So I parked my car in the garage, and I heard *CLUNK*.. I looked underneath the car, and my Subframe had fallen out!

Haha, j/k. I dropped my subframe today to swap in my new rear end (4.3 + Torsen LSD) and to install energy suspension toe-link bushings, as well as take care of a brake problem I have. Here are some pics of the subframe out of the car.


This is a picture of what was wrong with my caliper. When I tried to remove it, both 14mm bolts snapped off, and I couldnt get the bracket off. I tried torching it and everything, and it just wouldnt budge. You can see the snapped off bolts in this pic..

God I love my mini-sledge I got the bracket off, but the pieces of bolt are still in there, and will not come out. You can see they are white from the torch. Its soaking in wd-40 now, hopefully it will let me get those bolts out so I dont need to buy another bracket..

Also, I was going to change my diff mount while I was at it, but mine seems to look fine. I just wanted someone else's opinion.

 

Love the big pics! I was thinking of changing my Diff too!

 

Yea, its really not that bad of a job...only thing is, I dont know how Im going to be able to get it back up by myself...

 

So a friend help you take it off?? Did that whole subframe come off together?? The subframe does look kind of heavy concidering that the diff is like 40 pounds or something.

 

Its not really that hard to take of, one person can do it. All you need to do is put a jack under the diff, and line it up by moving the jack around and you should be able to do it pretty easily. I reccomend you weld that thing solid, you will see a little bit of extra vibration, but not enough to matter, and then you wont have to replace another broken one again, it really starts to suck after 3-4 times of doing that.

-Chris

 

Yea I took it down by myself, just lowered it with my jack. Haha, 40lbs....that diff alone is close to 100lbs. Yep, the whole thing drops just as you see it. By welding the mount solid...what exactly do you mean? What should be welded? I am pretty handy with a welder, and always like making some sparks

 

a better option might be a pinion snubber, it'll solve the mount breakage problem, and you won't get extra vibration

 

Well Ive never had a mount breakage problem, so I didnt do that. I was considering the pinion snubber, but decided against it after seeing the condition of my stock mount. I just got the rear end all back together and had a friend help get it up, it goes alot easier with 2 people and 2 jacks.

 

If you don't have someone to help and even if you do you may consider renting a transmission jack. That would be big enough to hoist the whole assembly back up into the car.

 

How much did you end up paying for your differential after all was said in done? I'm also thinking about rebuilding my diff with a torsen(probably a miata one) and a 4.3 gear and I'm wondering how much I'm looking at spending? Coincidentally, I took my subframe out today too, but only to swap the diff and half shafts to the infini car. Nice pics!

Steve

Steve

 

on a related note, does anyone make subframe spacers for the FC? I know that they are made for the S13 240SX and Z32 300ZX subframes.