Need to change an axle? Here's how....

[JmP6889928]

I had this posted in another thread but I thought it would be good as a stand alone thread too.

 

If you need to change an axle, the BEST way is to separate the ball joint from the LCA rather than from the strut. If you remove from the strut, then you need to have the car realigned, no matter how careful you are at marking the cam bolts. An alignment is performed with the weight of the car on the front wheels and the wheels are on floater plates, which allow movement when the bolts are loosened, adjusted, and tightened.

 

To change an axle, jack the car up and put on jackstands securely with enough height to be able to get under the LCA comfortably. The first once jacked up is to use an impact wrench to loosen but don't remove the axle nut. (If you are doing both sides, switch the nuts to find a new place to peen back into the slot. If only one side, then it's best to replace the nut if one doesn't come with the new axle).

 

To split the ball joint from the LCA, remove the bottom cotter pin, loosen the castle nut down to where the castle is even with the bottom of the stud. Spray a bunch of penetrating oil around the stud where it enters the LCA. Take about a 4' long piece of pipe (I use chainlink fence pipe-1 3/8") and wedge it under the front support (framerail) and put pressure downward (lay your chest on it) on the LCA (it's usually easiest to put the pipe on the front side of the rotor) and whack the side of the LCA on each side of the stud sharply with a BFH. It usually takes about 2 or 3 hits on each side and it will pop loose. DO NOT HAMMER ON THE BJ STUD NO MATTER WHAT OR YOU WILL BE REPLACING THE BJ. Be patient if it doesn't come loose on the first couple of hits. It may take 4-5 a side if the car is driven in crappy conditions (like MICHIGAN where I live...LOL) or has a lot of miles on it.Remove the castle nut and force the LCA down with the pipe until you can completely separate the BJ stud from the LCA.

 

Remove the axle nut and push the axle spline through the WB and simply pull the strut/knuckle assembly to the side and remove your axle. CHECK the BJ for excessive looseness at the stud by moving it around and making sure it's not flopping around in the socket. AGAIN, when you put your new axle in, anti seize on the splines. You can use it on both ends, but very lightly on the trans side.

 

Lightly coat the axle seal surface with some ATF and insert your axle into the transmission making sure it seats all the way in. Once you have it in the trans and are sure it's seated all the way, pull the knuckle over and line up the spline end of the axle with the WB and slide the axle into the WB. Finger install the axle nut to make sure it can't slip back out (although it would be pretty hard to lose it), pry your LCA down and reinstall your BJ stud into the LCA (covered in anti seize) and then tighten the castle nut to spec and replace the cotter pin. Tighten the axle nut LIGHTLY with an impact wrench and install your wheel without the center cap. Lower the car back onto the ground and set the e-brake or put the car in gear if MT. Use a torque wrench and torque to Subaru specs (about 160 ft.lbs.), peen the axle nut into the shaft keyway, and reinstall your center cap.

 

You've just changed your axle and you've not changed your alignment in any way, and generally, if you are just decent with tools, you can change an axle in less than an hour. If you are really good with tools, then you should be able to get it done in about 1/2 hour.

 

Feel free to comment or PM me if you have questions. I've been doing axles like this ever since FWD cars have come out and it's by far the easiest, fastest, cheapest, and best way to R&R an axle.

[Turkeylord]

I just changed my passenger one for the second time and did everything pretty much the same as your instructions. The only thing I didn't do the same is torque the axle nut with the wheel on and loaded - nbd? Is that just intended to help keep the axle from turning while you torque it, or is there some need to have a load on it?

 

The only other thing I'd mention or clarify, is that you're going to want both front wheels off the ground. If you leave the opposite side down the sway bar will be fighting you on the LCA. This is one of those "Ask me how I know" moments, lol... You may also want to replace the seal on the transmission - damage it and you'll have a leak.

[JmP6889928]

I just changed my passenger one for the second time and did everything pretty much the same as your instructions. The only thing I didn't do the same is torque the axle nut with the wheel on and loaded - nbd? Is that just intended to help keep the axle from turning while you torque it, or is there some need to have a load on it?

 

The only other thing I'd mention or clarify, is that you're going to want both front wheels off the ground. If you leave the opposite side down the sway bar will be fighting you on the LCA. This is one of those "Ask me how I know" moments, lol... You may also want to replace the seal on the transmission - damage it and you'll have a leak.

 

To answer your first question, the load is to make sure you can get that much torque on the nut. There is no other reason and once you have it reasonably tight, there is no stress on the center splines.

 

The rest of your points are all good points, especially the seal, and I was simply trying to get the mechanics of the R&R put in an easy to understand format. As to your mention of the sway bar, it's generally easier to simply remove the end link, which I don't think I referenced in the original walk through, and then you don't have the bar fighting you while you push down on the LCA. It also makes it so you can do one side easily and then when finished, just put the end link back on.

 

Thanks for your comments. I'm glad everything worked out well.

[liljonson]

That's how I replace my axles on this car. Easiest way to do it

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[SBT]

Thank you for the write-up. This is the process that I use - I just replace the fence post with a BABB.

 

The only thing I'd change, and this is from the FSM, is to not put the wheel/tire on until you have that axle nut set to torque-spec. Most don't know that the cages in our hub bearing assemblies (HBA) or wheel bearing (WB) as you mentioned, are plastic. Hub bearings are designed to run radially with their cages, so weight deflection (i.e., from tire , or worse, the weight of the car on the axle before it's properly torqued) can damage the cage.

 

From the FSM:

 

Tightening torque: 220 N⋅m (22.4 kgf-m, 162 ft-lb)

 

CAUTION:

• Install the wheel after installation of the axle nut. Failure to follow this rule may damage the wheel bearing.

• Be sure to tighten axle nut to specified torque. Do not overtighten it as this may damage wheel bearing.

[JmP6889928]

Thank you for the write-up. This is the process that I use - I just replace the fence post with a BABB.

 

The only thing I'd change, and this is from the FSM, is to not put the wheel/tire on until you have that axle nut set to torque-spec. Most don't know that the cages in our hub bearing assemblies (HBA) or wheel bearing (WB) as you mentioned, are plastic. Hub bearings are designed to run radially with their cages, so weight deflection (i.e., from tire , or worse, the weight of the car on the axle before it's properly torqued) can damage the cage.

 

From the FSM:

 

Tightening torque: 220 N⋅m (22.4 kgf-m, 162 ft-lb)

 

CAUTION:

• Install the wheel after installation of the axle nut. Failure to follow this rule may damage the wheel bearing.

• Be sure to tighten axle nut to specified torque. Do not overtighten it as this may damage wheel bearing.

 

Thanks for the info on the torque and the Cautions. I've been changing axles for a very long time and have always done it the way I describe without any issues. I DO, however, have the axle torqued quite a ways already before I set it on the ground-usually about 2/3 of the torque or more. The spline end of the axle will slide back and forth inside of the hub enough to finish the required torque. I do agree that you certainly wouldn't want to drive it until you have it all the way to the 162 ft.lb.

 

Thanks again. These forums are to help everyone learn how and why things need to be done a certain way and all constructive information, at least on any of my posts, is always welcome.