Since starting this thread I've taken the whole car to bits - so everything has been / was removed.

I think you are going to find it easier to remove the whole sub frame with the differential still attached to the sub frame especially if you are doing the trailing arm bushings.

Haynes says that if you are just doing the sub frame bushings you can do one side at a time by dropping them down on a jack. My problem with this recommendation is that this will (in my opinion) twist the mount to the rear of the differential excessively. OK if you are replacing it anyway (and do it as the last thing) but the sub frame mounts get twisted quite a bit doing it this way too. Using this method you'll be twisting one new sub frame mount quite a bit to get the last mount in place.

I've read that some people have done trailing arm bushings without removing them all the way from the car - I say make your life easier! You'd have to lower the sub frame quite a way to be able to remove the nuts on the bolts that hold the sub frame in place anyway... Removing 25+ year old bushings on a trailing arm under a car? No thanks - much easier on a bench!

Best tip I've picked up since starting this thread is to leave the wheels on the hubs and roll the whole sub frame with everything still on it out from under the car. It works a treat so long as you can raise the car up high enough at the back.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!