Rear Carrier Bushing Stuck on Car

[NYNick]

Following Hal's advice I loosened the E Brake at the hub and pulled the cables free of the frame. Everything is loose now, except the passenger side Carrier Bushing seems rusted in place. Drivers side bushing came down fine.

 

I tried heating it (smelly!), adjusting the jacks for different weight distribution etc. A large pry bar and PB Blaster was wielded and I could see the rubber inside was moving slightly but the bolt was remaining in place. I know I can attempt to remove the entire bushing removing the two bolts that attach it to the subframe, but I'll still have that damn bushing on the car.

 

Should I just melt it, dig at that rubber? Anybody ever face this problem?

 

Thanks

 

Nick

[jgerock]

Do you have air tools?  An air chisel can separate the mount from the body and also pop the finned bolt out of the rear seat well- please cover with heavy object or old towel to prevent popping it into the roof.

[NYNick]

No air tools but thanks for the suggestion. I'm gonna put the bolt back on and beat the hell out of it upwards. Let's see if that dislodges it.

[halboyles]

If you haven't done it already you might want to bolt the other side up while you are doing the hammering.  It holds the subframe up but more importantly prevents it from binding the bolt/carrier by hanging on it.  Those finned bolts are still available if you manage to mangle it.  Number 8 in the parts diagram.

[NYNick]

Good idea. I'm not looking forward to dislodging it and having that subframe crash down upon my noggin.

[TobyB]

Quote

Anybody ever face this problem?

This is pretty common.  I face it lying on my back, usually.

 

Personally, I try to save the bolt.  Leave the nut on a bit to protect the threads...

 

Take the subframe off, and get a pair of viSe* grips onto the sleeve.

Wiggle wiggle wiggle.  Heat.  Penetrating oil.  wiggle wiggle wiggle.  Hit the sleeve with a chisel,

if you have to.  Tear the rubber apart so you can get at the offending sleeve.

They seem to like attention- you'll be heating and thumping and twisting and

all of a sudden, it'll just decide to move.  Then you're home free.

 

I have had, once or twice, to drill a good way up the sleeve, then chisel it off.

 

E30s are worse- the sleeve is aluminum, so when you add some salt, the whole thing corrodes into one giant chemical mass.

 

t

 

 

 

*bite me, Ray

[NYNick]

2 hours ago, TobyB said:

This is pretty common.  I face it lying on my back, usually.

 

Personally, I try to save the bolt.  Leave the nut on a bit to protect the threads...

 

Take the subframe off, and get a pair of viSe* grips onto the sleeve.

Wiggle wiggle wiggle.  Heat.  Penetrating oil.  wiggle wiggle wiggle.  Hit the sleeve with a chisel,

if you have to.  Tear the rubber apart so you can get at the offending sleeve.

They seem to like attention- you'll be heating and thumping and twisting and

all of a sudden, it'll just decide to move.  Then you're home free.

 

I have had, once or twice, to drill a good way up the sleeve, then chisel it off.

 

E30s are worse- the sleeve is aluminum, so when you add some salt, the whole thing corrodes into one giant chemical mass.

 

t

 

 

 

*bite me, Ray

Well, 'take the subframe off' is kinda the whole issue. If I could get it off I'd be drilling, vice gripping and sawzalling the living bejesus out of the offending sleeve.

 

Are you saying I should remove the rubber from the inside of the bushing to free the sleeve, then lower the subframe leaving the sleeve on the bolt? I thought of that, but decided to try to beat the bolt upwards first. That bolt won't budge. Rusted in there pretty good. I filled the hole in the back seat with PB to let it soak. Let's see how that goes.

Good news tho! I found a 1969 penny in there!

 

I like your approach Toby, if I understand you correctly. I suppose I could just drill up through that rubber until I created enough space for it to dislodge from the sleeve. Some of these jobs are just boogers.

 

Nick 

[FB73tii]

On 1/1/2018 at 2:53 PM, NYNick said:

I know I can attempt to remove the entire bushing removing the two bolts that attach it to the subframe

 

Nick--this. Jack the free end of the subframe back into place to take stress off the bolts, then undo the two small bolts from the stuck bushing. Now you can attack it. --Fred

[Buckeye]

use small cut-off wheel and remove hex head from bolt #10 (x2), then pull remainder of bolt #10 with hex nut on opposite side (front of car) 

[TobyB]

Oh, right, the bolts don't come out of the bushing housing with the subframe in place on a 2002, do they?

 

A 3/8" drill bit will chew up that rubber pretty quickly...

 

t

 

[ShakeyC]

Its bit late now but lifting up lower part of rear seat will reveal top of that two subframe bolts, fill it up with your favourite release agent like wd40 or wurth rust off overnight or long as possible it will leak down. Once you see a oily patch infront of rear wheel it has freed the bolt, the outer sleeve and subframe bush all in one go.

[TobyB]

Optimist...

 

I didn't think they had those in the UK any more....

 

 

heh

 

t

 

[NYNick]

27 minutes ago, ShakeyC said:

Its bit late now but lifting up lower part of rear seat will reveal top of that two subframe bolts, fill it up with your favourite release agent like wd40 or wurth rust off overnight or long as possible it will leak down. Once you see a oily patch infront of rear wheel it has freed the bolt, the outer sleeve and subframe bush all in one go.

Of course I did this yesterday. I also attacked the rubber inside of the bushing for a bit today to no avail. It seems to be moving but not freed from the sleeve all the way.

 

I'm skipping out on the deep freeze and this problem for a vacation, so the PB Blaster will be soaking for weeks until I return. Thanks to everyone for their advice. I"ll keep you posted when I return.

 

Nick

[Hans]

Well fine, leave us here soaking in PB blaster while you  bake.

[Hans]

Not to mention freezing our guibos off.