HELP PLEASE Front Axle Replacement

[daluvabull]

Fellow SVXers:

Does anyone have positive suggestions for front axle replacement? I did a search. The results suggested NAPA and CarParts.com as an alternative supplier to Subaru. What are your recommendations?

Is this task a difficult one? I had to tow her home Friday. She now sits in my garage on stands. The right front axle is now free from its inner socket. The lower ball joint needs replacement as well. Does the remanufactured axle assembly from the said suppliers include the innner/outer CV-joints, boots and seals?

Any information as to the replacement of the axle ( parts, directions, ect.) would be greatly appreciated.

Happy SVXing

daluvabull

[SubaSteevo]

I can't speak for them myself, but I know many people have gotten remanufactured axels from raxles.com. When my cv boots went the one basically exploded. I needed the car right away so I brought it to the STS around the corner from me. From my understanding it is not a hard job, it just requires patience. I even think there is a how-to in the locker.

I'm in the same boat. Well, my car is still going just fine (with the exception of click, click, click when turning left). Anyway, I just ordered my new axels from Rockauto.com. I haven't recieved them yet, it looks like Mon, or Tues I will get them, and hopefully install them.
I have heard it's not a hard job to do, but I'm going to let my friend (ASE cert. mechanic) do it for $40 bucks.

Good luck.

EDIT: Forgot to say, the ones from rockauto.com were $61.79 each. I forget how much core charge was.

[Chicane]

I just went to Checker auto and purchased some new axles. They're remanufactured units, new inner and outer joints, lifetime warranty. About $150 each, but that includes an 80 dollar core charge, so once you return the old ones youre spending about 140 total, for both front axles. Anyway, it wasn't that hard to do, teh only thing that got me was the 'pins' that hold them in. Had to drive them out with a tiny screwdriver.

- Rob

[svxsubaru1]

yeah there not hard to do, ecept the pins only go in one way. Some thing I dident know when i first did it.

[daluvabull]

Thanks for the helpful info

[Mr. Pockets]

I haven't yet done it myself, but I don't think it'd be a terribly difficult thing to do. The worst part, I would expect, would be the axle nut. I've never gotten one off, with or without air tools.

[Chicane]

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
I haven't yet done it myself, but I don't think it'd be a terribly difficult thing to do. The worst part, I would expect, would be the axle nut. I've never gotten one off, with or without air tools.

Mine were REALLY quite loose. A regular 1/4 ratchet could have broken it loose easy. I'd say it was around 50 ft l/bs.

I'm guessing it should be tighter. >shrug<

- Rob

[Blue94]

I asked this for the rear bearing job I did and now I need to do my front axles so,, Does anyone know the torque specs of the front axle nut, the nut that holds the steering knuckle, and the strut tower bolts?

Blue

[Chicane]

Do a search for it, I don't remember the exact numbers but I asked that question here before hwen I was doing the axles.

- Rob

[James Scott]

axle nut: 123 to 152

["steering knuckle nut"?]: 22 to 36 [tie rod end ball joint to housing (1)]

["strut tower bolts"?]:

97 to 127 [strut base to housing, lower (1)]

36 to 44 [strut upper nut (1)]

25 to 35 [upper strut mount nuts (3)]

These are my best shot at "translating". The figures are all in ft-lbs and as Beav suggests, the lower number is for old nuts, while the larger number is the torque for new nuts. I'm not a mechanic, so I don't know alot of the terminology, esp. when different terms are used for the same part - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. The figures I provided are taken from the shop manual.

If you have further explanations or inquiries, let me know.

It's not that hard to do....After you remove the axle nut, remove the caliper and then setit aside but DON'T let it hang by the line. After unbolting the strut from the spindle assembly all you have to do is unconnecte it from the diff. You'll need a smal punch so that you can remove the pin that holds the diff shaft into the axle shaft itself. It's not hard at all. Yes the replacement axle comes complete with boots and all.