Lowering rear subframe 1995 CS convertible

[rich_e777]

Howdy fellas, making a thread on this to keep the info together, its become less of a Whatever! inconvenience and more of a threadworthy pain in the ass LOL.   

 

I`m in the middle of replacing several parts of the rear suspension on a 1995 3.4 Vert including the leaf spring bushings. Well as I was removing the retention bolts for the leaf spring the upper plate broke off on the last bolt and the plates remains have formed a washer threaded on the shank of the bolt and I cannot remove it to replace the part. The subframe is going to have to come out to get the access I need.

 

Should I unbolt the rear struts at the knuckle and let them hang out there or unbolt from the top? I dont plan on replacing them at this time, they still look new. Then once the subframe is unbolted and lowered is it possible to reinstall and get it misaligned to where a shop couldnt realign the rear end? From my manuals and looking at the bolt pattern it doesnt appear like it could get out of whack that much but you never know. I`ll post some pics in a few hours.

 

 

 

[Galaxie500XL]

You're correct about the rear struts..I replaced everything, including the upper mount two years ago. 

[Imp558]

I'd pull the calipers and support them and remove the 2 bolts to the upper strut mounts myself. Just to have everything safe and out of the way. Wouldn't hurt to inspect everything anyway.

[Imp558]

I'd still want them safe and out of the way. (Dan posted the same time as me so no need to inspect everything.)

[rich_e777]

Managed to make it to the JY for about 30min before work blew my phone up. Useless lazy people. Found a good candidate for parts on a 90s CS sedan that has surprising little rust and has a new monoleaf but still has the same sort of cracks or scratches that both my CSs have so I`ll just replace the pucks and leave the Vert leaf on. Almost had the plate out but I didnt have a breaker bar to get the front lat link off. Hopefully its still there Friday. 

 

She doesnt even have rear hubs on her ATM, Other than the JY parts I need I have all new stuff ready to go back on and considering taking pads and rotors back in favor of a powerstop package or something better than the crap AZ sells. Moog bearings, GOT2BGM lat links, Napa pucks. Struts are GR-2s and confirm new mounts as well  Magna flow direct fit Cat converter and a shop is going to build a cat back set up.

 

BG Upholstery of Nashville came recommended by the website you linked me Galaxie500 and also came recommended by everyone else here to replace the top and parts. They guarantee their work and for that I think I`ll let them do it and so they can take pics for their webpage. I saw Excalibre close up and will admit they would do a better job than I could. Problem is IDK if I can get on their schedule before the meet up, that depends on how fast I can get the exhaust done which depends on how fast I can get the rear suspension back together. What an awesome TV show this could make if someone were to film and edit it all.

[Galaxie500XL]

I'd watch that show...I really miss that car..

 

It makes me feel better, though, knowing that it went to someone that's taking good care of it. 

[rich_e777]

Having owned the coupe for so long working on this is almost a second nature in some ways, i can raid the parts pile if I have to. Another plus is the rarity and many of the classic car owners have expressed interest when Ive showed it off. I can keep this car maintained and preserved alot easier than I could the coupe and I really wanted to mod the hell out of that car anyways. Considering the 255k on the engine I would like to at least get the heads rebuilt and get down to the oil pan, maybe not completely rebuild but get at the oil pump and pan gasket. Change out stuff not easily gotten at.

[rich_e777]

Got it unbolted and lowered, doing it the first time can be a bit stressful but can be done solo.

 

BEFORE LOWERING ALL THE WAY DROP THE SUBFRAME ABOUT 3 INCHES TO SAVE YOUR HARD BRAKE LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was on the way down and a voice in my head,( the logical one) said "rear brake line" so i took another look and its bolted to the top of the subframe and was close to twisting apart.

 

It only looks bad.

[Imp558]

Nice! I never listen to the voice in my head, he tells me to burn things.

[Galaxie500XL]

I've always been surprised by the lack of rust on that car, considering it's age...

 

Why is there a temporary tag on the car?

[rich_e777]

I couldnt make it back to the County clerk after the emission test due to work schedule and grandparents last year.It expired after 30 days so I let it go until recently before I decided to take everything apart. Now I have a deadline to work against.LOL.

 

In Davidson CO. theres about 4 back and forths between 3 different places before a car purchased through private seller is legally yours to drive. Just need to go through emissions again then back to the clerk and she`s good to go. Its registered to me, insured and I have the title but just not the hard plate. Actually I need to take that temp tag off so no one steals it.

Nice! I never listen to the voice in my head, he tells me to burn things.

So long as its not the steak.

[rich_e777]

Stupid clip, in all honesty one should probably break both retention bolts loose before completely removing one then the other. After you remove one bolt the torque from the other bolt is transferred into the rubber so you fight that as well.

and what they look like once they are out.

[Imp558]

Nice! Don't forget to use a block of wood when you jack up the spring so the jack doesn't scratch it.

[rich_e777]

Yeah that leaf is not going to be fun to get back in there, sitting here looking at it drinking coffee thinking OMFG What have you done! I think instead of fighting the thing back on the car I`ll disassemble it completely and get it back on the car piece by piece. I didnt want to take off the camber bolts or mess with the sway bar but I want to try and put a Z34 rear sway bar on while its taken apart. Its the exact same shape as the CS bar but twice as thick almost.

 

Also going to pick up a bucket of POR-15 in the coming week unless there is a better product to use on this area of the suspension, fuel tank, spare wheel well. etc.

[Nas Escobar]

I'd go with POR15, but sand off all that rust. 

[Imp558]

POR 15 Is a series of preparation steps, worth the end result but a hell of a lot of work.

[rich_e777]

Damn your right, to do the subframe and rear knuckles it would almost be more cost effective to take them somewhere and have them blasted and powdercoated vs getting the amount of chemicals to soak, prep and etch them.

[Galaxie500XL]

At the very least, I'd be tempted to blast and powder coat those rather delicate brackets, like the one that broke when you removed the subframe.

[rich_e777]

The one from the other side and the donor bracket cleaned up pretty good with a wire brush. Trying out this rustoleum rust dissolver gel on the subframe and this stuff is working pretty good for $11. Spent last night and this morning with a wire brush and then after a half hour of the gel.

 

Following the directions and keeping it wet for a few more hours then I`ll rinse it off and hit it with the brush again to get the deposits off and see where I`m at.

[Imp558]

That stuff didn't work for me, neutra-rust did though and it turns the rust into black oxide.

[rich_e777]

Its worked pretty good for me, Ive kept it wet and continued wiping and spraying it on the thing all day and just rinsed it about an hour ago. I talked to a guy into 4x4s at the place that has POR15 and he told me about a rust neutralizing paint those guys use so i decided on that for now. Other some stubborn deposits where the brackets go its rust free and drying now. 

 

I think I`m done taking stuff apart for now, just some rust removal and paint then everything can go back together. Found the extent of the cancer and shes going to need a new metal bumper in the future but the spot on the side is accessible from both side of the trunk and not hidden nor caused by the wheel well but its all the way through. Twas the antenna mast that did it.

[rich_e777]

So things are going back together, struts, subframe and bigger sway bar all mounted. I used the rust gel a few times before going back over with a wire wheel and then used the paint I was recommended and then bedliner. Its beautiful. Only the subframe is theadlocked in to keep everything loose for the monoleaf, but before going any further I see a "discrepancy". I matched both the adjustable lateral links to the two sizes of factory ones but I believe the sway bar has pushed the wheel base out about an inch. The trailing arms connected without any sort of stress and can be torque to spec.

 

Should I re adjust the lateral links to reach the spindles or use some ratcheting straps to compress the sway bar to reach the factory length lateral links?

(Or remove the sway bar for the factory one because someone knows for a fact it wont work.)

Edited May 23, 2017 by rich_e777