Poly Subframe bushings Vs. Aluminum

Michael.Timz said:
well, i got lucky. i'm dropping the subframe in my tech school's shop.

so i have lifts and impact guns at my disposal.


i went SPL aluminum subframe bushings.. lol

i'll post my impressions when they get here
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Well, I paid someone to do the tank installation. Since they had to drop the subframe, as they swapped the tank I was working on the subframe bushings. I figured dropping the sub was the hard part so I underestimated the bushings replacement part. Unless you have a press, getting the inner rings out of the subframe is the beatchy part. It is doable but beacthy! My suggestion is to cut the rings in two or three parts with an electric saw. Some people try hammering them out of there and it is not impossible but plan to spend a day per bushing. "Definetly, eat your spinach Popeye!!" Hand saw can work too, but it is still a mission. The electric saw made it seem a piece of cake. Feel free to reach out if you need more input although getting the inner rings out pretty much covers the hard part. Other than that, bring the subframe down with the tires on. That way you can just drag the sub by rolling it out on the tires (This was good advise by Alibaba from here in the forums. THANK YOU ALI). first, take the tires out to remove calipers then put the tires back on. Two lug nuts should do good enough. I just did this last month so the pain is still fresh! Well, GL and have lots of fun. :bigthumbu
 
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I installed the solid subframe bushings, along with a solid mount s13 diff (welded).

Wouldn't have it any other way. You can hear the road a lot and I can feel my grinding 2nd gear syncro in my teeth. Other than that its badass.
 
I just installed aluminum bushings for me and Jose's car.

I used air chisel to remove the center piece, and outer bushing. Be careful it will rip through your subframe.

If the bushing gives you a hard time, use a sawz-all or hack saw to cut through the bushing. It will come loose.

For install, I took the spacers to Broward-Bolt, and got the biggest bolt to fit throught the spacer, and a washer and nut to go with it.

Position everythng on the subframe and tighten away. I used 1/2 inch wrench, sometimes you might need a mini sledge, just a few whacks. tightend first subframe with wrench, then tightend other subframe with air gun (VERY CAREFULLY).

Then to install into car I used Hand 1/2inch wrench, using a criss-cross pattern on the 4 bolts.

IMG_1045.jpg

IMG_1043.jpg


It was alot easier than I thought, take your time, and dont put the bushings on upside down. I did this work with no lift or press.

I had cheapo E-bay bushings, Jose had SPL bushing, both went in easily.
 
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J ROK said:
I just installed aluminum bushings for me and Jose's car.

I used air chisel to remove the center piece, and outer bushing. Be careful it will rip through your subframe.

If the bushing gives you a hard time, use a sawz-all or hack saw to cut through the bushing. It will come loose.

For install, I took the spacers to Broward-Bolt, and got the biggest bolt to fit throught the spacer, and a washer and nut to go with it.

Position everythng on the subframe and tighten away. I used 1/2 inch wrench, sometimes you might need a mini sledge, just a few whacks. tightend first subframe with wrench, then tightend other subframe with air gun (VERY CAREFULLY).

Then to install into car I used Hand 1/2inch wrench, using a criss-cross pattern on the 4 bolts.

IMG_1045.jpg

IMG_1043.jpg


It was alot easier than I thought, take your time, and dont put the bushings on upside down. I did this work with no lift or press.

I had cheapo E-bay bushings, Jose had SPL bushing, both went in easily.
Click to expand...


quality post; i'm putting my SPLs in on monday.
 
good vid, only thing is after they sawzalled out the middle section, they didnt have to burn out the rubber. Also I flipped the subframe to knock out the bushings, made it a little easier.
 
J ROK said:
good vid, only thing is after they sawzalled out the middle section, they didnt have to burn out the rubber. Also I flipped the subframe to knock out the bushings, made it a little easier.
Click to expand...


yea I didn't burn mine either, it seemed unecessary but fun lol
 
Michael.Timz said:
i'm in the exact same situation as you.

i can't believe nissan makes us remove the driveshaft and subframe just to remove the tank. especially since (in every other instance), nissan has made working on the s14 easy.


anyway, i found some SPL aluminum subframe bushings..
http://www.splparts.com/main4/main/default.htm

anybody have any experience?


i also hear aluminum bushings are hard to install..
Click to expand...

i have the SPL subfame bushings and tension rods they make good stuff i love them both
 
EDIT: nevermind.


installing my SPL aluminum subframe bushings now; will post back with a review later.
 
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ok, got the bushings in the subframe yesterday.


car - S14, AUTO, w/ open diff

impresssion-

my differential now makes a distinguishable constant sound, but it's not as bad as some people have said. it's kind of like a high-pitched whine that gets more and more high pitched as i accelerate. it's not an overpowering sound, my short ram intake makes a more obnoxious noise than my diff does. the sound is probably a lot worse for people running LSDs.

i intentionally hit a few road reflectors to see what i would feel; i can feel the bumps more in the rear than before, but it's not unbearable.

i don't feel any difference accelerating from a deadstop, but i don't punch the gas, either.

on turns there's a subtle difference, it's so subtle that i might be imagining it;
it feels like the subframe is tight, giving no slack to centrifugal force. it feels like the rear of the car takes the turn just as tight as the front of the car, which i didn't feel before.



haven't taken the car on the highway yet.
 
hell yeah solid all day....shakin ovaries since.....well since i put them in my budies rp24 not in mine yet...not that bad at all to put in once u get the old ones out.....the freezer thing works....just put the bushing in the freezer untill there pretty cold...then heat the subframe up and they slide right in
 
Anyone know where I can get some cheap aluminum ones? I need to get some for my IRS install. I looked on ebay, but all I seen was collars no full bushings.
 
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