Eh... The powder coating was kind of a treat to myself.

You won't believe how good it looks. I had the subframe, trailing arms, all 4 springs, both sway bars, rear brake dust shields... like I said, I need to post some pics up... but right now I'm working a cantankerous PGSQL database that is performing like crap.

you're right. I won't believe it.............. until you post pictures! lemme guess.... neon pink?

At least, thats what I would do.

:) Nope, it's a very nice "half-gloss black".

It looks like it would've from the factory. Anything full gloss on an undercarriage looks fake and tacky to me. This has a perfect sheen to it.

John, mine on the 85 is painted up all pretty. we are every where john, look over your shoulder, one of us is lurking near by. :D

We will be pulling out of here in about an hour (8pm now) be whipping the horses all night heading your way. :deadhorse:
Pm me your phone#, I have it some where in my pile of stuff, doesn`t seem to be where I thought it should be.:cool:
I`ll be unplugging the computer and bringing it along in a few min. see you when I get there.

Charlie

OK Guys. Where's the details. How is this R&R going?

Well I did make it to Portland from Santa Cruz, finally got out of here at 10:40pm on the 19th, and rolled into Portland at 5:35 the next afternoon. 736 miles. drove all night, stopped in a couple rest stops, fueled about 100 miles from home and that got me 524 miles to Cottage Grove, Or. added 16 gal to my 17 gal tank. cut it lil close.:eek: but got 32.18mpg with the GPS and 32.73 with the spedo. So don`t thumb you noses at these 240d`s, they can hold their own. ;)

I finally got with JT20 on Sunday afternoon. we pulled off the wheels, removed the center Hub axle bolts. used a brass drift to drive the axles out of the hub splines. then removed the 2 24mm trailing Arm bolts, and worked the arms off the Sub Frame, and the axle slips out of the hubs.

Used a razor blade knife to cut off the rubber lip on the trailing Arm bushing. (used my home made Bushing Remover/Installer) It is a 12in long 5/8 all thread, with a 1 1/2 pipe coupler, some nuts and a couple plates.

The old bushing came right out, and using some Spray Silicone, the new one`s went right back in w/o any trouble. cutting off the old rubber lip took more time than installing the bushings.

The 2 Sub frame bushing also went right in w/o any trouble, again using some spray Silicone. The Bushing installer used the 12 in long 5/8 all thread, a plate and some pieces I welded together to push the bushing in.

I`ll post some pictures tomarow when I down load them from the camera. hope I can remember how to post the pictures.:confused:.

When I left, it was not put back together, John had some new axles to slip in the Diff then just a matter of slipping the axle into the Hub and bolting the trailing Arms on. mounting the wheels on and rolling it under the car.

I never thought about leaving the wheels on when droping the Sub Frame., but if you don`t have enough floor jacks, this is one slick way to move it.

Charlie

Due to my horrendous planning, we were not able to finish while Charlie stopped by.

But his glorious tools make made quick work of the bushing installation. In short, they were 'perfect'.


So, I just got the "easy" seals today (as Army would say). Popped them on, cleaned up the new CVJ axles and forced them in there. There sure seem to come out easier...


I guess you guys want pictures, errr sumthin?

The arm bushings I've got done. But the new subframe bushings I am having a bear with. Charlie, any chance I can borrow the tool you use for those? Or I guess you could always drive out to Texas... ;)

Is the plate you used steel? I tried using a piece of 1x4 as my plate, that didn't work out so well. I'm also using a bushing lube instead of silicone to get them in.

Just pics
 

Subframe tight, engine back in.... someday this thing might move without me pushing it. (1/2 horsepower)



http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...5&d=1312526140

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...6&d=1312526166


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...7&d=1312526209


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...8&d=1312526234


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...9&d=1312526265

So you don't need to use a spring compressor with this method? Are there step by step instructions? I want to replace my subframes but I'm still learning this car.

Thats correct. I can't take credit though, many have done something similar.

The basic take-away from this is that you can lift the body off of the subframe and roll it out from underneath. Then work on the subframe.

Yeah, that sounds like something I can do. The basic steps to remove the subframe should be:
1: Disconnect top shock mounts, driveshaft at flexcoupling, brake lines at chassis
2: Remove front subframe bolts, diffmount bolts.
3: Slide it out.

Sound correct?

Obviously this is simplified, devil is in the details and all, but I should be able to handle most of that without question.

Edit: I've read that there are rear subframe mounts, but I can't find them anywhere on my car or in your pictures. Perhaps I was reading about a W124? It appears to me that the rear subframe connection to the chassis is done through the diffmount, correct?

The subframe mounts are in this picture that jt20 posted

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...8&d=1312526234

Fantastic pictures by the way jt20!

I especially like and approve of those nice chunky bits of wood - perfectly suited to this job. Well done.

Are you planning to do your own alignment? (I know you can't adjust anything on the back apart from ride height via the rubber "shims" or if you have those Gucci eccentric trailing arm bushings that fastlane sells but it would be nice to know if the rear wheels are straight in line with the front ones)

Thats pretty much it, other than the exhaust. And when lowering the diff, do it with a controlled action and do not let it fall to the ground - you damage the axles.

Raising the car to that height safely (do as I say, not as I do) is the biggest concern. Use a rope to pull the beast out of the cave, don't fight him on his grounds.


When you hear talk of 'front' subframe and 'rear' subframe bushings: there are models (w126) that have both. The rear subframe (the individual part that we refer to) only has one set of bushings that army pointed out.

126s have guide rod mount bushings. There's no separate front subframe. I haven't been able to get JimmyL excited about the terminology, though :)

Questions about this procedure - can you confirm that you left the calipers on the rotors? Where did you disconnect the park brake cables?

Sixto
87 300D