[TheHolyCannoli]

I'm getting the classic clicking/clanking at slow speeds with the wheel fully turned in either direction. Unfortunately, I'm hearing the sound intermittently from both sides. Checked my CV boots and they look perfect. No signs of grease thrown on nearby parts, although I do remember having grease on the inside of the passenger rim about a year ago.

Here are my 2 questions...
1) What do I disconnect to remove the axle? The strut brace, ball joint, or something else? I've seen videos doing one or the other, but looking for more input on best/easiest option.

2) Where should I get my parts? OEM is something like $300/axle so I'm not going that route. Aftermarket seems to range between $80-$90, but I'm hearing very bad things about the remanufactured parts being sold at the autozones/pep boys/orielly's/etc.​

 

[karlaudi]

For $35.00 you can download a complete service manual in PDF form and anything else you can download over the course of 72 hours from Subaru. The procedures are explained in a simple and easy to read format.

The link:

https://techinfo.subaru.com/stis/#/login

Your CV's may be "dry", even with the boots and clamps intact, and this why you are starting to hear clicking. Catch it early enough and you can clean and repack the joints with the proper grease.


My only experience, both personal and profession, with CV joints and axles is with VW, BMW, or Audi. When working for independent shops we always used brand new OE/OEM parts. Complete exchange CV joints were used by Dealers because Remanufactured Parts, on exchange basis, are what the factories supply to Dealers. Sometimes we bought Dealer Parts, because they were the only ones available and the warranty was often better than aftermarket new, though the "wholesale" price was not.

I cannot remember complete axles with CV's from the Dealer or not, but the OE/OEM Aftermarket supplied them, as I recall.

The brand always used was Lobro (Loebro), now part of GKN. They are the dominant brand for European cars. I do not know if they make them for Subaru, as I am new to Subaru. But if they do, that is the aftermarket brand I would use and most likely, unless they offer them too, I would not buy a complete "Rebuilt" axles of unknown quality or brand from AutoZone Pepboys, etc.. Especially so, if the price is really low compared to "Dealer List".

In my youth, at the college where I was learning to be a professional Automotive Service Technician we worked on the public's cars for the list price of parts. Charging labor was not allowed, as we were a California State Junior College. The profits helped to support the Automotive Department at the school. We bought our parts almost always from a NAPA Auto Parts franchise. This was the early 1980s. Then, at least, the NAPA parts for European and Japanese cars tended to always be OE /OEM for driveline, chassis, and brake parts, or a major supplier like TRW.

Times have changed, and low cost parts of inexpensive quality have flooded the market. I still think of a NAPA store, especially a small town one, as being a reliable Auto Parts Store. I hope they still are.