Alright so guys im removing my diff since i blew it last week, and ive been searching and searching and people are saying you dont need to drop the sub-frame just to replace the diff, but then some are saying you do. Someone please let me know what is the easiest and fastest way to do this!!

 

Stuff is real hard to get to if you don't drop it. I dropped all the ones I did. Wasn't a huge deal with me, a friend and a jack.

 

well i got everything holding the diff on besides the front diff mount, so all id have left is the bolts holding the sub-frame up which is only four and then the two bolts for the struts.

 

You don't have to complety remove it, what I do when I replace diffs is remove both those struts and then all but one of the subframe mounts upfront, but that one needs to be only held on by half a nut so you can angle it down nice n good. Make it so the drivers side is the one completely off so you can get right onto that front diff mount all nice n easy like

Oh, and don't be afraid to get in there with a prybar and move **** around, its all big and heavy and likes to get stuck...but having done upwards of 10 in one month I've come to realize its actually quite easy <- replacing mine and my friends' diff mounts and whatnot

 

It all depends on how you like to work. Some guys like to save a bit of work and deal with less space, others take everything out of the way to have a bit more room. In that sense, it's really up to you. But it sounds like you're almost there (removing it all).

 

If you haven't done it before, the simplest way is to drop the whole thing.
Mechanically it's very simple, the weight and awkwardness are the drawback.
Very painless with two people and two floor jacks.

Go through the whole thing and clean/lube (pay special attention to the adjustable bolts in the trailing arm), check bushings and link ends.

Reinstall.

Now that you're familiar with what you're dealing with, you might do it differently the second time, maybe just dropping (but not completely) the frame is easier.

 

Yeh I heard dropping it isn't hard, but getting it back up is pretty hard.

 

Not really.

 

Alright well it should be done today, so ill let yous knoe how it goes.

 

I'm with Justin. Done this a bunch of times by myself with no help exactly this way. But it's always better if you have someone with you when it comes time for the heavy lifting if only for safety.

 

That sounds awfully easy, but I think I'm gonna remove my whole subframe just because I want to paint my suspension parts. ;D

 

Why no pics? You should always post pics! Hell, maybe one of us might spot something in a pic that your are unaware of that needs attention.

If anyone else is like me, When i get my mind set on something like removing a subframe, I can sometimes be so focused on getting the subframe down rather than taking a little extra time to inspect **** while I am taking it down. I have to remind myself that I need to reel myself in a bit and take a look at the bigger picture while I'm in there. Also, maybe a good time to do bushings while you have all of that stuff apart?

 

My phone is always dieing so I can never get picks, but I stripped a brake caliper bolt and spent like 2 hours trying to get it out which pretty much took all the time away from the subframe and the guy before me welded my whole exhaust so I had to cut it out and once I got all thay done with o couldn't find the damn last two bolts holding up the subframe! I got so frusturated I just called it a night and will finish tomorrow. If anyone can describe to me where they are please let me know! I got the two right next to the driver and passenger door.

 

You got 21mm bolts under the rocker panels holding the Brackets for the subframe on.Those Brackets are held On by 14mm nuts under the lip of the rocker panels.Once you get those 14mm nuts and 21 Mm nuts off,the brackets fall.(just make sure the subframe is supported before you take these brackets off!)
Get the brakes off and hung to the side OR when the diff falls, the Flex lines will rip off the brakes.
The shocks hold up the spindles,so they need 17mm bolts taken out,push the shocks off the mounts.
There is also a 17mm bolt and nut that holds up the rear subframe assembly to the Camber link.
Take it off at the Subframe and it is easier to get back on.

Why you had problems with the brakes is beyond me.One 12mm bolt comes out,you pull the caliper up off the rotor and onto the Pin,slide the caliper towards the inside of the car and it is off.

 

I missed a lot of other info such as disconnecting your driveshaft from the diff(14mm) and the 17mm nuts on the Diff mounts.(diff to car)

 

Alright all I have left is the 17mm holding the camber links to subframe and me either I was just turning and I thought the bolt was unscrewig but then when I looked it was stripped.

 

And yeh I got the driveshaft and sway bars and all thay.

 

Re: the brake bolt...all I can think of is you were turning the wrong way since the bolt screws in from the back and you were looking at it the wrong way. That's almost caught me before.

 

Ya,with all the directions that the bolts are placed in,I usually do an "air dance with the Ratchet"..
funny though that you can tell if your ratchet is set on the right direction too which way you have to get the bolt off!...lol!
Wrenches?..nah..Wrench dance!...heh..Unless you use Ratchet wrenches too.. :p

 

That would be the only reason I'd take that approach if I were pulling it alone. But, any extra effort to give the old girl a refresh is good reason.

 

I got the subframe off and new 88 gxl LSD diff and and now time to put it back up!