Subframe bushing replacement problems...

[wood_e]

Hi guys...

I got my rear drivers side subframe bushing bolt out without any problems but my front drivers side is giving me one **** of a time. I sprayed these bolts with PB B=laster today and yesterday. When I get my impact wrench around the bolt head it pushes the bolt up and it just spins in there because of the plate being off of the frame. Should I slightly lower my subframe to get it to catch on the frame? Any ideas?

 

[todras]

Good F'n luck. Had the same issue. The 2 pieces that hold the back plate were rusted away letting it spin. Worked on it for 10 hrs. and gave up. Took it to a dealer. I burned up a Dremel trying to get everything out. Cut the bolt and then ground it/cut up the backing nut enough to fish it through the little side window in the frame. Took it to a dealer to install a new back plate cost me $60. Still don't know how he did it since you can't get a tool in there to hold the "net" while you get a new bolt in there. Thanks god the back 2 didn't cause probs.

 

[93EmeraldMTX]

i have the same ******* problum. in fact i was just coming to post about it. my rears came out like nothing, but my passenger front is spinning like yours.

 

[wood_e]

cooollllllllllllllll well I got one of my new rear bushings in... I had to grind out the circle for it to even fit, and even then it was pretty tight...

the fronts are a total no go...

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Done this dozens of times... Just cut the front bolts with a sawzall, die grinder w/cut-off wheel, whatever. Then you can remove what's left of the bolt along with the plate nut from the inside of the front frame rail (there are holes on the outboard sides, but the inboard side holes are bigger).

When installing the new plate nut, chances are the factory ears that are supposed to hold them have sheared, so you'll need to use an offset box wrench to hold them in place until the bolt is mostly tight.

 

[93EmeraldMTX]

Done this dozens of times... Just cut the front bolts with a sawzall, die grinder w/cut-off wheel, whatever. Then you can remove what's left of the bolt along with the plate nut from the inside of the front frame rail (there are holes on the outboard sides, but the inboard side holes are bigger).

When installing the new plate nut, chances are the factory ears that are supposed to hold them have sheared, so you'll need to use an offset box wrench to hold them in place until the bolt is mostly tight.

did you do this on automatic cars or something? on the passenger side there is no room to get a hand or whatever in the inboard side holes because of a bunch of A/C lines and crap, and i dunno where the **** you'd put a box wrench in there either.

 

[Bizzy]

another thing that you can try to get the fronts apart. Take a large craftsman prybar in there and have a friend hold it in place while you go to town on the bolt. It seems to me that whenever I have used airtools to remove the fronts on a car that has never been apart, thebolts are more apt to spinning and being a pain in the **** to get apart.

In a perfect world, cutting off the old one and fishing it out is the right solution, it's much easier to fish the old part out if you get the bolt all the way out. don't reuse the rusty old nutin the frame if you can avoid it.

 

[Ishodu]

You could just cut it off as suggested then take a tap to the new nut (this will remove the locking threads) Then use locktite and hit it in with and impact.

 

[93EmeraldMTX]

You could just cut it off as suggested then take a tap to the new nut (this will remove the locking threads) Then use locktite and hit it in with and impact.

the thing is even getting the old one out and the new one in on the passenger side, there is no room.

 

[Ishodu]

I had no issues. I cut them off. I can't exactly what hole I got them out of, but I did get the old ones out and the new ones in.

 

[TankII]

My Pass front does this. I remove all other bolts first, putting tension on that remaining bolt, then take it out with hand tools. Putting it back in, I LIBERALLY grease it and hold the nut from spinning with a large screwdriver and the same amount of tension.

TankII

 

[wood_e]

Alright so does the front bushing plate have a bolt on it? If so what size is it?

 

[wood_e]

no one? I don't have access to a die grinder or sawzall anymore... I would like my front one that spun tightened back up until I have access to those tools... What would be good to wedge in there? A screw driver? Crowbar? Can anyone make or does anyone have a picture of what the front plate looks like for a visual reference?

 

[Sho_Freak]

i have access to a sawzall if u dont mind driving up to my house, its only about hour and 15 minutes from ames.....

 

[wood_e]

i have access to a sawzall if u dont mind driving up to my house, its only about hour and 15 minutes from ames.....

Thanks for the offer! Once my car is put back together I might make a weekend out of it and hang up there. []

 

[Patrick Norris]

Wow you guess like to work to hard. I just drilled a hole through the bushing and the plate or even beside the plate then stuck a screwdriver in the hole to hold the plate from spinning. Worked perfect.

I had more trouble getting the nuts off the old bushings. I had to drill/cut/grind most of them off.

 

[Sho_Freak]

Thanks for the offer! Once my car is put back together I might make a weekend out of it and hang up there. [ ]

just give me a little notice b4 u come up and it willl be just fine.....i may be doing al sfb's here soon, so maybe we can make a weekend outta it.....

but beware, hunting owns my life from sept 11 to sept 26, and oct 16 to dec 9......

 

[wood_e]

well i bought a cheap grinder and did away with the bolt head. Now I have a bigger problem... how does one fish out the plate and the old bolt?

 

[3.8Lwagon]

try using a coat hanger to grab hold of the nut plate thing. thier shoudl be large enough holes in the frame for some on with small hands to reach in their and grab it though. I love having long skinny fingers. some times it is worth reaching in to places others with fat hands can't just to **** them off

 

[revhardSHO]

Which side? The horn is in the way on the drivers side but can easily be removed to gain access with a 19mm (I think) wrench. Its tight, I wont lie.

Pass side is a PITA because of the AC accumulator, good luck.