WTB/Rent Subframe Bushing Tool

[davintosh]

I went ahead & ordered the tool, and it arrived today; couldn't be more pleased with the quality of the tool, and can't wait to put it to work (tomorrow.) Here are a few pics of what was included;

Here's the box. Baum Tools #B334140X5. The package was drop-shipped from Baum Tools directly.



All 13 pieces, semi-assembled. Now that the photos have been uploaded, I'm wishing I had put something in the photo to show scale. These things are massive; they won't be bending.



The three plates, all machined from some kind of really hard steel. Heavy stuff too. The shipping weight of the package was just over 14 lbs. The smaller piece on the right is what's used to pull the old bushing out. The others are used to install the bushing. Very thick, very heavy steel components. The subframe will bend before these things do.



The bits that brace against the lip of the subframe. Removable, so I'm assuming replacements can be ordered if needed. I hope it doesn't come to that, but...



These are the bars that support the bridge that supports the force applied to pulling the bushings out. 5/8" steel bar nestled inside 1/2" machined bar stock. The gold-colored knob threads onto one of the bars to allow the jaws to be adjusted and tightened onto the sides of the bushing. That part won't bend like the 1/4" x 3/4" bars on my homemade tool.





The instructions and a couple of labels on the box warn against using any kind of power tool on this item; hand tools only. I'll attempt to make a movie of the job, probably time-lapse so that the whole process of doing one bushing can be documented.

[davintosh]

Just finished cleaning up after the job; the tool worked super slick; no comparison to doing this job with my cobbled-together homebuilt tool. I started at about 10 am and finished about 3 pm, with about an hour for lunch in the middle. Part of the time was spent futzing with a broken stud on the left-rear cap; when unbolting the muffler hanger, the nut was seized and the stud started spinning in the cap. Ended up cutting it off then popped an 8mm bolt in there for the time being; ordering a replacement cap shortly. Oh, also wasted some time by having to pull one of the freshly-seated bushings back out. I got it started then had my son finish drawing it in, and didn't notice until he was done that the thing was oriented 90° off. Doh. When I did the subframe bushings on my e32, there were dimples in the subframe pipes and matching grooves on the bushings so there was only one way to insert them.

I had a camera set up while I did the first one and did a time-lapse of the job; I'll see about getting it online sometime this weekend (after I edit out my gaffes. )

[SlickGT1]

Nice work. Show us the piece in action. How does the ride feel?

[davintosh]

Here's the video (click here if it doesn't show above.) I decided not to edit out my screwup; figured it might be instructive & help others to remember to get the thing lined up properly before putting it in.

The car rides much better with the new bushings in place. No more horrid clunking when letting the clutch out in the lower gears, and much smoother ride. Well worth the trouble!

[Ricky Bobby]

so who is renting this beast first???

[davintosh]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

so who is renting this beast first???

theblue (aka Aaron) paid his deposit this morning and will have it by the weekend for the R&R job on his car. It should be available again in a week or so. I need to start a separate thread with details on the rental...

[TwinTurboGTR]

Nice job bud! Saw the video, that tool sure does make it look easy. Now I noticed when you bent the hanger back into position, you didn't torch it... Is it soft enough to bend it back into place or was it going by so fast I didn't see it?

[davintosh]

Originally Posted by TwinTurboGTR

Nice job bud! Saw the video, that tool sure does make it look easy. Now I noticed when you bent the hanger back into position, you didn't torch it... Is it soft enough to bend it back into place or was it going by so fast I didn't see it?

Nope; didn't use the torch to put it back in place. I did use it when I bent the hanger out of the way (before starting the video) but don't know that it helped much.

Speaking of the torch, it definitely helped loosening the old bushing from the subframe can though. I also used it to speed up the dry time of the paint I used to touch up the steel on the subframe; some of the paint had cracked & peeled, and there were a few rust spots, so I figured the Rustoleum wouldn't hurt.

And I used some alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a lubricant to ease the new one in. It's plenty slippery and evaporates more readily than anything water-based.

[theblue]

I'm excited to try this beast out.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by davintosh

Nope; didn't use the torch to put it back in place. I did use it when I bent the hanger out of the way (before starting the video) but don't know that it helped much.

Speaking of the torch, it definitely helped loosening the old bushing from the subframe can though. I also used it to speed up the dry time of the paint I used to touch up the steel on the subframe; some of the paint had cracked & peeled, and there were a few rust spots, so I figured the Rustoleum wouldn't hurt.

And I used some alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a lubricant to ease the new one in. It's plenty slippery and evaporates more readily than anything water-based.

I was wondering what you were spraying there, looks good all touched up!

Sanitizer sounds like a good lube as well, and still slippery, I would also suggest *WINDEX**

theblue, let me know how your R&R of the bushings goes as well, I'd like to see how you do with the "subframe beast", as I will most likely be doing a rental in the future as well! (need to get my new bushings in first)