the bearings required the same new (most powerful air hammer Snap On sells) to break them out too.

 

I have had to replace more then 1 set of front knuckles on non-California cars due to the ball joint pinch bolt or ball joint itself.

I pressure wash it and I parked it in the garage. The truck sat out in the driveway. The leggy and the foz are garage rats but the exterior gets weathered fast here in Cali.

 

I bought a ball joint tool from harbor freight a few years back (2013 i think) when I had to change the passenger side CV boot. I tightened that down and sprayed it down with PB Blaster. Gave it a few minutes while tightening it down some more and the ball joint popped off.

 

Used the same tool to replace the front suspension parts/bushings a few months ago when I rebuilt the leggy.

 

Pre-soaking with penetrating fluid helps a lot.

Oh, I know all too well. It is usually an issue of the pinch bolt snapping, having to drill it out (which inevitably leads to having to replace the knuckle). Or, the balll joint seizing into the knuckle even after the pinch bolt has been dealt with. Getting the ball joint out of the control arm is "easy enough".

 

I recently had to rebuild a 02 WRX which spent its entire life in NE. Car was rebuilt for show (and upgraded at the same time, see 6MT swap). Took almost 2 weeks to separate everything re-weld what needed it and replace what we had to. Getting the fuel tank out was fun. Lol.

^^^THIS

 

Did mine last night. The pinch joint bolt sheared off. Furthermore, I couldn't free the top of the ball joint from the pinch joint. So, I undid the castle nut on the bottom of the ball joint and smacked the control arm several times to break the taper.

 

Once all that was done, the axle removal, clean-up, and insertion only took 15 minutes. I did have to wrestle the axle into a straight line and tap with a rubber mallet to seat the axle snap ring into the differential.

 

It took an hour or two to drill out the rest of the sheared bolt. I replaced it with a bolt with two washers and a nut with a nylon locking ring. I doubt I needed to as the upper ball joint piece is rusted into the knuckle.

 

What should have been a 30 minute job took three hours!!!

 

your mileage may vary...

 

-Mike

Why are you guys trying to remove the ball joints is beyond me.

On So Cal cars it is no issue (and is the fastest route). If the cars have seen "weather" I take other routes.

On So Cal cars it is no issue (and is the fastest route). If the cars have seen "weather" I take other routes.

 

^^^^^this

 

Why are you guys trying to remove the ball joints is beyond me.

 

same thought went in my head about why anyone would unbolt the LCA.

Pulling ball joint is annoying even on a new car. And then still have the LCA in your way. Harder to access the seal, etc.

 

For clarity: no need to remove the LCA completely, just the two points on the chassis (4 bolts total) and the sway bar link (1 bolt).

 

But yeah I guess let's chalk it up to regional differences

Snaping the ball joint in and out of my SoCal cars - lever the LCA down and out of the way, swing the hub to one side, pull the axle out of the hub, then out of the trans. Repeat in reverse - so easy.

 

Primary reason I won't consider a salt-state car because stuff rusts and breaking loose bolts and parts - generally makes it hard to replace or upgrade as a result. Plus it just doesn't look very good so my A-R self has a visual problem with it.

 

Doesn't mean I don't have empathy though, for those who have corroded bits and parts.

Salt sucks. I store one of my LGTs for winter - it's in NE but it's rust free car. 10.5 years old car that's almost like new and a joy to wrench on. The other one rust wise is not great, but since I took the car pretty much apart early in its life, and anti-seized everything like crazy (e.g. including suspension bolt shanks - not just threads), it's not too bad to work on still. Edited June 7, 2015 by unclemat

Why are you guys trying to remove the ball joints is beyond me.

 

you don't see the joy in this?

Considering how you only have to unbolt the strut, the ball joint removal is still questionable.

Ok I have read this whole freekin thread and I have seen no clear decisive choice for new CV axles...

 

I have an 05 LGT turbo charged 5EAT sedan and I want to get new axles on the front but do not want to pay OE prices.

 

1. What are good dependable time/mile tested reliable well fitting front CV axles that are OE?
   
2. What are their part numbers?
   
3. What is the part number of the seal with the spring in it?
   

 

Many thanks,

V

Thank you, after 47 pages of BS and debate it gets a little overwhelming looking for things.

 

These write-ups or part inquiries should be kept as stickies and not be 47 pages long. This is why people ask the same questions over and over again.

 

I love the knowledge-base here but it gets very diluted and is not succinct in a lot of cases.Thank you again,

V

I would still triple check that the cup on the transmission side has the appropriate 3 "dimples" as an OEM axle does. the reman place that everyone gets their axles from says that 7336 works in an f-ton of vehicles, a lot of which aren't Subaru's.

 

so far for me, only 1 in 3 axles I've tried to get at the local autozone have been "correct". the one I have installed currently has served me well for several years, and so has the rebooted OEM axle I've got.

Ok I have read this whole freekin thread and I have seen no clear decisive choice for new CV axles...

 

I have an 05 LGT turbo charged 5EAT sedan and I want to get new axles on the front but do not want to pay OE prices.

 

1. What are good dependable time/mile tested reliable well fitting front CV axles that are OE?
   
2. What are their part numbers?
   
3. What is the part number of the seal with the spring in it?
   

 

Many thanks,

V

 

 

Do you need new axles or can you just get new boots?

 

Obviously just boots will be cheaper and can maintain the OE axles.

 

I went through this as well, ended up with a SURTRACK SB8047 (SB-8047), new axle not a reman. It's been working great, no issues. I do plan on rebooting my orig axle and (whenever) I do my suspension I'll swap it out.

I rebooted the PS outboard axle. Been fine for over 60K miles.

Do you need new axles or can you just get new boots?

 

Obviously just boots will be cheaper and can maintain the OE axles.

 

I went through this as well, ended up with a SURTRACKSB8047 (SB-8047), new axle not a reman. It's been working great, no issues. I do plan on rebooting my orig axle and (whenever) I do my suspension I'll swap it out.

I caught it late and shoved grease in the boot then wrapped and ziptied it.

 

It isn't making any noise but it has 186k on it so I'm just going to play it safe and replace both fronts and possibly rears too if they are in bad shape when I do my suspension mods later this month or early August.

 

Bringing the pain since 1968

I caught it late and shoved grease in the boot then wrapped and ziptied it.

 

It isn't making any noise but it has 186k on it so I'm just going to play it safe and replace both fronts and possibly rears too if they are in bad shape when I do my suspension mods later this month or early August.

 

Bringing the pain since 1968

 

I wouldn't replace an axle that isn't broken open or making noise, and i'd just reboot it as long as it's not making noise.

 

get the kit (35 direct from Subaru), do a good cleaning, and get it back on. re-booting is cheap and easy, reman axles aren't terrible but are still a little risky IMO and require trial and error sometimes, and new OEM axles are just too dam expensive.