Spent a few hours today removing the bushings from the subframe. What a bitch of a job. The first 2 rear diff mount bushings came out real easy, using a mates bearing press and 10 tonnes of persuasion Video of pressing out diff bushings: [yt]VVdZJPnF8C8[/yt] Ran into a spot of bother with the subframe to chassis mounts. Wondering how you pimps and hoes have done this *successfully* in the past? I know Chrispy Burns them out. Some people go nuts with the threaded bar and washers... Even with a bearing press and a stockpile of metal tubes, plates, and impact sockets, the stubborn SOB still would not budge. The subframe is way too uneven to get a good press on, and supporting thru the bracket which holds the subframe 'bump stop' thing (front leading edge) seems as though it will shear off before the bearing moves. I beat the living crap out of the inside shell with a cold chisel, even hit it with 2000* MAP gas torch... the thing is damn indestructible. All jokes about me being useless are welcome There has to be a better way (DIY, FTW... any monkey can pay to get it done ;-))
Use a dremmel to grind through the shell from top to bottom, then it should collapse in with a bit of assistance from a hammer and cold chisel. You can use the dremmel on the rubber aswell, just use a coarse bit. Bitch of a job.
Good thinking with the dremel. I've started to curl one side of the shell in on itself, but it will only yield to an extent. More drastic measures are needed. I spent an hour melting / drilling the bushes out, video to follow
I went medieval on its ass this afternoon. Check it (be warned, I let a swear word slip once or twice ) : [yt]oAu03_z4MXk[/yt] Used Chrispy's tried and proven burn and drill method. I get by with a little help from my friends (2-stroke fuel and MAPP gas burner)
love your work, Mitch ... Mechanics 101 for Honours students only ... lol.. P.S. i think that the thongs might breach OH&S requirements ....????
should have done a bit of Wolfenstein action with your weapons of choice. Clicking through the gas burner, screwdriver, drill etc. Throw in a chainsaw for dramatic effect
I take safety very seriously. Toes are expendable though. I like earmuffs and safety glasses, but only when hammering. Singlets are the uniform of choice
Bastard of a job, took me quite a few hours. The diff ones are a piece of piss compared to the subframe bushes. I used 2 different size holesaws to drill into the bushings and then multigrips to pry out the centre of the bushing. Next I used a hacksaw to cut through the first shell and a chisel to collapse it in upon itself and knock it out. Once this is done there is 2 more shells, 3 in total to remove with this method. Be careful with the last one not to cut into the subframe.
Yeah, the holesaw method would work well, but you need to be careful of the centre metal tube- it has 4 cross-shaped tabs that hold it into the rubber. I point it out in my video, but incorrectly called it rubber. I'm going to try get an abrasive bit for the drill to do the shells. So the aftermarket bushes need all shells to be removed? I'll have to double check, but I think one side has fewer laters than the other.... Will the alloy solid bushes press into the single wall of the subframe metal?
I just used a crappy $10 holesaw from Bunnings, one of the ones that come with 7 or 8 clip in different sized holesaws. For the Solid bushes you need to remove all shells, not sure about other type bushings. Should be same 3 shells on all 4 bushings. Yes, they dont slide in easily though. A press might work. I froze them overnight and then hit them in with a Mallot, were very tight though.
Cheers for your help, I have access to a bearing press, so no dramas there. The hard part is the angles needed to get a good press on it without the subframe twisting out. This will be easier when pressing bushings IN, as you can use metal plate to press down onto... the problem arises when you need to push a bushing THROUGH it Burning it out is so much more rewarding
Yeah mate Solids in the diff too. The car will be used as a casual driver and get some work on the hillclimb track, so comfort is second to performance. As for the Lower control arms, the Ikeya ones you have look great, however the SPL, UAS and other versions are way cheaper. Any idea on differences in design / material quality on these parts (considering it is the business end of keeping the car off the tarmac )
I decided to go alloy in the subframe and energy in the diff ...and have no vibration/noise at all. I suspect you will feel alot more noise and vibration with the alloy in the diff..but vs actual performance gain?.. I couldnt see it. IKEYA SPL OTHER CRAP in that order IKEYA has better rod ends (bigger,thicker) and stronger construction than the others.. so yes paying for quality SPL are good but dont like their rod ends on all their products. JP bent one of the lower control arm ends and had to upgrade all of them.
Also noticed that SPL no longer have the lower control arms on their website for the z32 ? neither has COZ, SZ,Z1
