Crossmember/Subframe replacement

[Heysüß]

kinda late but yeah I never saw any marks on my diff and I'm pretty sure I would've remembered bottoming out. :( but now that's all fixed and new. waiting on a adjusting bar tensioner to get it back on the road though.

[Heysüß]

ah ok. I'd like to see an early subframe, mine and the one I helped out with were both later frames.

[MarshallM]

There are two different E30 subframes. There is a extra support bend in the subframe tunnel on the later subframes. The switch happened in 85-86 I believe. I've seen subframes damaged like that before. I believe it happens when a car bottoms out on the diff. I had to weld the diff back into a E12 that was driving around with only the exhaust rubbing on a axle holding the rear up.

[Heysüß]

We started work on a second rear subframe and we did what took me almost a week and a half (counting classes and other stuff) in a day. It also helped that my bud's e30 was completely stock but yeah, we did pretty good time-wise. and I even had time to take apart his brake calipers and spray them down with brake cleaner while we worked on the subframe.

[Heysüß]

here's a shot of the new IE diff mount.

[Heysüß]

.

[Heysüß]

and here's some shots of the old bushings being taken out, or burnt out in our case.

[Heysüß]

oh and the second top bolt was completely missing, so that's probably why the section broke off, it had to do the job of two bolts.

[Heysüß]

late, but as promised here is a picture showing the broken, not cracked, but broken piece of subframe that was causing the loss of power and awful racket.

[Heysüß]

Well, got the new subframe in and everything lined up perfect except for the diff mount bolt.it's a little to the left. Any ideas on how to budge it that extra bit so I can get the bolt in?

[Heysüß]

I tried to drop everything as one but it was much to clumsy to do alone. i ended up dropping the diff then trailing arms and subframe

yeah i figured it would be so I'm gonna wait until my dad and friend can help me so each can watch one section as it comes down.

we tried to use a puller but the ie bushings that came with the car don't have metal tabs they're that hard delrin stuff so it started to bend and give way so we stopped.

[bzboardz]

i'm also considering trying to disconnect the trailing arms from the subframe and pulling the diff, trailing arms, and driving axles back as one and then lowering it to the ground. that way i would also have more room to wail on the POS subframe that wont come out.

I tried to drop everything as one but it was much to clumsy to do alone. i ended up dropping the diff then trailing arms and subframe

[grantlacey11]

moly grease

[Heysüß]

i'm also considering trying to disconnect the trailing arms from the subframe and pulling the diff, trailing arms, and driving axles back as one and then lowering it to the ground. that way i would also have more room to wail on the POS subframe that wont come out.

[Heysüß]

Bentley says to "push" the driveshaft a little to the front of the car but i'm not feeling any play at all for that to be possible. Also, I'm probably being girly about it.