Easy removal of E30 rear subframe

[Missedapex]

After fighting for a day with
my E30 subframe I wanted to share this quick video(won’t let me upload video but I think the pics get the point across) on a relatively easy way to remove the stock corroded subframe from its mounts without hammering or pry barring the heck out it. This approach works awesome and I hope it helps others save a ton of time and cursing.

-unscrew subframe nut completely then put it back on loosely (3-4 turns). This give lots of room for the subframe to pop down when it get unstuck.
-use a small floor jack...easier to set up and it seats well on the nut. I didn’t try my big jack..but it would probably work just bulky.
-run your chain as shown with jack lowered (duh) and use bolt
to tighten chain as tight as possible.
-after 1-3 pumps the jack should work it magic and unseat the subframe from from the mounts.
-be sure to use anti seize on reassembly...to make life ez next time. Or for the next poor guy.

Good luck. :-)




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[cwlo]

Simple easy solution. Thanks for sharing.

[z28]

Wow thats way easier than the proper way, I like it. Thanks for sharing.

[Missedapex]

Ha. I tried the ‘proper way’, for like 4 1/2 hours. With the jack approach you don’t bang on anything. Really hope this helps others because it just sucks when the subframe is stuck. ;-). Wrench on![emoji373][emoji373]


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[Garageaholic]

Yeah the big problem with removing sub frames is the galvanic corrosion between the aluminum sleeve in the bushing with the steel bolt. The aluminum corrodes away to the bolt, but in real application here, they have a habit of fusing together through he pitting action. Sucks but it's the way it is in all industries.

Good idea with that jack. Much better than banging it with a hammer or using potentially destructive alternatives

[vtechnik]

I'll definitely give this a try when i do my subframe bushings soon. Thanks!

[rob0r]

I normally loosen off the large subframe bolts, put the nut back on enough turns and then smack the nut square on upwards into the car with a hammer. The large subframe bolts are on a spline fitting that then pops up into the cabin underneath the rear seat, freeing off the bolt from the subframe mount. All you then need to do on refitting is to tap the bolts back into the splines.

[JGood]

I suppose that would work if it's the bolt-to-bushing inner sleeve contact area that has corrosion. For mine, it was the bushing inner sleeve corroded to the body contact area. This jack method would just pop the bolt up through the chassis, and the subframe would still be hanging there. Which is the point I got mine to. Then, after hours of hammering and prying, the subframe fell off, leaving the upper part of the bushing inner sleeve attached to the body, which I then had to dremel out. It was pure shit...

[Missedapex]

I’ve used a ball joint splitter or lady finger as some call it to handle those situations. Also, I guess in using the floor jack you could run the risk of the knurling on the bolt giving up 1st.
In any event huge amounts of penetrating oil should be used prior to any of the techniques. I left that out of my post since I thought it was pretty obvious. Lol.



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