Help-Rear subframe bushings.

[D. Clay]

Whole rear suspension and crossmember are out of car. One of the subframe bushings broke. A small piece is stuck in the body. It's the top of part number 3 in the drawing.

[christophbmw]

are you putting new bushings in.....a bit more info would help. if you are putting new ones in then just burn the old ones out.

[Febi Guibo]

it's stuck in the body, not the subframe... so burning it out is prolly not going to work...
personally... I'd like D. Clay (and his car) to stick around a little longer...!

D. Clay, is there any possibility of drilling it out/into pieces?

Like, even with a long boring bit?

[D. Clay]

I'll weld the crossmember in before I sack the car. Only the little centering part broke off. I think I may have to drill and chisel and who knows what else to get it out. Hopefully someone else has had this problem and save me some time.
In the picture below only the shiny part at the top broke off and is still stuck in the body of the car. It's easy to get to as it's the lower of the bolt hole through the floor.

[Febi Guibo]

well, worst case, I suppose you could pull up the rear seat and punch it out ?

bmwman91's photo, showing the rear seat cushion out (he pushed some metal bar in there to pound it out...)

pic

[Zoso]

I had a shop replace my rear subframe mount bushings at the same time I had them do the rear wheel bearings (I know my limits)  My mechanic said that they had to torch and beat the crap out of the subframe mount bushings to get them out.  Be thankful you don't live in the saltbelt!

[ak96ss]

I am so very familiar with this problem...  

What I ended up doing was taking my Dremel and very carefully hacking a 'notch' out of the stub of the bushing that remained in the car. I was then able to use a drift and hammer to collapse the metal away from the car body and, eventually, get the remnants out. Took over an hour on each side.

There was no way to get at it from the top, couldn't get the extreme angle necessary to hit just the bushing out.

It would seem that there was no antisieze put on those things when they were originally installed, so after many years of direct contact, the parts pretty much weld themselves together.  Not entirely, but enough that both my bushings broke rather than come out.

Be patient and work carefully, and liberally coat that new bushing when you put it in.

[D. Clay]

Now I know. And I'm not surprised that it's common. Aluminum alloy next to steel and that chemistry going on for 15 years. Now for the fun part.
Thanks ak96ss.

[M42Iberia]

I am so very familiar with this problem...  

What I ended up doing was taking my Dremel and very carefully hacking a 'notch' out of the stub of the bushing that remained in the car. I was then able to use a drift and hammer to collapse the metal away from the car body and, eventually, get the remnants out. Took over an hour on each side.

There was no way to get at it from the top, couldn't get the extreme angle necessary to hit just the bushing out.

It would seem that there was no antisieze put on those things when they were originally installed, so after many years of direct contact, the parts pretty much weld themselves together.  Not entirely, but enough that both my bushings broke rather than come out.

Be patient and work carefully, and liberally coat that new bushing when you put it in.

daaang.

[M42boy]

I think anti-seize compound will be our friend here.  I'm definately adding a lot to the bushing internal collar when replacing mine.  I just dealt with this and it was a PITA to get them out.  Thanks for the suggestion ak96ss!

[D. Clay]

I have the rear crossmember out of the car for rear crossmember and trailing arm bushings. While it's out I'm going to adjust rear camber to a little less negative. My car is dropped and was at the outer limit for rear camber before. It's a homemade sin approach. I also have made a tool for installing rear wheel bearings for next to nothing cost using an old circle track trick for setting up Frankland rear axles. Also to come are solid rubber and urethane crossmember bushings and some M3 front sway bar links using some links that were laying around the shop while the coilovers are put on.
I'll post pictures of all of this stuff but be patient because I'm slower than Christmas..

[ScreamerBeemer]

:confusedI'm attemping to remove the subframe, everything is disconnected, but it won't move. It moves but won't come out and I don't want to break it off.  I've tried pounding on it with a hammer and big ass screwdriver, all that achieved was the bruise on my hand. Then I tried the air hammer that doesn't work either. Then I tried the threaded rod trick........I forgot to get the little piece of pipe to fix on the cap. That just had the bushing sleeve bottom out on the cap. I'll swing by the hardware shop on the way to the bar:rolleyes:


318is 1
ScreamerBeemer 0
For now

[ak96ss]

Big pry bar, a piece of wood to brace the bar against the body of the car, and mentally prepare yourself for cutting out those nipples.

[FL318is]

Mine broke off.  I got a small Snap On cutsall and scored/cut into the remaining metal.  Tapped them at a 90 degree angle and pop they went.  I have pics somewhere.

[st600r]

I had something similar happen with my 84 E30. Beating it out from the top with a long rod did not work at all. The angles are all wrong, and you are fighting the aluminum/steel corrosion problem. You need more torque/leverage.

Here is what I did. I bought a tap and tapped the inside of the bushing. It was  a big sucker. I screwed a bolt in from the bottom. Now you really have something to hit. Then I took a long rod and beat the sxxt out of it from on top. Chemistry aside, the 2 pieces finally let go.

Best of luck.

P.S. if you go back with the Powerflex urethane bushings, I noticed there is not enough "stack height". I had to have some washers made to take up the difference. My car is a track car, and I wanted it to have Zero movement.

In any case, use plenty of anti-sieze compound on the new pieces for the next guy that takes it apart.