I'm about to do this job. I picked up for free at my local steel yard a piece of metal pipe that is large enough to accept the SPL bushing when I press out. The only potential problem is the inner diameter is only slighty larger than the bushing and it will sit on the "metal ring" welded to the subframe and not the subframe itself? Am I ok to use this and press on this welded ring when removing the OEM bearing? Picture of the welded ring is at the bottom. Thanks.



786e67d7.jpg?t=1280769185

 

Bump for advice as I would like to attempt over the weekend. Thanks

 

Get a larger one....don't want to bend the lip of the ring...

J

 

If it's centered on the tube it will be fine, that ring wont' compress before the bushing moves.

 

Just finished installing the diff ear bushings and the one in the subframe. Any advice on reinstallation to make my life easier?
Also how far in should the subframe bushing go? mine is almost flush on the side thats closest to the front of the car

 

I wouldn't worry about how far in it goes, once you torque the bolt up, it'll snug it into wherever it wants to be.

Just use the jack to get the subframe back up to get several threads in before relying on them to pull it up the rest of the way.

 

Ok. I have everything apart and the differential out. I noticed on one side of the dif the axle has some play. Is the normal / ok? The other side does not have this play. Video below.

 

Some tips that worked for me:

I used the large franken socket method.

1: I duct taped the metal plate on top of the 4" diameter metal pipe instead of welding.
2: I had some "all thread" from Lowes in my garage already
3: I used this in combination with the SPL press plate and used my impact gun on it. The sub frame bushing came right out. EASY.
4: I experimented by drilling a hole in the rubber first. I do not recommend doing this. I got blasted in the eyes with black goo. Just like Newman: 5. I used a 32MM socket and hammered out the ear bushing. Very easy. The 32mm was not quite large enough on one ear, so I walked it around the edges and tap it out evenly.
6: I freezed my bushings.
7: Hardest part for me was installing the new SPL sub frame bushing. I hammered the hell out of it (used PB blaster in the hole and on the bushing). I would recommend the franken socket method to reinstall.

 

The axles are fitted with juts hitting them with a rubber mallet. Punch it back in (not metal on metal) and it should be fine if it bottoms out and stays there.

 

For anyone considering doing these, here's some great pricing on the kit:
Jason - we went cheap initially, and installed a poly bushing; it failed in less than one year. I now have the SPL center bushing (and a replacement Whiteline) that I want to install this weekend. Do you think if I take the load off the failed bushing, I can slip it out and simply slip in a frozen SPL (I doubt it)? What about the Whiteline?

 

Whiteline was an easy fit for me, it pulls in with the bolt for the last portion.

 

Update: the old torn Whiteline bushing came out easily once I removed the rear bolt and took the load off it. I did not need to remove the pumpkin. I have a replacement Whiteline as well as a solid SPL, so I thought I'd give the spl a go. I froze it overnight, and slid it in. It only went in about 1/4". I lubed it up and tried again, now with some gentle mallet taps. It went in a little more but stopped, and now it's stuck from moving in either direction. Aside from pulling the pumpkin and pulling it in from the backside, does anyone have any good ideas for moving it in either direction at this point? It's back to room temp, so likely even more stuck now.

 

Dry ice?

 

I ran into the same thing following the same process but its too much of a interference fit... i doubt even the BFH method will work (using a wood buffer of course) Because its solid it has to go in perfectly straight. I dropped the diff and pulled it in with an air impact and finished ratchet wrench. once its over half way it'll go smooth with a wrench

 

WD40 and a BFH did the trick finally...

 

Would it be fine to keep the SPL bushings on dry ice over night?

edit. didnt realize dry ice only lasts 4 hrs per pound. better off grabbing it in the morning instead of overnight.

 

And leave it in the freezer the night before that. Lube the hole big time, and have a rubber mallet handy. Sawzall the oem bushing out and you're all set.

 

Yesterday I installed my whiteline bushings. Jesus God, what a nightmare. Nothing went smoothly. On my own it took me about 12 hours. Now that everything's dropped in I have an audible pop on take off and when going into 2. Anyone else experience this? Plus, the subframe bushing nut doesn't seem to be torqueing down. Its on the stud a ways but it's only slightly tighter than finger. After yesterday, bending over at the dealership doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

 

Sounds like you should get it back up on ramps and check all the bolts/nuts, you'll probably find you didn't get something back in all the way that was stopping you.

 

UPDATE: I've ordered a new diff stud and nut just incase the old one has gone kaput. With the car in first just by rolling it back and forth by hand you can see the diff move up and down creating the popping sound. Thankfully, a guy I know is going to help out when the parts come in; so it should be all sorted in the next week or so. I'm confident... ish. Thankfully it's not my DD so it's not a huge inconvenience. I'll update when we try to solve it.