Occasionally, the rubber boot around the Subaru CV joint will develop cracks or rip from wear, causing dirt to get into the joint. When this happens, the CV joint will begin to grind and stop working properly. The easiest and most cost-effective way to remove the CV joint on the Subaru is to remove the trans-axle that houses the CV joint as a complete unit. You can remove the CV joint on the Subaru yourself in a couple hours, saving you time and money.
Set the emergency brake on the Subaru before replacing the CV joint. Place a wood block behind a rear tire to keep the vehicle from rolling.
Lift the car up, placing a floor jack on the side of the vehicle that has the CV joint needing to be replaced. Place a jack stand under the vehicle frame next to the wheel that will be taken off then lower the car onto the jack stand.
Remove the tire using a tire tool to loosen the lug nuts, setting the tire and lug nuts out of the way. Take the castle nut off the end of the axle, removing the cotter pin with a pair of pliers and unfastening the nut with a socket wrench.
Loosen the brake caliper with the socket wrench, taking the caliper off the rotor and setting it aside. Slide the rotor off the wheel hub by hand then set it out of the way.
Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left to provide room to take the trans-axle out of the wheel hub. Use the socket wrench to remove the bolts on the plate under the wheel hub that holds the frame arm to the wheel hub.
Unfasten the bolts that hold the frame arm to the anti-roll bar with the socket wrench. Push the trans-axle through the wheel hub by hand until it is free of the hub.
Slide the Subaru's trans-axle out of the side of the transmission housing then set the part out of the way.
