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2G 2G How to: Install solid bushings on the front subframe

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2G Front subframe solid bushing install

Overview:

This article will cover the installation of the solid bushings on your 2G FWD and AWD front subframe. This article does not cover any step to access the subframe, due to the nature of the task, it is assumed you have a decent level of skill on your hands. Meaning this article will be beneficial only as a guide and tips for the installation.
If all you know is how to change your oil this task may not be recommended for you to tackle.

Tools Recommended:
• 20 Ton press
• Various thick plates, stands, pipes and big random pieces of metal to help adapt the subframe in place on the press.
• A BFH
• Any kind of lubricant to help slide the bushing in while being pressed in (I used the damping fluid from the failing press).
• Wood, optional.
• Air hammer, optional.
• Bench grinder,optional.

Proper Safety Precautions:

Again, if you are tackling this task you are no newbie so you already know to wear:
Safety glasses, hearing protection if using pneumatic tools and of course gloves.

Steps

This article will begin with a fresh component stripped subframe, meaning you have already burnt or pressed out the old bushings.

These are the bushings I received from black_gst, my review on these may be found here:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-front-solid-subframe-bushings-black_gst.html
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Although this part is not mandatory It's a pretty good trick, I applied a coat of solid film lubricant and baked them for 30 minutes @ 150*F. it will help A LOT to press these in like butter.
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I grabbed my drill and wire brush and cleaned out the bushing cups as shown:
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It should come out like this:
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Check the subframe holes for any weld matter, chip them off and make sure the walls are smooth.
Now you are ready to take the subframe to the press. You must align everything as best as you can, I will show you my setup in this picture:
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At this point you should use a solid even flat surface to contact your bushing to prevent digging into them with rough tools or pipes, I used a solid lift adapter, round and solid.

At this time if your bushings are giving you a hard time to line up your options are these:

1- Continue to press them in crooked, maybe dig them in about ¼ inch in, then grab your mallet and tap them on the side and they will POP in place and they will auto align them selves

2- Consider freezing the bushing untill they reach 0*F. you will need a deep freezer. a normal freezer cant make much of a difference although anything is better when trying to get these in.
3- Or Grind about 0.02 +/-.01 inches from the bushing to help guide them in the right path(shown in picture, red stripe is the area to be grinded off a little) (I only had to do this to 1 out of 6)
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4-In some instances where the press is to awkward you can grab the pneumatic hammer and... Hammer.

From this point forward everything is basically pressing them in, here are a few pictures of the results:
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Allow me to add the following suggestions:
1- When pressing in these bushings the subframe will bow and flex, be cautious about this, some flexing is acceptable while extreme flexing is not, once any metal is modified it will never return to its original position.
2- The subframe mounting bolts:
I also baked these with solid film lubricant applied w/heat gun. And dabbed a chunk of anti seize on the shank this will prevent rust. Do NOT apply anti-seize on the threads. I coated the entire length of the stud plus threads with the solid film, I then applied the heat gun only to accelerate cure time. The concept behind the solid film is that it acts as a "sealant" which not only the coating protects the hardware but it also fills in the voids where water could have accumulate and corrode.

No anti-seize on the threads because its on a part that the torque is achieved by a predetermined number to clamp the subframe on so to speak, so if you put anti-seize on the threads you reduce the friction causing the nut to go further in and actually deteriorating the threads by "over-torquing" w/o actually getting to the proper torque. so in a nutshell you will stretch the stud or strip the nut eventually.

I applied anti-seize only on the shank to prevent any seizing of course, and prevent cold welding because the different metals although that's not ever going to really happen, hopefully.

anti-seize should be used only on applications that the threads them selves become the locking point, such as enclosed chambers i.e. when installing ARP head studs, or use of oil on the bolts for the camshaft caps and so on.
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Here are some final install results:
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PLEASE RATE THIS THREAD!!!

If you have any Q's I have the A's.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Excellent write-up. I finally got around to pressing some in last week. I found that freezing the bushings made them much easier to press in. I just cranked up the freezer in my garage and left them in there for a couple days. I was also very surprised at the amount of welding slag inside of the bushing cups from where these were made in the factory. Cleaning out the cups is definitely nessacery. I used the same press as you but I found it to be a 2-man job. One person to hold the subframe and the other to arrange all the spacers, work the pump, and make sure they're going in straight.
 
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