2011 Subaru Impreza - Drive Axle Replacement

[Number_35]

A friend, great person and neighbour, heard a bad noise coming from the front end of his 2011 Subaru Impreza. He looked underneath, and found a split open boot on the passenger-side outer CV joint.

He bought a TrakMotive unit locally, and brought it over this evening. We installed it without too much hassle - the splined end of the axle came out of the hub no problem at all.

We went for a test drive, and there was a bad intermittent clunk. He said it was the same noise as before (which was not at all like the clicking of a failing CV joint I had assumed he had heard).

So I checked the front end. The passenger-side ball joint had a lot of slop in it - enough that I advised him to not drive the car.

Then I showed him how tight the driver's-side ball joint was by comparison - and noticed that the boot on the CV joint on that side was also split open. Yeesh ...

The car was from the States at some point, and has over 150,000 miles on it, so I guess these things are to be expected.

Used car prices here remain very high, so it's probably better to.fix the car and get another couple of years out of it.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

There is a special Subaru ball joint puller you can get for $20 or so on Amazon, that makes the job easy, but be careful when removing that pinch bolt because you could snap it since it'll be so rusty! Spray the bolt with CRC Freeze-off, wait a few seconds, then work the pinch bolt SLOWLY! You might also want to buy new pinch bolts, and slather them with anti-seize before reinstalling the bolt.

If you snap the pinch bolt, you will need a new steering knuckle!

For the CV axles, make sure you get one with thermoplastic boots. Subarus can actually wear the inner joints and even tear the inner boots! GSP XD axles seem like the best ones to use. Trakmotive also makes those extended axles, but some people don't like the different design they use on the inner joint. The GSP XD axles are regular style axles but with thermoplastic boots like OE.

 

[Number_35]

@slacktide_bitog, is this the correct tool?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

@slacktide_bitog, is this the correct tool?

View attachment 289712

Yeah, that's it

 

[D60]

@slacktide_bitog, is this the correct tool?

View attachment 289712

Looks like an Astro copy? Check reviews. If no good reviews of the OMT, read reviews for the Astro. Supposedly the pin breaks. Get the CTA 8881.

Looks like Performance tool may offer a copy as W83052 but I have never handled the PT.

Read reviews of the CTA on Amazon. The first several are essentially "better than the Astro", "stronger than the Astro" etc. See for yourself, don't take my word.

 

[D60]

Also IME if you need a beater daily driver, these Subarus are fine. Buy stock in an oil company because you'll be adding at least a quart every 1k

The issue becomes they seem to reach a point where they need brakes, CV boots, a wheel bearing and at least two struts all at once. We'll ignore the head gaskets that are leaking oil and the timing belt that's due -- unless the Impreza got the FB in '11?

So, a couple struts, a ball joint, a couple CV axles, a wheel bearing and some brakes.....it's fine if you can do the work yourself. If you can't, your $3000 beater needs $3500 in repairs at a shop.

 

[Lawnman23]

Looks like an Astro copy? Check reviews. If no good reviews of the OMT, read reviews for the Astro. Supposedly the pin breaks. Get the CTA 8881.

Looks like Performance tool may offer a copy as W83052 but I have never handled the PT.

Read reviews of the CTA on Amazon. The first several are essentially "better than the Astro", "stronger than the Astro" etc. See for yourself, don't take my word.

The CTA tool is the one I got for doing my LCA'a. Beefy unit. Haven't used it yet, soon though.

 

[Lawnman23]

There is a special Subaru ball joint puller you can get for $20 or so on Amazon, that makes the job easy, but be careful when removing that pinch bolt because you could snap it since it'll be so rusty! Spray the bolt with CRC Freeze-off, wait a few seconds, then work the pinch bolt SLOWLY! You might also want to buy new pinch bolts, and slather them with anti-seize before reinstalling the bolt.

If you snap the pinch bolt, you will need a new steering knuckle!

This is the part im fearing most for removing the LCA's on my Outback. I will be soaking them down for a few days before starting the project.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

This is the part im fearing most for removing the LCA's on my Outback. I will be soaking them down for a few days before starting the project.

Make sure to spray in the middle of the knuckle thing where it splits and the middle of the pinch bolt is exposed.

 

[Lawnman23]

Make sure to spray in the middle of the knuckle thing where it splits and the middle of the pinch bolt is exposed.

Yep, I know the spot. I will use the wire toothbrush to remove any surface crust and then get it soaked in there.

Would you suggest light impact or ratchet for breaking it loose? Mine are original and never been replaced.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Yep, I know the spot. I will use the wire toothbrush to remove any surface crust and then get it soaked in there.

Would you suggest light impact or ratchet for breaking it loose? Mine are original and never been replaced.

Avoid using an impact if at all possible. Use hand tools only, like a regular ratchet. You can use a breaker bar or cheater bar if you need to, but go lightly and slow.

Do not use an impact because that will absolutely snap the pinch bolt, and you will need to replace the knuckle.

Even if you don't break the pinch bolt, replace it anyway. Some control arms and ball joints even come with new pinch bolts for this reason. If they're not included, buy new ones anyway. Anti-seize the entire bolt and the threads in the knuckle.

 

[Lawnman23]

Avoid using an impact if at all possible. Use hand tools only, like a regular ratchet. You can use a breaker bar or cheater bar if you need to, but go lightly and slow.

Do not use an impact because that will absolutely snap the pinch bolt, and you will need to replace the knuckle.

Even if you don't break the pinch bolt, replace it anyway. Some control arms and ball joints even come with new pinch bolts for this reason. If they're not included, buy new ones anyway. Anti-seize the entire bolt and the threads in the knuckle.

Makes sense, thanks!

Thankfully the new LCA's came with new pinch bolts so good to go there.

 

[Number_35]

This is the part im fearing most for removing the LCA's on my Outback. I will be soaking them down for a few days before starting the project.

I'm a big believer in doing so, when I have the lead time.

A few years ago I was planning to replace the stabilizer-bar end links on my friend's Sonic. I was going out of town for a week, but left him with a rattle can of penetrating oil and asked him to spray them daily. They came off surprisingly easily.

Same car, last year ... we were replacing the gaskets in the oil cooler, and had to pull the exhaust manifold to get access. I had this terrible fear of breaking a stud off. Again I was going out of town for a few days, and had him spray the nuts and studs daily. No problem with any of them - I think there were nine in all.

Given time, penetrating oil ... penetrates.

 

[Number_35]

Guys, are any of the aftermarket options acceptable, or do we need to go genuine Subaru?

 

[Number_35]

So, a couple struts, a ball joint, a couple CV axles, a wheel bearing and some brakes.....it's fine if you can do the work yourself. If you can't, your $3000 beater needs $3500 in repairs at a shop.

Used-car prices remain very high here. No way my friend can replace the car for $3K*, so it's worth putting a bit of work into. Plus it has the coveted MT, increasingly rare here.

* Certainly not in C$ anyway, and probably not in USD either.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Guys, are any of the aftermarket options acceptable, or do we need to go genuine Subaru?

View attachment 289849View attachment 289850

Out of those, Moog. It seems to include a new pinch bolt and has a castle nut and cotter pin. Many aftermarket ball joints are eliminating the castle nut (and even some OE ball joints no longer use one).

If you don't want to spend that much, there's the FVP which also includes a pinch bolt.

DO NOT get a greaseable ball joint!