Rear subframe R&R
 

Is it possible to have the rear subframe assembly out and back in within a day?

I mean everything as one chunk. disconnect driveline and cables and some hoses and drop it out....

The FSM sure makes it look easy. If you are talking about the whole rear subframe in one piece.

If you have the spring compressor, you can certainly accomplish that task within one day. The key is to have sufficient jacks available to roll the assembly out from underneath the vehicle. With the diff attached, it's a rather heavy unit..........you won't be moving it without a jack or a dolly.

Well, I've since procured a backup vehicle to drive while I lay the SD up for a few days..

Rear springs are supposed to be fairly easy to remove without the compressor.

What for?
 

I'm sure you could remove and re-install the subframe in a day. Why must it come out?

A day is about how long it takes me to get one subframe bushing bolt started!!!

raise the diff back up to the bottom of the car
 

That will help get those rear sub frame bolts started. The bolts have bullet shaped points to help get you started, but the diff needs to get tight to the bottom of the car to get the whole subframe parallel again so the bolts can thread properly.

One of those situations where I get fustrated, take a step back and stare and stare and stare - ah! That's the problem!

How so? undo everything then lift body till it's free? That would save me ALOT of headache if I didn't have to mess around with a compressor.

Springs
 

PanzerSD, Why must you remove the sub-frame?

If you were to drop the sub-frame/raise the car the springs would come loose as a result. But I wonder if they might go flying and do bad things on the way!?!?! You'd have to make sure the drop went straight without going off to a side or front/rear.

I wonder if installing the springs without a compressor would be a nightmare to figure out.

I replaced the springs on the 115, rear end in the car. Wasn't too bad of a job with the compressor. I did learn, however, the importance of gripping the spring on one side (towards the front of the car), and letting it curl under compression.

Attempting to compress the spring evenly, by placing the compressor (generic tool) end pieces in the center of the coils, resulted in the spring popping loose from the compressor as the coils shifted. And that resulted in one badly damaged finger nail! Grew back just fine . . .

There is a thread around her on it. Stick the back real high on stand, jack under the arm and lower her down. Removing brake caliper as well I think for the brake hose.

[edit] Also I think if you drop the subframe you have to align it when it goes back in. And that looks complicated (some special gridded table it goes onto). I could be wrong about that.

It is easier fore me to replace the broken studs for the shocks if the coilspring is not there. I also have to replace the endlinks and check my subframe pockets on the car and the pivot bushings on the car for the sway bar for RUST :)
I finally have a back-up vehicle so I think this car's driving days are numbered. I am going to TRY to do a frame off this winter and see what happens.
the floors on this car are MINT, the only rust is in the typical rocker/wheel well areas. I'm also going to repaint the suspension parts and what not...a general complete restoration/customization. :D

Now I Get It
 

That's quite a laundry list of things to get to. I hope you find nothing too complicated to take care of. Better plan on spending a weekend, unless you are good at staying focused and moving. ;-)

Good Luck!

Yup, this long weekend (for us canadians)

You can start it in one minute if the springs are removed.;)