CV joints replacement

bonestock · Post by **bonestock** » Sun Nov 03, 2002 5:00 am

I just bought a 1990 Legacy L and I have a huge problem with my left CV joint. Is it hard to replace and what is the procedure?

The other problem I have is with the engine. Has anybody ever experienced power loss when pressing the gas pedal? When the engine has no load id will rev properly but If I am in second, third, fourth our fifth gear, it hesitates a lot....

whitemr2 · Post by **whitemr2** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 11:47 pm

I dealt with that very recently! It was pretty simple. I chose to buy a new drive axle (for about $100 from a local auto parts store) and this made the job MUCH easier than replacing just the joint....I highly recommend this!

The basic procedure was this:
- Loosen axle nut while car is still on ground (don't loosen too much though).
- Raise car, put on jack stands, remove wheel, remove axle nut.
- Pop lower control arm out of uprights (remove bolt first obviously).
- I think you had to remove the sway bar end link as well.
- Knock out spring pin from inboard end of axle (if you buy a new axle, you can look at that to see where it is, etc).
- Pull hub towards you, press on center of axle so it is separated from hub.
- Pull axle away from engine to separate from tranny end.
- Installation is reverse of normal.

This is a gross simplification and may not be 100% correct, so please buy a repair manual and follow that (I used a Haynes one).

There's only one tricky thing to watch out for. When installing the new axle, you have to install a new spring pin. The hole on the axle, and on the tranny, is through...and there's a chamfer on one side only. So, if the chamfer on the tranny stub is at the 12 o'clock position, make sure the chamfer on the axle is at the 12 o'clock position as you install it. Then, when you install the spring pin (by hitting it with punch & hammer), the chamfers will help guide it into the holes...otherwise you'll never get it to go in!

The first time I did this, it took a little over an hour. The second time, only about 20-30 minutes as I knew what I was doing.

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 3:45 am

Pop lower control arm out of uprights (remove bolt first obviously).
- I think you had to remove the sway bar end link as well.

No need.

You dont remove the control arm or the tie rods. The only part you remove is the housing to strut bolts. If you turn the stearing wheel completly to that side there is enough room to remove the axel.

I know, I have replaced two already this way.

whitemr2 · Post by **whitemr2** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 7:02 pm

But if you remove the strut bolts, you screw up your alignment. If you drop the lower control arm (not removing it, just undoing it at the upright as if changing a ball joint), then your alignment is maintained.

bonestock · Post by **bonestock** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 7:51 pm

Got a refurbished CV joint. The metal clip that holds the rubber boot around the big round metal part near the tranny is gone... Of course there is now a mess, the grease oozed everywhere. Tried to put a plastic tiewrap, no luck. Tomorrow is Rememberance day in Canada and the shop will be closed...

eastbaysubaru · Post by **eastbaysubaru** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 5:14 pm

Another quick question about driveaxles. Are the turbo driveaxles the same as the non-turbos? I only ask because I just ordered two new axles and they didn't ask if it was turbo or not.

-Brian

IggDawg · Post by **IggDawg** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 6:53 pm

I just did this. a couple observations:

1) GET A 2 JAW GEAR PULLER! remove the disk and pull from the ring behind it. It'l save you a lot of trouble and possibly some damage. I busted my tie rod balljoint from hammering so damn much.

2) There's no difference between the turbos and non-turbos. I ordered one from autozone and it actually was heavier ( = better

) than the one I pulled out.

3) Get one from an autozone or something and not a pick-apart yard. It';s only 60 bucks after the core refund, and there's a lifetime guarantee. that's a GOOD THING on subarus of this vintage

eastbaysubaru · Post by **eastbaysubaru** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 8:53 pm

What the hell is a two jaw gear puller? I haven't heard of this tool before. I ordered two axles from cvaxles.com per Ciper's suggestion. They were very helpful on the phone and it only cost $55/axle. They're shipping them out this week so I have some time to go gather tools that I'll need.

-Brian

IggDawg · Post by **IggDawg** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 10:32 pm

Go to any autozone and rent one. It's free after you return it. It looks like a weird claw thing with a big bolt in the middle When you go there and see their list of tools you'll see what I mean. similar to a power steering pulley puller, and similar to a brake disk puller only 2 arms instead of 3. I guess it's confusing to describve without a picture. I'll see if I can find one on the net.

eastbaysubaru · Post by **eastbaysubaru** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 6:05 am

Kinda like this?

-Brian

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 6:22 am

whitemr2 wrote: - Knock out spring pin from inboard end of axle

I don't need any CV axles or anything, but upon a routine inspection of my car, I found the pin sticking way out! Should I be able to see the pin protruding from the CV joint?

georryan · Post by **georryan** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 11:45 am

The other problem I have is with the engine. Has anybody ever experienced power loss when pressing the gas pedal? When the engine has no load id will rev properly but If I am in second, third, fourth our fifth gear, it hesitates a lot....

Well i've dealt with a similar problem before just like this. Check for black smoke coming out of the tailpipe when your putting a load on the engine, like when your accelerating. The problem I had was the MAF sensor. If that thing stops working, well your car won't run at all, but when it starts to go out, your car will start to lose power.

-Ryan

georryan · Post by **georryan** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 11:47 am

hmm, the quote thing didn't work. Internet is slow here today so I tried to just use the tags. hehe

Now mind you I'm not saying it IS your MAF, just giving you a place to start. If you see a bit of black smoke coming out of your tailpipe, then it is a good bet that it is though.

-Ryan

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 3:44 pm

gotta use brackets [] not carrot thingies

<>

whitemr2 · Post by **whitemr2** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 1:46 am

subyluvr2212 wrote:
whitemr2 wrote: - Knock out spring pin from inboard end of axle
I don't need any CV axles or anything, but upon a routine inspection of my car, I found the pin sticking way out! Should I be able to see the pin protruding from the CV joint?

No!! The pin should be flush or below the surface.

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 4:03 am

Probably someone reused the pin or even worse, stuck it in the small end of the hole first then drove it towards the large end

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 5:23 am

Well, I got a new pin today. I hammered on the old one for a while, and it didn't budge so I guess it's possible it's trying to go in the wrong hole... Thanx for the tip, I'll fix it tomorrow...

petridish38 · Post by **petridish38** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 6:34 am

I've done my CV joints a little over a year ago and now they are starting to get really bad now...I had mine rebuilt with all new parts, but i hear that Legacies eat them up. But they have a lifetime warranty on them! I didn't remove anything but the axel nut when i took mine out... they tend to be more loose when you take them out so you should be able to bend them out....at least i could... Putting them back in is the harder part. They are more rigid and don't give as much....What I did was use the scissor jack that is in the trunk for the spare tire and placed it in between the body and the transmission and opened it up. The transmission and engine mounts gave way enough to move the tranny over a bit to fit the new one in...Just be careful when doing this...Don't push them to their limits. It didn't seem to hurt my tranny or anything so it seems like a good fast way to get them in. I plan to use this method soon when i replace them again.

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:05 am

The holes are directional for the pin.

petridish38: good idea for the jack, except that I have done three so far and never needed extra space, just have the wheel turned all the way to that side. I only remove the strut to wheel bearing housing bolts and leave the tie rods and ball joints connected.

I suggest using www.cvaxles.com . 50 dollars for the part that uses all new wear items every time

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 9:51 pm

Well, I tried with all my might to pull the old pin out, and I couldn't, so I tried hammering the new pin in from the other end and in turn pop the old one out, but I couldn't get the new pin in, either...

I decided before I screw something up that I would take it to the dealer... Turns out, when they took my tranny out to replace the clutch, they reinstalled the axle 180º off. So the holes were mismatched. So the dealer took the axle off and turned it around for an okay $100 (I don't have the tools or know-how to mess with axles)...

It is finished, no more worrying about axles separating on the highway...

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 9:53 pm

I dont think you should pay for it, they messed it up.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 9:58 pm

The dealer didn't do my clutch (I'm not spending $2000 on a $3000 car

)... Some shadetree mechanic did it, he also jipped me a TOB... He did do my rebuilt starter and my A/C compressor right a couple years ago, I don't know what got into him...

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 10:56 pm

What is a TOB?

If you trust the mechanic enough to do more work you should inform him of this mistake at your next service so you can use it as a bargaining chip to get a discount.

Nate S · Post by **Nate S** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 11:01 pm

tob = Throw Out Bearing ?

I would think at least

Nate

93LegacyTurbo · Post by **93LegacyTurbo** » Sat Jan 11, 2003 2:29 am

Save yourself time.

I went to R&S strauss, $59 dollar for rebuilt axle with lifetime warranty. They charge < 1 hr labor to do the job. It isn't easy too since our cars get rusty after 10 yrs.

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CV joints replacement

CV joints replacement

CV joints