HELP! EMERGENCY! Need Right Frame Cradle Bushing - Told Not Made Cant Pass Inspection

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

Hopefully you won't have to set your bushings on fire like I did.

 

Thanks for the encouragement... funny you should mention the blow torch... I thought about using a blow torch... in fact, I have it handy and ready to go at a moments notice... not to melt the bushings but to heat up the bolt real good... I've used a blow torch in the past on other old cars... and lawn tractors... to get big frozen nuts and bolts loose... I've always had success. I've also read where individuals will also use your "melt" method to replace control arm bushings... thanks for reminding me of that tactic.

 

John B.

 

Here's a pic of the car in question...

 

The driver side front fender is lightly bolted pending a visit to Garys U-Pull It... It had the original Chevy rims up until a couple of weeks ago... I got a set of new/used tires... and the American Racing rims came with the tires (215/55R16)... only $140 bucks... don't let the pic fool you... the finish is shot with lots of chipped off paint... looks innocent doesn't it? ...who knows what evil lurks under the hood...

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

Good Day Fellow W-Body Enthusiasts!

 

The other day I decided to take a real close look at what I was getting in to... the project of replacing my sub-frame bushings. Kost Tire wanted $89 to replace one. I looked underneath at the "bad" one, on the passenger side rear... it looked like a big rubber donut... it was right there... didn't seem frightening to me... and then I looked at the opposite one. I could see the head of the bolt on the opposite one... but not on the bad one... I touched the bad one... it wiggled... and then I just "plucked" it off... it was hanging by a thread and that's why I couldn't see the bolt head... I could see everything more clearly now... the whole bushing was emaciated... It was very noticeable and I could see how it would be a red flag on any inspection. See the pic below of what I plucked off my car.

 

I ordered the new parts from AUTOPARTS123.COM via Amazon.com... they also have a storefront on Amazon ( http://www.amazon.com/shops/A139T64LTDCRO8/ref=aag_d_sh ) I ordered the parts on Nov. 2nd 7:30 PM with an estimated delivery date of Nov. 8th - 14th... got them today, Nov. 7th, early morning... and a day earlier than estimated... that was FAST Shipping for only $6.16.

 

Below are the pics of what I received and what I'll be attempting to install. The first pic is of course, a piece of the Bad bushing. The next pic, is of Dorman 924-005 Subframe Mount (Rear Bushing), and the last pic is of Dorman 924-004 Subframe Mount (Front Bushing). I've also seen these listed as "Body Kit", "Chassis Kit", "Sub-Frame Bushing"...

 

 

 

Please pray for me that the parts fit... and that I don't break a bolt...

 

John B.

Edited November 7, 2011 by 90V6RedHotLuminaEuro
to add text

[ptcfast2]

I would call that a bad bushing alright.

[jimmyfloyd]

Good luck with that. If I was still down there, i would have swung by and helped you out. just an FYI, Kost has a coupon on their website for 50% off inspections, and then Monro Muffler has one for beating a competitors coupon by 10%, so the inspection ends up being under $10.

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

Thanks for the coupon tip! I'm hoping that I don't have to get crafty and retrofit things... of course it's fun sometimes to do so... but this is an inspection thing and I'd like it to go easy and get it done with...

 

john b.

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

Is there a thread around here about replacing the motor mount? I thought I'd do that while I'm in the neighborhood... I'm not having much luck searching.

 

John B.

[Schurkey]

"The" motor mount?

 

There's several. You want to replace a certain one, or all of them?

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

"The" motor mount?

 

There's several. You want to replace a certain one, or all of them?

 

The actual Engine Mount... very bottom, passenger side... I already replaced the Dog Bones (Torque Struts)... and the Transaxle Mount.

 

John B.

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

Good Day to All!

 

Yesterday I worked on replacing the bad frame bushing. I bought a Duralast 2 Ton Lift Kit, which includes a 2 ton hydraulic jack, 2 jack stands, 2 folding wheel chocks, a lug wrench, and a creeper... $70 from AutoZone. I had only one 2 ton jack and 1 jackstand at home... I have a lot of work to do on this car so I thought this kit would be handy, and I didn't mind the price.

 

As you can see in the pics, as indicated, the new bushing kit, Dorman 924-005, comes with a larger bolt. I decided to just use the original bolt, and to later get a new bolt and make a nice sleeve for it. As you can see also, the original lower retainer was completely rotted away, leaving behind a small remnant of itself, looking like a rusty washer.

 

Getting the old bushing out... I heated the bolt up with a torch... but a 1/2 Ratchet with a 15mm Socket... and put a big pipe on it for a breaker bar... I then slowly cracked the bolt loose a bit... then I put my antique electric impact wrench on it... and let it dance on it for a while... watching the socket as it move just a tiny bit at a time at first... then it started to turn slowly and then steadily... I didn't have room underneath for the impact wrench to take the bolt all the way out... but it was good enough for me that it got the bolt loosened up without breaking it.

 

I removed the bolt for that bushing and then pryed the subframe some, so I could slide the old bushing out. It was somewhat difficult... I should have loosened up the other side but I was afraid to... I didn't want to try loosening it up to have it break... I was very paranoid about breaking any bolts... eventually, upon installing the new bushing, I had to loosen it up... I did, it didn't break... I'll have to replace that one soon as well... all of them in fact... one by one (sheesh!).

 

Installing the new bushing was an issue. Getting the new lower bushing part to fit up through the hole in the frame and into the upper bushing retainer, and over that cone with the bolt hole... because of the cone shape and the tight fit... the lower rubber bushing just naturally wanted to pop off. I couldn't squeeze or sandwhich it all together enough to get the bolt through to where I could start threading it. I spent a lot of time playing with this...

 

I had to carve out some rubber from the center of the new lower bushing to make it fit over the upper metal cone so it wouldn't squeeze off. Then I was able to jack up the sub-frame, sandwhich the upper bushing, push in the lower rubber bushing through the frame, onto the cone, where it seated and stayed there where I could then install the lower metal retainer and the bolt... I didn't want to butcher the bushing any, but I had to.

 

Had did any of you do it? I'm thinking about making a special tool to sandwhich it all together, without "modifying" the new bushing, so I can install the bolt.

 

Edited November 9, 2011 by 90V6RedHotLuminaEuro
correct spelling

[90V6RedHotLuminaEuro]

For Lumina's and I guess other W-Body cars 90 thru 93...

 

These are the Upgraded Bolts, from General Motors (GMPartsCenter.Net) to Use with Dorman 924-004 (front) and Dorman 924-005 (rear) Subframe / Sub-Frame / Cradle bushings. Listed Under: Front Suspension - Suspension Components - Insulator.

 

GM Part # 15677731 $2.69 Each (Qty. 4) $10.76

 

Note: after over a year and a quarter... and major spine surgery, where i received my own new upgraded parts... titaniium rods (6) and screws (8)... i'm just now getting back to renovating my ol' '90 lumina euro-bomb... unfortunately, i'm not allowed to play with my car anymore... but fortunately, i've found a mechanic who lives nearby, works out of his home, and has very reasonable rates... so I took my time over the winter... and found some unbelievable miraculous deals on all sorts of parts... thought I'd pass along the savings... the entire rear brake system: 2 Rotors ($32 shipped, ebay), 2 calipers + pads + parking brake cables front&right+connector+adjuster ($96.61 all, shipped, rockauto.com) 2 rear wheel bearings ($55 all, shipped, ebay)... 2 lower ball joints & 2 tie rod ends ($36 all, shipped, autopartsexpress.com).

Edited March 18, 2013 by 90V6RedHotLuminaEuro