E30 Subframe Removal & Poly Install

[tibbs.james 1]

Once Again Im at the suspension renewal thing...

I have Rear shock mounts & Subframe bushings & Control Arm Bushings to istall.

The shock Mounts wont be that tough.

Control arms will be cake once the subframe is out of the car.

But I have numerous questions about the subframe removal/refitting

1. How do i have the car on stands ? ( I normally put axle stands under the crossmember )

2. Does the diff need to be removed or can it stay on there while the subframe is lowered down ?

3.Should i remove the control arms before or after i lower the subframe off the car ?

4. I can see to remove the subframe there will be some brake lines/fitting that need to be undone along the way, how do you keep these plugged up/not leaking all over the place while they are apart ?

If you have done this please comment on ways how you did it and what worked for you i am keen to hear as i would like to do the whole job in one weekend as i need my car to get to CPIT on Mon/Tue/Weds

I have acess to all tools / stands / nice big jack & decent garage.

But if you feel like helping out for a box of your favourite beer that would be cool too.

Any help appreciated.

Regards

James

Edited March 31, 2008 by Jimmy

[OLLIE 26]

you can use the very rear of the chassis rails or the jacking points to hold it up.

Remove the rear struts and springs

unbolt the driveshaft from the diff and the circular rubber diff mount bolt.

Unbolt the subframe bolts under the rear seat and the plates from the rear of the sill.

You can drop the entire rear assembly at once including subframe with diff and trailing arms attached. You will need to take the drive shaft out if it's a pre facelift because as you lower the subframe it will catch on the drive shaft and the drive shaft will catch on the fuel tank pipe.

Remove the Trailing arms after the subframe assembly is out.

You will need to get all of the old bushes burnt or pressed out and the new ones pressed in.

Brake lines - completely drain the system first, and give it a full bleed upon reassembly a good excuse to fully refresh your brake fluid.

Don't forget to unbolt the handbrake lines from the handbrake lever before you drop the subframe.

Assembly is the opposite to removal. When bolting the half shafts up to the diff make sure that they are f**king tight and check the rubber boots for splits, it's also a great time to drain and renew your diff oil.

Other things to check whilst subframe is out is bearings, rear disc thickness and wear, handbrake shoes, brake lines and pads.

Hope that helps

[tibbs.james 1]

Thanks heaps Ollie

I think you just saved me a whole weekend worth of swearing and frustration.

[Venatus 2]

I need to do this once Ive got me a bit of money, got a bit of a clunk in the rear end and its probably easier to just replace all the rubber etc back there at once

[CamB 48]

You'll still have most of a weekend of swearing and frsutration, LOL.

I reckon you should undo the bolts on the half-shafts while the subframe is on the car, so you can use the handbrake to hold them still.

Don't forget to undo the speed sensor wire from the diff.

And it's worthwhile getting PB Blaster or equivalent and spraying it on everything you want to remove a day or so before you attack it with the tools.

Edited April 1, 2008 by CamB

[Mike 1]

I removed the whole assembley as one- subframe, trailing arms, diff, and halfshafts.

getting the old subframe bushings out is a pita without a press, hope you've got one. T/A bushes aren't as bad.

edit - shoulda said without

Edited April 1, 2008 by Mike

[OLLIE 26]

getting the old subframe bushings out is a pita with a press, hope you've got one. T/A bushes aren't as bad.

yeah the sub-frame bushes are a MEGA PITA. I took my sub-frame in to a suspension shop to remove the old and fit the new bushes - they said even with a hydraulic press they had a nightmare and had to use heat

[tibbs.james 1]

Yeah - I have access to an engineering shop with a Gas axe and a hydraulic press

Same guy that did my front ball joints.

[tibbs.james 1]

I'm Just about to start, have car up on stands ect, have spayed CRC Penetrate everywhere.

I'm at the remove shocks and springs stage- how do i get to the shock mounts as i have no idea how the rear parcel tray comes apart.

I have broken far too many pieces of trim on other cars removeing stuff that i really don't want to bugger it up.

[Silver Fox 43]

Open the boot and remove the side covers, right in front of you, 2 x 13mm nuts each side.

I've done three rear subframe rebushes now and have found it relatively easy to press the bushes out in a small hydraulic press. Trick is not to rush it, let the press push the rubber out slowly, stops you from ripping the centre of the bush out.

Edited April 7, 2008 by Silver Fox

[tibbs.james 1]

Help !!!!

How in the heck do i remove this handbrake cable so i can remove the subframe ?

I removed the rear brake shoes & undone the 2 bolts that hold the bracket for where the handbrake cable enters into the wheel hub area. But after looking at the lever arm there is no way to remove the arm to push the cable back out the other end so it wont catch when i drop the subframe .

So im frustration i unbolted exhaust headsheild to reveal the driveshaft thinking i could undo it a bit futher back but i can't see a way to do that either !

again im totally lost here so advice is well appreciated.

[Silver Fox 43]

get in the car and remove the handbrake surround, then undo the 2 x 10mm nuts that hold the cables in the handbrake, one each side, and pull thru from under the car. They stay with the subframe.

[tibbs.james 1]

Thanks David, didn't realise it would be so simple.

on every other set of rear brake shoes I have ever seen you can unclip the inner cable and just push it & the outer away from the wheel hub area and bobs your uncle,

Only I guess bmw had to make it difficult

thanks for that, sounds easy enough.

[Silver Fox 43]

Very easy Jimmy, they just slide in and out.

[OLLIE 26]

I took a rear subframe assembly out in 15 minutes the other day - I'm proud.

[ED1RTY 2]

Getting the bushes out is the hard bit, I burnt mine out with a heat gun.

Getting the s/f out is a POP. Getting it back up in one piece can be a PITA

Cant seem to find my post on how I did it.

Its there somewhere. Was ~10 months ago

I found removing the T/A bushes the hardest part of all of it.

[tibbs.james 1]

I have mine all out and apart now - has taken me like 5 hours all up to get this far.

Yeah i was taking it easy & lastnights effort was frustrating with next to no light in the garage.

I have done a Write up of all the steps i took incase somebody wants me to post that up.

T

o fully remove and dismantle a subframe assembly in 10-15 mins seems impossible to me !

Its all gone well just have to bolt it back up once i get the urethane pressed in.

Cheers for the help Its great having some guideance from other members who have done similar.

[ED1RTY 2]

One small thing though,

You should have SOOO done I.E camber/toe adjusters!!

[tibbs.james 1]

I don't exactly have traction or alignment problems,

Rear camber is minimal even with the lowering, Uneven tire wear isn't really an issue when the current tires have lasted over 12 months and are only just showing tiny signs of uneven wear on the inside edge.

It would have been worthwhile if i had bad traction/tire wear problems. I might need to do it once i do a 2.5 swap or if i had gone any lower.

But money is better put towards some nice Bilsteins at the moment

ED1TRY what do you drive and have you done the mod and or noticed much difference ?

[ED1RTY 2]

Have a E30, Its damn low.

Suspension:

Boge Turbo Shortened Shocks

Whiteline Super Low Springs

Rear E36 billet Shock Mounts

Nolathane Control Arm Bushes

Urethane Rear Subframe Bushes

Urethane Rear Trailing Arm Bushes

Adjustable Rear Camber Setup

Front and Rear Billet Sway Bars Mounts and re-enforcements

Front and Rear Nolathane Sway Bar Bushes

Those are my suspension mods, I had C3 coilovers with Koni Adjustables but used them as part trade on my new RS Sierra Cossy Sapphire

And yes there was a HUGE improvement on handling. (considering my front sway bar bushes were melted to nothing after a certain BS cruise down Helensville Highway)

Edited April 10, 2008 by ED1RTY

[hybrid 1039]

And yes there was a HUGE improvement on handling. (considering my front sway bar bushes were melted to nothing after a certain BS cruise down Helensville Highway)

badass

[bwh1 0]

I have mine all out and apart now - has taken me like 5 hours all up to get this far.

Yeah i was taking it easy & lastnights effort was frustrating with next to no light in the garage.

I have done a Write up of all the steps i took incase somebody wants me to post that up.

T

o fully remove and dismantle a subframe assembly in 10-15 mins seems impossible to me !

Its all gone well just have to bolt it back up once i get the urethane pressed in.

Cheers for the help Its great having some guideance from other members who have done similar.

Hey there Jimmy. About to do a removal and quite interested in your findings. Please flick me a run down.

bwhiku@xtra.co.nz