Post by eporter123 on Jan 27, 2011 13:52:26 GMT -5
So I finally replaced my driver's side front CV axle assembly on my 1990 Gen II 4WD Justy. I bought the axle for $59.99 from O'Reilly's here in Portland, OR. Lifetime warranty on the part. I had previously ordered two spindle hardware kits from RockAuto.com.
Thanks to Ferox for the basic info on how to do this. He once boasted it only took him 30 min. or so. I believe him now.
Step 1: Remove the cotter pin, and undo the 30mm axle nut. Loosen the lug nuts as well.
Step 2: Block the rear wheels and raise the front end in the air, getting both wheels off the ground, and support both sides with a jackstand. Make sure the tranny is in neutral, & the e-brake is on.
Step 3: Get under the car and look for the roll-pin on the transmission end of the axle. It's a tiny ~3/16" hole, with a pin in it, that keeps your axle on. If you can't see it, rotate the tire until the axle rotates enough to see it. If you have a FLATHEAD punch of the right size, use that. Some people have cut the head off an appropriate-sized screwdriver. I used a deck screw with the pointy tip cut off. Worked ok. Use your punch & hammer to push the pin UP towards the hood, and it'll eventually pop out and fall down to you.
Step 4: Remove the wheel and locate your control arm mounting bolt at the body. You will need a 14mm wrench on the back, and a 14mm socket and possibly a pry bar on the front. Turn the socket until the wrench stops on the body, then go at it. Once you've got the bolt loose, tap out using a mallet/brass drift/wood block. Wiggle & pry the control arm until it's free.
Step 5: With the control arm loose, there's enough play at the hub to let you pull out on the hub, and pull the transmission side of the axle off.
Step 6: Now pull the CV from the hub. It may take a few taps with a hammer on the threaded end. For the sake of future Justy owners, don't trash the threads. Use a block/drift/or thread the castle nut back on for the first few hits.
Step 7: Clean up the inner bearing surfaces, and around the bearing oil seals inner & outer. Once clean, apply grease into the lips of the oil seals. Also wipe some grease on the inner bearing surfaces where the CV will slide. I also put some grease on the contact points of the CV.
Step 8: Be sure to transfer the inner metal collar from your CV onto the new CV. Then Slide the CV into the hub. Be sure to align the splines on CV with the splines on the hub as you go.
Step 9: Put your NEW axle spindle hardware on. NEW taper washer, NEW conical washer, and NEW castle nut. Remember to put the word OUT facing OUT on the washer. We'll worry about the NEW cotter pin later.
Step 10: Line up the inner CV splines with those on the transmission. Be sure to get the roll-pin holes lined up correctly. If the CV doesn't want to go all the way on, try pulling on just the metal collar of the cv at the splines. Sometimes it's slid inwards towards the rubber boots.
Step 11: Hammer the NEW roll-pin into place from below. Go until it's flush with the CV surface.
Step 12: Attach the control arm. You should be able to get the arm lined up and the bolt started through by hand, and by pushing/pulling on the hub. You may need to use a small pry bar on the arm. Just look at it from the front to make sure you're getting lined up. Once the bolt is started, lightly tap it through, prying the arm as needed. Don't beat it through and strip the threads... Torque the bolt to 43-58 ft-lbs. Subaru also suggests using a new lock nut on this part. I just keep an eye on it. Perhaps some loctite?
Step 13: Put the wheel back on, & lower the car to the ground. Put the tranny in gear. Torque the lug nuts. Now, torque the axle nut to 145 ft/lbs. Yes, with a torque-wrench and all. If the cotter-pin hole is blocked by the castle nut, loosen/tighten the bolt as needed. The manual says "within 30 degrees" to get the NEW cotter-pin through. Now bend the ends of the cotter pin, & you're done.
Thanks to Ferox for the basic info on how to do this. He once boasted it only took him 30 min. or so. I believe him now.
Step 1: Remove the cotter pin, and undo the 30mm axle nut. Loosen the lug nuts as well.
Step 2: Block the rear wheels and raise the front end in the air, getting both wheels off the ground, and support both sides with a jackstand. Make sure the tranny is in neutral, & the e-brake is on.
Step 3: Get under the car and look for the roll-pin on the transmission end of the axle. It's a tiny ~3/16" hole, with a pin in it, that keeps your axle on. If you can't see it, rotate the tire until the axle rotates enough to see it. If you have a FLATHEAD punch of the right size, use that. Some people have cut the head off an appropriate-sized screwdriver. I used a deck screw with the pointy tip cut off. Worked ok. Use your punch & hammer to push the pin UP towards the hood, and it'll eventually pop out and fall down to you.
Step 4: Remove the wheel and locate your control arm mounting bolt at the body. You will need a 14mm wrench on the back, and a 14mm socket and possibly a pry bar on the front. Turn the socket until the wrench stops on the body, then go at it. Once you've got the bolt loose, tap out using a mallet/brass drift/wood block. Wiggle & pry the control arm until it's free.
Step 5: With the control arm loose, there's enough play at the hub to let you pull out on the hub, and pull the transmission side of the axle off.
Step 6: Now pull the CV from the hub. It may take a few taps with a hammer on the threaded end. For the sake of future Justy owners, don't trash the threads. Use a block/drift/or thread the castle nut back on for the first few hits.
Step 7: Clean up the inner bearing surfaces, and around the bearing oil seals inner & outer. Once clean, apply grease into the lips of the oil seals. Also wipe some grease on the inner bearing surfaces where the CV will slide. I also put some grease on the contact points of the CV.
Step 8: Be sure to transfer the inner metal collar from your CV onto the new CV. Then Slide the CV into the hub. Be sure to align the splines on CV with the splines on the hub as you go.
Step 9: Put your NEW axle spindle hardware on. NEW taper washer, NEW conical washer, and NEW castle nut. Remember to put the word OUT facing OUT on the washer. We'll worry about the NEW cotter pin later.
Step 10: Line up the inner CV splines with those on the transmission. Be sure to get the roll-pin holes lined up correctly. If the CV doesn't want to go all the way on, try pulling on just the metal collar of the cv at the splines. Sometimes it's slid inwards towards the rubber boots.
Step 11: Hammer the NEW roll-pin into place from below. Go until it's flush with the CV surface.
Step 12: Attach the control arm. You should be able to get the arm lined up and the bolt started through by hand, and by pushing/pulling on the hub. You may need to use a small pry bar on the arm. Just look at it from the front to make sure you're getting lined up. Once the bolt is started, lightly tap it through, prying the arm as needed. Don't beat it through and strip the threads... Torque the bolt to 43-58 ft-lbs. Subaru also suggests using a new lock nut on this part. I just keep an eye on it. Perhaps some loctite?
Step 13: Put the wheel back on, & lower the car to the ground. Put the tranny in gear. Torque the lug nuts. Now, torque the axle nut to 145 ft/lbs. Yes, with a torque-wrench and all. If the cotter-pin hole is blocked by the castle nut, loosen/tighten the bolt as needed. The manual says "within 30 degrees" to get the NEW cotter-pin through. Now bend the ends of the cotter pin, & you're done.