Well, after getting into a "drift" accident, I opted to replace my rear left wheel, and RLCA. Since this did not fix the obvious positive camber induced by the sidewalk, I opted to replace my rear subframe. After going to the junkyard and scoring one for 25 bux, I said, why not take it a step further while at it, so I went ahead and replaced the already cracked bushings.
Again, the procedure is pretty straight forward, but I though I'd share my experience w/others, and perhaps gain some new knowledge which may help later on (i'll also post it in the DIY sticky). I will not cover installation or removal of subframe for I assume everyone has a copy of their fsm.
1. Subframe will look something like this (with four huge rubber bushings suspended in metal sleeves and w/a smaller cylindrical bushing inside):
2. Gear UP! Here you can see a rotozip (useless), a drill, a propane torch, and the most useful and not pictured (a metal saw (or sawzall, a hammer, a rubber mallet, wd-40, and 1 or two flat head screwdrivers):
3. Burn the rubber, as much as you can. Then drill holes into the rubber, then burn again, then hammer/stab until that crappy metal bushing-cylinder is out:
4. Now the fun begins. You will need to get the metal sleeves out of the cylindrical seats of the subframe (they are pressed in). What I did is I opted to reverse the blade of the saw and cut through this sleeve. Be careful here, because if you go too far, you'll cut and weaken your subframe seats. Now the saw won't cut the rubber that may be there, so you have to carve/burn a path for the saw all the way to the metal. Once this is done, you can begin sawing:
5. The sleeves have this tab on the top side of the subframe on which you can lever in a screwdriver and start chiseling it out. I would start at one place and work the circumference of the sleeve. Once you have some of it out, you can shoot some wd-40 on the sides to help it slide out. You can also hit it from the backside now to help it out. Be careful not to hit the seat however, or you'll have trouble driving the new bushings in.
6. You can see here the sleeve out, and the structure of the seat, as well as my obvious focus settings
7. Once you have all of them out, and have cleaned/sanded the seats, you are ready to install the new bushings. I assume you have put them in the freezer for at least 2 hours so the material is contracted. My technique was just to center and hit w/mallet. Others suggest to use a big bolt w/2 washers and pressing both pieces of the bushing together. I was too tired and too pissed to go this route, so the caveman method worked for me. You can see here the bushing positioned, as well as the utensil. BTW, flat bushing goes on top, and bored bushing goes on bottom, this is obviously the bottom. Also, some of these may come anodized, so I don't know if the mallet can damage the anodizing. Mine were either anodized or just had a thick coat of aluminum oxide, if it was the latter, than who cares?
8. Installed:
top side:
9. Ready, again, I assume you know how to put and torque everything together, as well as how to eye ball toe and camber
.
10. Jacked ready for the car. I found out that it's not necessary to remove the cat-back if you remove it's hangers, and "bend it" all the way to the floor while you squeeze in the subframe through the top. I'd probably recommend removing it just because it makes installation/removal easier. Also, I'd recommend jacking all 4 points of the subframe at the same time, or you'll have some trouble with the mounting bolts entering crooked into the bushings.
11. 1st impressions, well it was certainly a *****, and can't comment just yet on these. My camber did not get fixed (i'm guessing another arm was damaged besideds the one I replaced and/or the knuckle got bent somehow (which I doubt seeing how it's substantialy stronger than everything else.) and I have some noises coming from the differential. But from driving w/them, they have stiffened the rear quite a bit, and launching hard is not as sloppy as before (less spinning, less boucy behavior). I haven't pushed it yet, because I have to resolve the other issues. There is an added cool gear noise which I dig, and sound similar to that in-cabin noise you hear in stripped rally cars. Anyway, I hope this is useful to anyone, and if you are still reading plz give me a diagnose on the following problems:
1. That camber is still at least 2+ degrees, what can it be?
2. Noise 1, I get when going in reverse slowly while engaging the clutch midway, it's like a grind/groan similar to when you rub a curve w/your rims.
Noise 2, when going upwards of 30 mph. I 1st blamed it on the crappy replacement tire I got w/the new wheel, but am now having my doubts.
3. I did spin my tires in gear while in the air, both forward and in reverse, could this had done anything to **** up the diff.? I ask because the reverse noise started after I did this. It just seems a bit odd that this could happen with no load. Am I better off looking for a axle shaft/or pumpkin?
yes, I just posted in super old thread, cause I googled and this popped up first!