subframe problem and questions (pictures)

[dmoo21]

so to start out with. everything was going well had 3 of 4 bushings out and replaced with the new al. ones. the last one i took out the old bushing and along with it came most of the surrounding steel on the subframe. is this repairable in any way?


next. i do have a replacement SF from a parts car. these little plates with 4 10mm bolts arnt on my broken one. is this something that should be there. do i need new ones of these?


and lastly anyone have any tips/tricks to getting this part of the control arm out of the knuckle?

as always thanks for the help and wish me luck on the swap.

-Dan

 

[Ishodu]

Your going to have to swap the sub frames, you could fix it but it may not be as strong or as easy as swapping anyway. As for the little plates with the studs there not needed when installing Aluminum SFB's. To get that out of the knuckle your going to have to remove the bolt from there first then it should pull out with out much force. You can also spread the joint a little if you need to.

 

[93silverbulletSH0]

Borrow the pickle fork from checker or equivalent to get the knuckle off the ball joint.

 

[FREAK_SHO]

You actually need to remove the bolt completely from the knuckle in order to remove it from the lower control arm. Then spread the pinch seam on the knuckle a bit. Should come right off.

 

[dmoo21]

thanks everyone. looks like the subframe is coming out and i am gonnna go get one of those pickle fork things.

i guess it wont be that bad with no engine in it

-Dan

 

[SHOBlu]

OUCH!! That hurts! Too bad you put all that work into the other 3 only to find that on the last one. I feel for you man. Here are a couple of my thoughts on removing the knuckle. Good luck.

I prefer not to use a Pickle Fork because they end up tearing the ball joint dust boots. Its because the fork ends up pinching the boot while your levering the knuckle off. Those are the worst tools ever devised! Thats just my opinion.

I'm with everyone else on spreading the seam. I use a large flat chisel thats thick enough to spread the seam when tapped in straight. I have also used an air chisel to spread some difficult ones. Don't forget to put the penetrating oil to it. After that it should come out pretty easily.

If all else fails......... Get out the BFH!!!

 

[93rev2sev]

Same exact thing happened to my subframe. One afternoon and it was swapped.
As for the control arm, a 2x4 can be wedged above the control arm and below the subframe, then just lean on it.
You can see from your picture...thats where it goes. one end will be in the position of the camera and the other end will be pointed at the ground. I have also used a weight lifting bar in the same spot. Spreading the pinch bolt can be done with a screw driver and a hammer if no pickle fork is handy.

I know ... most would not use a 2x4...this looks rusty enough that it may be called for.

EDIT: Just realized, your struts are out...that changes things...my method will not work with no strut to hold up the knuckle while you push down on the control arm.

And yes, the bolt must be removed FIRST.

 

[pjtoledo]

The ring with 4 studs is the top of the lower bushing, it looks just like most rust belt ones do,,,its gone. As stated you won't need it with aluminum sub frame bushings. The 2x4 or big bar trick, it works great when the top of the spindle is still attached to the strut, yours isn't so go to plan B. I'm sure you have the lower pinch bolt out by now, it goes thru a notch in the ball joint stud. Don't spread that joint too far, you only need a couple of thousands to loosen it. Its not the type of material that takes kindly to excessive stretching. With the spindle off at the top like yours, I would lift on the spindle and lightly tap the stud down with a punch or small bolt. Don't beat the snot out of the stud, because if it bulges the slightest amount life will get more depressing real fast. If the outer CV joint was still in the hub you can insert the tapered end of the tire iron between the top of the stud and the CV to force the stud down.
I like your sub frame connectors, thats a nice installation on them.




Perry

 

[whiteman_01]

Hey Dan, what i do is take the bolt out that pinches the ball joint in and then spread it apart. Then i take my jack handel and pry it out putting one side on top of the control arm then the end under the subframe. Works pretty good.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

Damn...

If I had a SHO that rusty, Id be tossing it on a flatbed to tow to the junkyard

Seriously... is it THAT bad back east????

 

[TwofastSHO]

Dan I got a freebie FOR YOU!!

Dan, I got a frame laying in the back yard that you can have!! give me a call. Mark

 

[pjtoledo]

Damn...

If I had a SHO that rusty, Id be tossing it on a flatbed to tow to the junkyard

Seriously... is it THAT bad back east????

That looks good compared to most cars around here. Many times the hole in the floor where the subframe bushing sits is about 4" in diameter. When that happens its parts car time. I scrapped an 89 about 8 years ago for that reason. Oh, his subframe with the big hole in it, there are/were actually 2 layers of steel there.

Perry

 

[CerberuS]

Damn...

If I had a SHO that rusty, Id be tossing it on a flatbed to tow to the junkyard

Seriously... is it THAT bad back east????

Mine was worst , Sabframe was ok , but there was a hole the size of a football in the floor EXACLY where the subframe bolt screws into. And it was only a 92.

So it was held by 3 bolts and the 4th one i couldnt screw it anywhere.

From that day , it became my parts car.

BTW when i removed the plastic rockers , i found out the real metal rockers were "missing" , it was all gone.

 

[dmoo21]

well i tried tonight to no avail. pretty much i started working on it already frusturated (bad) i have a headache now and its raining out and should be snowing. i worked a total of 10 min on it and nothing happened so i cleaned up some tools looked at my engine and now am doing a bunch of hw insted of working on it.

anyways. thanks everyone for the help and tomorrow night i will come with another update and hopefully a subframe dropped.

-Dan

 

[whiteman_01]

Dan, if you need a hand i am free tomorrow night. If you want me to just pm me and i will come up.