I think my front left CV joint is failing. When turning right, I hear a click, click...click,click...click,click sound, especially when turning right slowly at almost full lock. The sound is absent when driving straight. Sounds like a CV joint to me. Opinions? I figure, if it is indeed the CV, it would be a whole lot easier to just replace the entire axle. 1. I have an 02 TS wagon. I think the axles are shorter for the wagons, right? Can anybody confirm this? 2. Are the axles different between the WRX and the TS/RS? (I know the STI are different) 3. How long can I expect it to last before it eats itself? (driving like a senior citizen...) Thanks.
Usually when it's clicking, that means it's pretty bad then. If wanting to repair the axle boot, you should repair it at the FIRST SITE of a torn boot to reduce any harm to the CV joint. I would recommend getting axles that are vehicle specific unless you know they are the same parts. Does yours have ABS, auto or manual? http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partlistbymod.php?model=Impreza&subcat=Axle,+Front&year=2002
Mine started to click and was loose to the touch, than I drove to duluth from the cities and made it! but about 10miles around town it started to hobble, pull, and skid(tire locking up) whenever i took a corner. went from bad to terribad really quick, but duluth roads are fail.. so fix quick imo, scary to drive it like that oyea, was ~360$ parts and labor, i drove a little too long like that and sorta seized it in the hub (+1 extra hour of labor +80$ to a 280$ estimate)
ABS, Manual. I asked because finding used axles is easy. But, axles are one thing that might be better to buy new. Especially with the MNSubaru discount. Odd thing. I just did an RS/TS to WRX front brake upgrade (replaced brackets, rotors, pads. Thanks to Brian at MTKA for finding the right brackets), and put my summer wheels on. Now, no clicking. I'm going to keep a sharp ear on it, though. When I had everything off, I checked the boot and it looks fine. No play either. Maybe the clicking was a pad retaining clip or something. It sounded like more than that, though. If it is the CV, I can't imagine that the sound would just go away..
AHHH...mine is clicking like that too. It got worse after I replaced my clutch fork. At first, it was clicking even when I was slowly rolling foward and making left turns. Then it stopped clicking for awhile, then this last autoX event. I notice whenever I make hard left turns, it clicks. Don't know yet if it's the axles/CV boot looks fine, or wheel bearings. Update about this!
I just noticed today that my driver side front boot on the differential side is torn. CV joint seems to be okay. Doesn't make any noise or anything. Can I replace just the boot or do I need to replace the whole axle and cv joint?
That's not your CV (Constant Velocity) joint; it's your inner DOJ (Double Offset Joint). I say inner because in the rear you have two DOJs per axle; inner and outer as there is no need for a CV joint in the rear. Yes; you can replace just the boot but in order to do that you end up doing 90% of the work in replacing an axle. So if money isn't an issue and you can just drop $150 on an axle; I'd say do that instead and be done... the CV is going to fail eventually anyway. If money is tight then just get the boot, pull the axle, change the boot, and reinstall. You can get 'quick boots' that are a boot cut in half and can be relaced while axle is still on the car. I haven't heard of one lasting; everyone says they fail quickly.
morgan. '87+ all have outer CVs in the rear. only EA81s and '85-'86s have dual DOJ rear axles. be careful when buying a "new" axle. as all "new" axles are not created equally. most remanufactured ones will fail more quickly than a clicking OEM one. with the luck I've had with reman'd axles, I would definitely pull it out, and just replace the boot. not much technology to a CV boot, so you can just grab one from any auto parts store. they're usually like $7 each (including clamps and grease). pull yours apart (need a snapring pliers and clamp tool, plus the tools to get the axle out), clean them out real well (since the CV basically doesn't come apart, you'll need a good solvent to get it real clean. I usually soak it in gas.....), pack them with the fresh grease, install boot, and put it back in the car. pictures from when I re-booted one of the axles on my XT6 (same idea). otherwise, get a NEW axle, or a Subaru reman. RockAuto has a cardone NEW axle for an 02 TS w/ABS for $50 plus shipping. never used one myself, but I'd trust it more than any reman'd one on my cars.
Reman ones are pretty much junk. Went thru 3 in a year (all same axle) from Checker's when I had my GSX.
Dudes on the UMSB swear up and down that MWE Axles is the place to get good axles for a good price. That's who I got my last one from so we'll see how long it lasts. Now of course the axle on the other side is startting to click. All the other axles I've replaced were junkyard axles. Lasted longer than those crap remans people complain about. Hey Chux how does the cup come off the DOJ there? I've never pulled one apart.
quick question: I cannot for the life of me get the spindle nut off. It has that little punch tab bent in, which I cannot get bent back out. Plus I just broke the tip of a screwdriver off jammed in that slot. Please help!
outer joint is a CVJ. inner is a DOJ. this is true of both front and rear axles on EJ cars. the rotor hat (unless it's a cheap replacement) will have 2 threaded holes in it. you can use a bolt (you'd have to look up elsewhere the exact thread pitch...or experiment) to force the rotor off the hub without damaging either. an axle can be removed without removing the brakes, though. I usually try to describe DOJ disassembly once every couple months. so I just went into the basement, pulled apart a spare axle, and took a bunch of pictures. write-up will be posted shortly.
I used a small roll punch to bend that out of the way. Really though I don't think that little bent piece is going to stop the nut from coming off. It's not like the old castle nuts with cotter pins. I've had EJ axle nuts move on their own even with that piece bent down... didn't stop it from moving! If you must bend it then get the right tools; small punch or chizel and a hammer. I had to use my impact wrench on 120 PSI 3 times on the main axle nut after I bent that tab out of the notch. It didn't come off untill the 3rd time when PSI got down to 90, motor kicked in on compressor, and then it finnally started losening the nut. Liberal application of PB Blaster days before and the night of as well! If you don't have an impact wrench then you need to get a breaker bar and at least four feet of cheater to extend with it. Be carefull as now you have so much leverage you can do real damage like stripping the nut, breaking the socket, twisting your breakerbar. Be sure you are on secure and moving the breaker bar in a straight line (not at an angle; thats when stuff starts stripping or corners get rounded!) ps: you're in for a long night
I know I am. okay, so the nut is removed. The spindle is completely loose inside the hub, but the hub will not pull off. am I missing something?
the hub is pressed into the bearings. you need to pull the ball joint (out of the knuckle, leave it in the control arm....that way you don't rip the boot), and swing the knuckle out away from the car so you can get the axle off the trans. and then you'll be able to slide the axle out of the hub.
I wouldn't pull the ball joint. The boot rips, gotta have a pickle fork, it's a huge pita just to get the damn end out of the control arm, not even worth it IMHO but some people swear by doing it that way. I usually just end up swearing a lot doing it that way =) What I did was drop the top of the strut (three bolts on top of strut tower), pulled out the single bolt where the lower control arm bolts to front main crossmember, and pulled the one bolt from the front sway bar to the end link. Then undid the bracket that holds the ABS sensor cable to the knuckle and I had enough play to pull the DOJ off the stub on the tranny. Had to also turn the steering wheel hard left to give that extra few milimeters of play but it came out. Other alternative is taking out camber nut and bolt next to it so the knuckle drops from the strut. I've never done it that way. Do NOT pound on the stub axle at the hub untill the DOJ is off the tranny! Once the DOJ is off the tranny the stub axle should come out of the hub easily. If it doesn't you can then apply some spray lube up into the splined fitting where the stub interfaces the hub, put a block of wood on the stub, and pound on that to get it out.
I haven't had problems with sliding the ball joint out of the cup in the knuckle. MY friend who is a mechanic has had some that were rusted in there quite nicely though. An air hammer with the right tip gets them out quickly though. If the axle is not sliding out of the hub, I use a three-jaw puller. My beater wagan had one be a bear for me, and the puller made quick work of it, with an impact.
I need some help as well guys. I put my coilovers on my car a few months ago and ever sence then there has been a squeak coming from the left front of the car. Now this morning when I pulled in the drive way (it's got a little pitch to it so I have to pull in slow. Also I was turning to my right.) I heard a loud pop! It's coming from the same wheel well. I just got back for going across town and every time I hit a bump, get on it or pull in/out of some were like my drive way I pops like crazy! Any one have any input on what it could be? Ball joint maby? Any hlep would be great! Thanks
Depends ya know? If you got one of those fancy, newer, Subarus... sure the ball joint pops right out of the control arm and life is good. I'm always working on 20 year old stuff where everything from the waist down is rust-welded together or falls apart under the force of trying to unbolt things. I'm not saying Don't Do It a certain way; just saying I wouldn't =) There's like 4 different ways to pull an axle and it's really a matter of preference. With regards to three-jaw pullers... who really has one that size laying around? Everyone's got a block of wood and a hammer near by! ;D
