steering and suspension Replace all rear bushes... without removing subframe?

[mavhh]

1974 Right Hand Drive 2002.

 

I dropped the front subframe and replaced all the bushes, painted everthing etc... and now it's time for the rear... as the title says, do I actually need to remove the rear subframe to replace all the bushes (front mounts, trailing arms, diff) - or can it be done with everything in situe?

 

I should probaly just get on with it, drop the subframe and paint/refurb - but I need to get over the fear of bleeding those damn brakes again.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[JsnPpp]

It's been a while but I did not drop my rear subframe.  I used poly bushings throughout which made it easier if I recall..  Depends on what you have apart already though, sometimes it makes sense to just drop it and "do it right" and paint, etc...

 

Still some swear words no matter what - easier if I had a lift...

 

Cheers,

 

Jason

[2002Scoob]

+1. I've got all my rear Polly bushings sitting in a box. I'd love to at least do the subframe mounts as the stockers are pretty worn out.

But I'm right there with ya, if it could be done without major surgery id tackle it, but if does actually require pulling it all down and apart I'd rather do it in conjunction with a bigger project like a LSD swap.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

['76mintgrün'02]

I really enjoyed this video that Roadhog0 made of how he replaced the rear bushings/mounts.

As he says at 6:15 in the video, "pretty much you are going to have to drop the whole subframe to do these guys..."

referring to the big subframe mounts.  He drops it, but does not completely remove it.  

 

I have to do this job too.  Coincidentally, I am refreshing and installing a subframe I bought from Roadhog... about three years ago!

 

He is installing poly bushings... including IE's "butt plugs".

 

edit, I saw another bushing how-to on here, where someone used a piece of all-thread to remove and install the trailing arm bushings.  I tried that method and it worked well, so I did not need the stinky torch (at 16:00 in this vid).

Tom

Edited August 7, 2016 by '76Mintgrun'02

[mavhh]

Thanks guys... If I'm honest I think I'm just in denial!  I've got a POR15, new poly bushes, new mounts, new brake fluid and new diff oil - the only right thing to do is drop it and do it properly (like I did the front!). If only I had a lift and space to store the car whilst I worked on subframe once it's removed! 

 

It's the last big mechanical job on the car, then I've got a tracker/immobiliser to install and I'm 'finished'! 

 

Dave

[TobyB]

It's the bolts for the subframe mounts themselves- there's just no way to get them out with the subframe up.

 

So yes, I suppose if you drop it 6" or so, you could hold it there- but at that point it's so much

easier just to put it up on a bench, clean it out, and check for inner rust.  Because they DO rust

from inside, to the point that the rear wheels can get free....

 

I recognize that car in Nathan's video...

 

t

 

[bento]

I did this and yes, it's possible. I lowered one side at a time to do the front mounts, but if the only thing stopping you from dropping the subframe is a brake bleed, I have bad news for you; I had to disconnect the brake lines to get the subframe low enough to remove the front mount. I'd imagine pressing out the trailing arm bushings would be pretty difficult with a brake line still attached as well, but I already had it detached for the front mount.

 

In hindsight, I should've just pulled the subframe, but I was nervous about being able to get it back in solo. I now doubt this actually would've been a problem.

[M3M3]

Just drop the subframe. It isn't that big a deal.   You will waste more time trying to figure out how to do it without dropping it than it would take to just drop it.   And you know you need to replace the brake lines above the subframe anyway. ....

[kbmb02]

6 hours ago, mavhh said:

.. as the title says, do I actually need to remove the rear subframe to replace all the bushes (front mounts, trailing arms, diff) - or can it be done with everything in situe?

 

Yes - the bushings can be swapped without fully-removing the subframe or disconnecting the brake lines. (Sometimes, it's fun to do things more efficiently ... simply because we can.) However, if refurbishing/painting is in order now or in the future, then..... -KB

[Mike Self]

Of course if you can find a spare rear subframe, you can refurbish at your leisure, then drop yours and swap 'em out pretty quickly; the only thing you'll really need to change over is the rear brake wheel cylinders, unless you decide to let mission creep dictate redoing the rear brakes at the same time...

 

mike