some advice for upcoming job

[Berlin]

hmm ok thanks guys

im pretty sure my brake lines and trailarm bushes are fine, im really hesitant to drop the whole thing, and i only have one weekend to do all this so brake bleeding i dunno if i can include in the time alloted..

[HavocSteve]

Originally Posted by Berlin

hmm ok thanks guys

im pretty sure my brake lines and trailarm bushes are fine, im really hesitant to drop the whole thing, and i only have one weekend to do all this so brake bleeding i dunno if i can include in the time alloted..

Was just saying.. So far I've put 2 days work into my rear brakes. Only the trailing arm lines are done, the rest is just a headache. So if everything is out of the way, I would be nearly done.

[cirrusblau]

In that case, your method sounds good. Do you have a contingency plan for if the bushing core breaks and stays in the body? I'm unfamiliar with changing the subframe bushes with the 2" drop. I imagine it's less likely they break, but it's still something to consider. Shoot some penetrating lube on the SHCS (2 per side) that hold a plate under the bushings now to help insure they are free.

Rear springs are easy. Do you have a spring compressor for the fronts? Ball joint separator? Big pipe wrench for the strut collars?

[Bullet Ride]

Originally Posted by Berlin

hmm ok thanks guys

im pretty sure my brake lines and trailarm bushes are fine, im really hesitant to drop the whole thing, and i only have one weekend to do all this so brake bleeding i dunno if i can include in the time alloted..

Bleeding the rear brakes takes a whole of 10-15 minutes with the help of a friend. The only dangerous thing is your bleed screws might be siezed in the caliper, so try to open the bleed screws on the calipers before you disconnect any of the brake lines (should you choose to drop the subframe completely). With the subframe completely out of the car I was able to easily remove the subframe bushings. If the core was still bonded to the bushing I used a coping saw to cut the core out (cut through the two rubber ribs, then used a sawzall to cut through the metal sleeve in two spots and hammered the sleeve out, took about half an hour per bushing.

Originally Posted by cirrusblau

Do you have a contingency plan for if the bushing core breaks and stays in the body?

5/8" tap, 5/8" bolt, a piece of steel rod and a BFH
Tap the piece stuck in the body from underside of carand insert bolt. Go into cabin with rod and BFH and start slamming. I had to pound both sides out on my car, and it took a good few minutes of hammering... be careful not to hit the rear window with the BFH

[Berlin]

thanks for all the tips guys

Originally Posted by cirrusblau

In that case, your method sounds good. Do you have a contingency plan for if the bushing core breaks and stays in the body? I'm unfamiliar with changing the subframe bushes with the 2" drop. I imagine it's less likely they break, but it's still something to consider. Shoot some penetrating lube on the SHCS (2 per side) that hold a plate under the bushings now to help insure they are free.

Rear springs are easy. Do you have a spring compressor for the fronts? Ball joint separator? Big pipe wrench for the strut collars?

im gonna borrow those from partsource, and ya, what else do you think can go wrong so i can prepare

thanks

[cirrusblau]

Originally Posted by Bullet Ride

Bleeding the rear brakes takes a whole of 10-15 minutes with the help of a friend. The only dangerous thing is your bleed screws might be siezed in the caliper, so try to open the bleed screws on the calipers before you disconnect any of the brake lines (should you choose to drop the subframe completely). With the subframe completely out of the car I was able to easily remove the subframe bushings. If the core was still bonded to the bushing I used a coping saw to cut the core out (cut through the two rubber ribs, then used a sawzall to cut through the metal sleeve in two spots and hammered the sleeve out, took about half an hour per bushing.




5/8" tap, 5/8" bolt, a piece of steel rod and a BFH
Tap the piece stuck in the body from underside of carand insert bolt. Go into cabin with rod and BFH and start slamming. I had to pound both sides out on my car, and it took a good few minutes of hammering... be careful not to hit the rear window with the BFH

I just simply drilled a couple holes in the remaining material, stopping shy of the body, then used a chissel to break it the rest of the way through and it fell right out. Took all of 10 minutes per side Wouldn't work if the subframe was in... at least not as easily.

[cirrusblau]

Originally Posted by Berlin

thanks for all the tips guys



im gonna borrow those from partsource, and ya, what else do you think can go wrong so i can prepare

thanks

Partsource is great - free tool rentals are amazing.

What else can go wrong? Well, you've already done dif, if I'm not mistaken, so that shouldn't be an issue. We've covered subframe (broken ends, stuck SHCS on the retaining plate). Front suspension is simple with the right tools, rear suspension, you might have to stand on the trailing arm to pop the spring, particularly if it's stock. If you've got the spring compressor for the front, you could use that too. All the fasteners should be big or unexposed and not rusty, aside from the 4 SHCS.

You'll need a way to hold the strut while you loosen the nut holding it to the bearing, or you might get lucky and have it come right off. Despite the temptation, I suggest you avoid impact tools here.

[Berlin]

5/8" tap, 5/8" bolt, a piece of steel rod and a BFH
Tap the piece stuck in the body from underside of carand insert bolt. Go into cabin with rod and BFH and start slamming. I had to pound both sides out on my car, and it took a good few minutes of hammering... be careful not to hit the rear window with the BFH

yes, a piece did break off and i wasted some time trying to get it out with the air chisel then i remembered the 5/8tap method which popped it out in 2 seconds flat thanks man

the air hammer came in handy for taking the knurled studs out though, no problems there.

the work is still in progress, had to make a custom tool for the bushings ill post a pic later when its all done...

thanks