Removing front subframe with as lil work as possible...

[browntown]

Engine is out, everything about the suspension is brand new shiny race parts, but they're all put together. I want to remove the front subframe to weld up some reinforcements and repaint. Now that I look at it though, I should have done all that when I did the suspension.

I suppose the main things are the center bolt of the control arms, and the steering rack. I'm trying to visualize putting the front end in the air and just unbolting a few of these things and having them stay relatively undisturbed while I remove the subframe. Wishful thinking, I'm sure.

Engine/tranny is out, so that should make things easier. Anyone got a idea of least involved method, short of taking the entire suspension apart, to remove subframe?

My best searches pretty much imply popping the steering tie rod ends off and removing the rack with the subframe.

Easy enough (ish), I guess my biggest question surrounds the control arm center bolts. I figure I need the car in the air, because the control arm needs that bolt when the suspension is loaded to keep it's geometry. I'm a lil worried though that I wont get that ball joint back in said hole when I'm done without unbolting even more stuff. I should mention that I have a bad history of destroying balljoints. I did buy the three finger OTC tool though so that might help.

Frankly, it has been so long since I installed the new control arms, I don't remember what order I bolted the three points up (lollipop, center, or strut tube).

Thanks in advance, I'm writing this on a mini-vacation at the beach so I can't go run to the garage and see how obvious my answer may be.

[cgk_iii]

You need one of these ! Make your life a hell of a lot easier with removing the control arms from the subframe and prevent you from animalizing the ball joints

if it were me i would just drop the whole subframe with everything attached, take apart what you need to while its out, then bolt it all back up. It will probably take just as much time

[browntown]

i have one of those, actually a couple. I'm going to try to just drop the center bolt of the control arms and hope I can get it all back in place when I'm done with the subframe. I'll take the steering rack down with it, and just pop off the tie rod ends.

I've done more damage with the air hammer in the past so this time I'm going to try the OTC

[cgk_iii]

Interesting I've never destroyed a ball joint using an air chisel... Those work great too. usually use those for the tie rods and control arm ball joints to the strut housing. Works great but have to give it a good whack with a hammer sometimes to get it to "snap" out the Strut.

[jlevie]

A pickle for works great if you are replacing a tie rod or control arm, but they will destroy the boots otherwise. In this case disconnecting the inner control bolts (they aren't tapered) will allow the subframe to drop.

[Roysneon]

I'm wondering if the outer ball joint on the control arm will allow the arm to move enough/the proper way for the inner stud to clear the subframe. I would say just take the tie rod end nuts off, and the inner and outer control arm nuts, remove the control arms and do it that way, still only 3 bolts per side, let the strut/spring/knuckle assemblies dangle for a while while you do the job.

Also, the tool you have is 10x more effective and less boot tearing than a pickle fork. Forks are for old arms/joints that you don't care about anymore or cars that are being parted.

[the imitator]

Any reason you can simply drop the front subframe leaving on the steering rack/ brake assembly's?

I did this last week and the front sub, steering rack, and brake components drop in one piece, I'm replacing the brake lines with SS lines, so I snipped those, they were my only hang up.