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

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=72818&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1319103669

That fell out and is not looking the same. Does this go on the inside of the sundial or does it seal in the void from the axle insertion side?

The other forums Ive been looking at only show the WRX and it goes on the inside for them.

My axle is installed for now to drive but I notice no oil leaks YET.

That is the piece that goes inside the green cup. It goes in after the three bearings are inserted.

You can see it in this post in the third photo.

Hey guys, please forgive me if this is a repost. I came across this thread when reserarching how to replace my CV axle and wanted to add where I found replacement shafts for cheap. Can be ordered from O'Reilly Auto Parts (or picked up if you have one local) in the folllowing: (my specifics were for a MY06 Legacy)

2.5i, LGT, spec.B -- Front NEW: PN SB8047 $74.99, reman: PN 60-7355 $64.99, rear reman: PN 60-7372 $89.99

all with limited lifetime warranty. MUCH cheaper than OEM and from a professional mechanic friend of mine, very good parts. He said in fact that these parts were probably made in the same place that makes the OEM ones. And at these prices, it doesn't make sense AT ALL to try and rebuild a busted boot.

Just for your information though, there is a list of 47 compatible vehicles that match that CV shaft... so it seems to be a widely available shaft for subys.

Again, sorry if this is a repost, I didn't read all 24 pages, but this write up is invaluable to this project and I want to thank the OP for his contribution. I look forward to fixing my car and cleaning up the grease off my downpipe to get rid of the smoking and burning smell.

I have a busted right front inner boot.

So I've got a couple other mechanical issues on my plate before I can get to this axle removal business, and I'd love that CV joint to not be open and spewing grease on the cat. I saw a split boot ("solvent-welded" type, like a bike tire patch I would assume) made by Dorman that covers the 2nd generation Legacy. I looked at some part numbers on opposed forces and what do you know, but that second-gen boot is interchangeable with mine, a third generation.

I'm sure it's quite common to be able to use parts from other years and models, and I'm not even sure if I'll go to the trouble and expense of installing a dubious temporary fix like a split CV boot. I just thought it was worth noting in case a third generation Legacy owner ever considered the option of using one of these split boots, that it is out there.

Looks like the metal band from inside the outer seal. We recommend changing the seal with the axle. They are only a few dollars and add 10 minutes to the job.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but how far in do you push the new seal into the tranny? I thought I read somewhere that Subaru uses a special tool to measure how far in the seal goes. I may be wrong but again, I thought I read someone say that you can push the seal too far in which results in the seal leaking.

When I was trying to put the new axle I noticed the little spring wire coming out ( I assume it's a little stretchy ring tucked inside the seal to keep oil in).... so now I'm going to replace the seal just to make sure I don't end up with a leak.

Have not had issues with OEM re-manufactured. Have installed many.

From whom do you purchase the OEM re-manufactured ? (Sorry if answered already, and I missed while plowing through the thread). An OEM-remanufactured seems like the best of both worlds. All the metal parts are OEM, so all of the worries about inferior after-market ones go away (assuming the rebuild job was done correctly). Meanwhile, you save the trouble and mess of rebuilding it yourself, and more importantly, avoid having to redo things again if any damage occurred before you caught it.

What are the symptoms if one of the CV joints is going bad ? I have a strange noise that seems to be coming from the front drivers-side wheel and pretty much only occurs when I am going around a left-hand curve. It's hard to describe, maybe a medium-pitch warbling sound (definitely *not* the clunking sound usually reported) that seems to be in sync with the wheel rotation. To really check it out, I went around a traffic circle on a nearby lightly-travelled road over and over again (good thing no cop was nearby, and not sure what I'd do if it was on the passenger side :-) and the sound doesn't change if I depress the clutch, but there's a bit of a clink sound that occurs only when I let the clutch back in.

Only other thing it seems like it could be is a wheel bearing. But I recall those tend to be a continuous deep grinding sound.

I had this one rebuilt, at a local shop, about a year ago. I caught it soon enough that I'm pretty sure it had less than 1000 miles on the torn boot, and presumably the mechanic checked for damage - but maybe not, and I do live on a dirt road. If it *is* the CV, I'm definitely going the replace-entire-axle route.

Could be a wheel bearing. If you can replace it yourself, it's a $140 part and doesn't require that much effort to change if you have a good impact gun and 32mm socket for the axle nut.

CV is typically going to make noise like a clicking/rubbing sound in one sharp turn direction. A wheel bearing will be more of a hum that typically gets louder in one direction.

Only other thing I can think of is center differential transfer drive bearings - I just replaced these myself for $140 in parts (I bought a HF 20 ton press just for this job). You would have a whining associated with light throttle input around 35-40+mph and an odd, whirring, marblelike? sound at low speed - I was set on recording the sound, but I forgot :\ Youtube has a lot of samples too.

Mine looked like this:

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/538364_335436503199884_1663376535_n.jpg

I assume it could be a possibility with the 2.5i, as the 5MT seem to share this parts set across the board.

Make that a 32mm socket.

For some reason my impact gun would not remove the axle nut last night. I put a 4ft pipe on the 1/2" breaker bar, had the GF step on the brake pedal, the nut broke loose without much effort.

I have had it off before and torqued it to 135ftlbs. The impact has worked in the past.

Rusty,

When the CV joint goes they make a clicking sound when turning at low speed, like in the parking lot.

See the wheel bearing thread below in this forum.

I did a rear wheel bearing post on here in April too if you can find that one. I posted pictures.

Thanks for the replies ...

I don't think (and hope to god not) it's something in the tranny, as it very distinctly seems to come from the left-hand side of the car, more distinctly "left" than if it were the left-hand side of the tranny, I think).

Doesn't really seem like a wheel bearing either. You say the wheel bearing gets louder when turning in one direction, but I've never heard one that seems sycn'ed with the wheel rotations.

Nor does it sound like the CV, from what you're all saying.

It's a mystery I guess. No long trips on the horizon, so I guess I'll just wait 'til it gets worse.

Jacked it up today - rotated the tire, no grinding sound (and sounded just like the other side) and no looseness (free play). But the slightest rotation of the wheel (a few inches at the tire edge) causes a little "clink" sound that seemed to be coming from the outer CV joint or from somewhere outboard of there (in the bearing area).

So I guess it's a bad outer CV joint. It's odd, because the boot is not damaged. I had the inner CV joint rebuilt a few months ago when I discovered a torn boot; back then I asked if they intended to do the outer one too and they said "they never go bad". Wish I'd just replaced the entire half-axle then ... By the time I fix this I could have bought a brand new OEM half-axle and replaced it myself, never mind one of the non-OEM ones.

Once again, don't replace the boot. Replace the axle. My aftermarket left front has been in there 2 years now, the oem one had a inner boot let go.

I paid $80.00 for a 100% axle from Advance Auto Parts.

lol Thank goodness I'm not the only one that feels this way. I paid roughly the same through Carquest and it comes with a lifetime warranty. Not only that, you don't have to get dirty. Why bother.

You and I are not the only ones that feel this way, it's the people that don't want to spend the money that feel, replacing the boot is better.

For the price difference, this is more then worth it.

You and I are not the only ones that feel this way, it's the people that don't want to spend the money that feel, replacing the boot is better.

 

For the price difference, this is more then worth it.

I could have bought the aftermarket complete axles you guys are recommending, and replaced it myself, and been a lot cheaper than I paid the shop to replace the inner boot.

I feel comfortable replacing the axle, but maybe not doing the replacing of the boot (dealing with the bearings and clamps and dirt and all). Heck, even if I paid the shop to replace the complete axle, the cost might have been the same - probably one hour labor, instead of the two I think they charged me.

The only thing slowing me down from doing the whole axle is the reports of some of the non-OEM ones having issues. Sounds like AA or Carquest are good though.

My axle from Advance Auto parts actually came from the Auto Parts International about 2 miles away. That box had there label on it. I posted about it around late Aug 2010.

The only axles I've had issues with are the free life time replacement Honda Civic axles.

What are the symptoms if one of the CV joints is going bad ? I have a strange noise that seems to be coming from the front drivers-side wheel and pretty much only occurs when I am going around a left-hand curve. It's hard to describe, maybe a medium-pitch warbling sound (definitely *not* the clunking sound usually reported) that seems to be in sync with the wheel rotation.

Turned out to be a wheel bearing. Ordered hub assembly and replaced it myself, and Subaru reimbursed me for the part (as "goodwill", since the car only had 70K miles and there was that warranty extension for rear bearings).

Only other thing it seems like it could be is a wheel bearing. But I recall those tend to be a continuous deep grinding sound.

Apparently the failure mode for these bearings is not what I know from experience - it does not make that continuous grinding noise, and there is no freeplay to speak off (when you jack it up and try to yank the wheel sideways).

I knowthis walkthrough is for the front which i still need to do. But for the rear do you have to remove the whole trailing arm? Or is there an easier way. I was an idiot and forgot to do my cv boot when i did my rear trailing arm bushings.

You apparently don't have to:

1. remove the rear differential

2. remove the axle nut and rear drive shaft