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  • Rear subframe bush removal tool

    Hi guys,
    yet another question for you. I need to make/buy/beg/steal/borrow a tool for removing the mounting bushes on my rear subframe.
    Times have moved on & most of the tools on Ebay are for later models!!
    Apart from the high tensile threaded rod & nuts I can make most of the parts if need be, so a drawing with dimensions of the correct tool would help enormously.
    Howard

  • #2
    Quickest way IME is to drill what you can out so that you can put a hacksaw blade through it, reconnect the hacksaw and cut through the outer metal of the bush. Once it's through fully down one side (or maybe two cuts to be safe) it can be tapped out. Has to be tapped downwards due to a notch in the subframe which seats the bushes when they are pressed in.

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    • #3
      Cheers,
      I hoped that someone on the forum had access to the BMW bushing tool 3026 & could rent it out or at least post some dimensions for it.
      I am fitting powerflex bushes so fitting should be fairly painless.
      I may have to buy a cheap standard bush off Ebay & get dimensions from it to make the tool.
      I have access to a toolroom, so with the correct dimensions should be able to cobble something together.

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      • #4
        Hi, sorry I assumed you were removing the subframe completely but if it's not then the puller is likely necessary. Having said that it doesn't take long to drop the rear end, can be done in under an hour.

        I personally would fit stock subframe bushes, but fill the rearmost voids in the bushes to reduce compliance a little. I've also put about 12mm rubber ring above the subframe bush to limit float.

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        • #5
          Stick to OEM bushes....

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          • #6
            You have me worried now!!
            After reading various forum threads it seems the preferred combination is powerflex purple for the subframe mounts (to fully tame the 'rear steer' tendency) & OEM for trailing arms & diff mount.
            I do at the moment have a LOT of twitchyness coming from the back end at speed.
            As for extra noise & vibration, we'll just have to wait & see.
            Not sure about full subframe removal yet, should become more obvious when I'm actually under there mooching about.
            Thanks for the input though.
            Howard

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            • #7
              Yes definitely that's the most sporting setup you want on the rear - purple poly subframe bushes with OEM rubber trailing arm bushes. I found the polybushes raised the subframe slightly, and I wasn't convinced by their fitment. Very easy to fit though!

              Even a new OEM subframe bush has a lot of movement and that is what gives the car a feeling of looseness, but it can be drastically reduced with rubber spacers above the subframe (stops it floating), and filling the void of the rearmost hole in the bush. You can fill both holes but it creates more noticeable NVH. Years ago you could get hold of "subframe inserts", basically small curved pieces of plastic that slide in to the gaps, I use one on each side.

              If you drop the arch liner near the subframe connection you will see what I mean about packing something above the subframe bush; there is around a 12mm gap between the subframe and the body which allows the subframe to float, if you reduce this there is very little or no extra NVH but feels more controlled. I bought some rubber washers and glued them on top of the bush so they'd stay in position whilst refitting the subframe. AC Schnizter suspension kits came with an alloy spacer to fill this void. In either case the subframe needs dropping. You can drop the subframe enough without fully removing it, but it's as good as completely removed by this point.

              I got some like this;

              https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-Bespo...r=551208577370

              Using 2 6mm stacked on each side, with a 60mm O/D and 36mm I/D.

              Might be worth measuring the gap on the subframe to body to double check though, but this is well worth doing, in addition to filling the rear voids on the bushes IMO

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              • #8
                I went with Power flex purple subframe and oem diff and trailing arms. I'm very happy with this setup

                I'd recommend removing the entire subframe. Easiest way to remove the subframe bushes is to heat the collar to make the rubber soft and press out. I might be able to help with that. Where are you based?

                Build thread: https://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19347

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                • #9
                  IIRC Martin did you have some kind or tool or press to do yours? I tried heat but it go messy, and after nearly and hour of faffing cut it out. The other side took about 10minutes!

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                  • #10
                    Thanks for all the responses guys.
                    I am based in Redditch, Worcestershire. I have received a Meyle original bush that I will use as a pattern to make the necessary 'eared' parts of the pressing tool. I have ordered the 'can' & high tensile allthread from an Ebay tool supplier who found me the nearest sizes at a fairly reasonble price.
                    Subframe removal is probably the way to go as i will be able to rustproof the rear chassis/floor unhindered, but lowering (& raising) the whole unit on my own worries me a little.
                    As stated,crawling about underneath the car will probably show me the path to take.
                    Keep going down to the garage however, looking at the beast & saying "one last blast before he goes up on stands!!!"

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                    • #11
                      I was worried too about dropping the subframe, but managed with a couple of trolley jacks. Have a look in my rhubarb journal

                      Build thread: https://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19347

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Howm58 View Post
                        Thanks for all the responses guys.
                        I am based in Redditch, Worcestershire. I have received a Meyle original bush that I will use as a pattern to make the necessary 'eared' parts of the pressing tool. I have ordered the 'can' & high tensile allthread from an Ebay tool supplier who found me the nearest sizes at a fairly reasonble price.
                        Subframe removal is probably the way to go as i will be able to rustproof the rear chassis/floor unhindered, but lowering (& raising) the whole unit on my own worries me a little.
                        As stated,crawling about underneath the car will probably show me the path to take.
                        Keep going down to the garage however, looking at the beast & saying "one last blast before he goes up on stands!!!"
                        I had mine off twice last year as I made changes to the bushes. The second time I had the whole rear end removed in about 40minutes! (It's really easy, and even changing the diff I'd consider dropping the lot to save the hassle refitting the diff subframe bolts which are notoriously hard to start off.)



                        In essence though removing is goes something like;

                        - Jack up the car and rest axle stands on the rear jacking points
                        - disconnect bottom shock bolts
                        - disconnect 13mm anti roll bar nuts from the trailing arms
                        - remove exhaust back boxes
                        - disconnect handbrake cables
                        - disconnect speedo sensor
                        - undo 4 16/17mm nuts diff to propshaft
                        - remove subframe side plates (usually rusty allen bolts, replace them with stainless normal bolts IMO)
                        - undo the big subframe nuts and rear diff nut
                        - I used a trolley jack with a flat block of wood under the diff and lowered it all down. It balances pretty well. Keep it on the jack so you can withdraw it from under the car and don't drop it all the way down to the floor otherwise you might deform the brake disc backplates.

                        The *only* issue on removal that could cause a problem is the handbrake cables which may not want to play and be stuck in the hub. As I had two new cables I just cut through them to remove the subframe and tackled removing the cable from the hub later. Or you can just disconnect them at the handbrake end and feed them through.

                        The only other technical part when refitting is lining up the diff flange to the propshaft. It needs to be slotted in at the same time you are rising the subframe up. If you put the subframe up in to position without the propshaft relocated it's next to impossible to slot it on, so do it when there is a bit more to play with when the subframe is hanging down a bit.

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                        • #13
                          Twice in one year, WOW.
                          Don't think you're that crazy, having just removed the back boxes. Apart from wondering how to get from under the car with a silencer on my chest (they are NOT light) things came apart fairly easily.
                          Without the exhausts in the way the rear subframe assembly seems smaller than I thought. I have a couple of decent trolley jacks so the whole lot will probably come off now!!
                          Bush pulling tool almost complete, just got to spark out the spacer with the 'ears' that locate around the bush onto the frame.
                          Looking underneath, it would now be quite rude of me to put everything back without changing the clutch!!!
                          I'll see how I get on at the back end first.
                          Howard.

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                          • #14
                            It was twice in one week as I put powerflex subframe bushes on but after a short test drive I went back to new oe subframe bushes. They also got inte way of my new adjustable eccentric bolts on the trailing arm as the powerflex bush has a large hat top half which cups over the subframe.

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                            • #15
                              Hi,

                              Please take a look here and scroll down to see more pics. Some of them so how to remove the subframe and how to put in new poly bushes.

                              https://plus.google.com/photos/11351...LXkmuWj46W42wE

                              Do not have M Coupe any more but still visit the forum every now and then.

                              br, Juha
                              The older I get, the faster I was ...
                              BMW HP2 Sport
                              ex- BMW Z3 M Coupe - Cosmosschwartz Metallic

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