replacing front CV axle
 

How long should it take a indy garage to swap out a front CV axle on a '92 SVX. The boot is completely gone. Is there any reason I should do both while they're at the first one? What is everyones thougts on replacing and/or flushing of the transmission fluid?

thanks

Tdog

swapping out a cv axle shouldn't take a shop very long at all, provided they have the proper replacement part.. i don't know what the "book rate" would be on a task like that, but i imagine it wouldn't take more than 90 minutes of labor..

as far as a tranny flush & fill goes, that's your call.. if the fluid on the dipstick feels gritty between your fingers or smells burnt, it's time for a change. i think the recommended interval is 30k miles, but i've heard of members doing it every 15k.. one thing to watch out for though.. if the fluid hasn't been purged in awhile, doing a flush might break loose some deposits which have settled and they could wind up clogging other parts of the transmission..

i flushed my tranny and about a year later i lost 3rd and 4th gear.. don't know if they were at all related..

-adam

The nice thing about Subaru drive trains is that they are all pretty much the same. I had to swap out an axle in the daughter-in-law's (wife's former) '95 Outback after the joint 'lost it's balls'. (170,000= mi's.) It took me all of about 40 minutes to do the swap- and that was with a jack and jackstands on the fire dept. garage floor- not with the luxury of having a nice lift.

-Mark

replacing front CV axle
 

Mark,

can you sort of run me thru the replacement step by step. I do most of the routine maintenance myself and am considering doing this one myself.

thanks

Tdog

Look in the "How To" articles link at the very top right of this page. That worked for me!

took me 45 mins to do one side...easiest axle change I have ever done. Sept for that stupid dowel pin...trying to get that thing in took most the time for me...kept mushrooming. 7/8 in is good enough for me.

If you do have a shop do it and you have over 100k you may want to just go ahead and have them put in a new lower ball joint while they are there. Its not a pricy part, plus they already did 99% of the labor. Also might want to consider having the wheel bearing repaced with new seals as well. I'd say these two things would probably add $75 to the cost.

FYI My mechanic charges $125 installed for new 1/2 shafts regardless of the subie and they come with a lifetime labor and part warranty. Personally for that price he can get himself dirty. I just had one replaced in my Brat 2 years ago and neglected to tell him about the bearing. It seems to be making some growls now when I turn :( .

front cv axle
 

It took me 45 minutes just to get the axle nut off, after that about 15. Easiest axle job ever.