Subframe Won't Come Down!

[haaken675]

Well, tried the air hammer and just managed to strip out the lag bolt and knock off all of the external bits that were hanging on, so looks like ill be drilling out the sleeve now. Wish me luck.

[haaken675]

Just drill it out then, a drill bit and cold chisel are cheap.

A stuck bushing is hardly reason to worry about a whole car becoming trash.

Just remember, you're not the first or last to be in this situation.

I just have worries of drilling too much and ruining the mounting point. I have had an e46 in the past with torn subframe mounts so I get slightly paranoid about subframes on bmw's...

[noid]

I'v been considering an air hammer, but I already managed to punch the 5/8 bolt out once and im a bit tired of wasting money on tools that aren't working. I'll look into getting the Chicago pneumatic one and see what happens. It's getting frustrating as I feel like this one thing could literally ruin the car and waste all the money I have into it at this point.

Just drill it out then, a drill bit and cold chisel are cheap.

A stuck bushing is hardly reason to worry about a whole car becoming trash.

Just remember, you're not the first or last to be in this situation.

[haaken675]

Get a proper air hammer, and hit it from the top into the bolt.

I recommend "big nasty":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUy5y7V6Px8

https://amzn.to/2Oh9C7R

If you're on a budget, get this, dollar per power is insanely good with the 7150:

https://amzn.to/2mFEpif

Otherwise, drill it out, just go slow, and make sure not to go too far. As the picture illustrates, you dont want to drill into the 'seat for subframe bolt" black (car) material.



You should be able to tell from the top just how far/close you have drilled.

Once its mostly drilled, you can use a cold chisel and it should start to spit apart/fall out.

I'v been considering an air hammer, but I already managed to punch the 5/8 bolt out once and im a bit tired of wasting money on tools that aren't working. I'll look into getting the Chicago pneumatic one and see what happens. It's getting frustrating as I feel like this one thing could literally ruin the car and waste all the money I have into it at this point.

[noid]

So, if this method doesn't work, then what?...I am in the exact same boat, except mine wont come out PERIOD...My subframe bushings snapped into the body when my buddy and I took the subframe down and both sides are being complete bastards...I used 5/8 bolts and have been beating on them for days now with a sledge and NOTHING...Has anyone tried using a drill the size of the sleeve itself and just drilling it out? I'm worried about hurting the body.

Get a proper air hammer, and hit it from the top into the bolt.

I recommend "big nasty":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUy5y7V6Px8

https://amzn.to/2Oh9C7R

If you're on a budget, get this, dollar per power is insanely good with the 7150:

https://amzn.to/2mFEpif

Otherwise, drill it out, just go slow, and make sure not to go too far. As the picture illustrates, you dont want to drill into the 'seat for subframe bolt" black (car) material.



You should be able to tell from the top just how far/close you have drilled.

Once its mostly drilled, you can use a cold chisel and it should start to spit apart/fall out.

[haaken675]

So, if this method doesn't work, then what?...I am in the exact same boat, except mine wont come out PERIOD...My subframe bushings snapped into the body when my buddy and I took the subframe down and both sides are being complete bastards...I used 5/8 bolts and have been beating on them for days now with a sledge and NOTHING...Has anyone tried using a drill the size of the sleeve itself and just drilling it out? I'm worried about hurting the body.

[jeffnhiscars]

My first one was like this one...took days. For me it was the 5/8 tap, threaded rod and 3 vicious whacks of a slide hammer.

Last one just fell out when I unbolted it.

Welcome to e30 world....and George has it right :)

[george graves]

Glad you got it. What a PITA. Thanks for sharing the solution.

I’ll be doing mine at some point, hoping it will be easier on my car.

PB blaster. Drench everything in it like you're Ron Jeremy.

[Pootis]

After reading my explanation I see how it sounded like I was saying go from the top. You did it the exact way I was trying to explain it. Glad you got it out. Sending a bolt in the bottom is the easiest way of getting it done I feel.

[jgilber0]

Glad you got it. What a PITA. Thanks for sharing the solution.

I’ll be doing mine at some point, hoping it will be easier on my car.

[peetiewonder]

That's nuts. I just dropped mine and it came right out. California car tho.

[Andre3127]

Trust me guys, a crowbar didn't work! I just put small dents into the area above my subframe!

The first side took 5 days, the second took 5 minutes.

I took a 5/8-11 UNC tap and ran it through the cast aluminum core of the bushing, threaded a long 5/8 bolt into it, then used a 3 pound hammer to whack it free.

Hitting it downwards through the subframe bolt hole did NOT work!

And yes, the underside of my car is all muddy and nasty. This subframe is getting reinforced, painted, new brake lines installed, new bushings, stainless braided brake lines, and the body is getting undercoated black. The trailing arm and body hard brake lines are also getting replaced with Nicopp nickel/copper line.

It's out, and here are some pics I took after to show how I did it.

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk

[AWDBOB]

$9 air hammer from harbor freight- does the trick, every time

[Pootis]

Drive a large long bolt into the bushing (the bushing is soft so get a thread size bigger and ugga that thing in) Use that large bolt like a slide hammer and smack the living hell out of it straight down. It will come out trust me

[george graves]

Stop what you're doing.

Step 1.) Spend 2-3 days looking at it sideways, and making up new cuss words.

Step 2.) Put on your car working clothes, and try to man handle it until you think the car might fall on you. Do this until you think you might die.

Step 3.) By day 4 you'll wish it would and pray that the car might kill you.

Step 4.) Attack it with chemicals. Anything you can spray and is slippery will do.

Step 5.) Call your insurance agent, and ask about your homeowners fire insurance policy. (that thing is RIGHT next to the tank)

Step 6.) Finally man up, and wiggle that thing out like it's a loose tooth at Jurassic Park.