[Shotimes] Misc related to subframe bushings

[Ron Porter]

Basically, forget about the bolts......I'm sure the bolts will last a long
time. The two problems are:

1.  the rubber portions of the SFBs just disintegrate.

2.  the subframe bolts nuts are pretty wimpy, but the nuts in the recall kit
are a bunch beefier (they are real "nuts"!!), and if the kit hasn't been
installed I would recommend it just to get the beefier nuts and to get the
floorboard drilled to allow access to them.

I will suspect that heating the nut is not the issue. It's the locating tabs
corroding, which allow it to spin free. Having the holes in the floorboard
are the ONLY way to go!!

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of James White
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 4:05 PM
To: 'Shotimes'
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Misc related to subframe bushings


I was also worried about corrosion, that is why I got the Delrin ones from
Courtney for the '95MTX.  And like the AL, they also need to be retorqued
from time to time.

But I am now worried about the standard ones on the '93MTX.  Never has had
the recall done, but Doug did the clutch on it 3 years ago and said that the
subframe bolts looked OK then.  I also noted that he modified a torch so
that it would fit through the subframe so he could heat the captive nut.

Jim White - greensho@crown.net
Valparaiso, Indiana
'93  5 SPEED   278k few mods
'95  5 SPEED   247k lots of mods (waiting for new cats..)
"double clutch"  it's good for both you and your SHO

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Porter" <ronporter@prodigy.net>
To: "'Carl Prochilo'" <carl@prochilo.myserver.org>; "'Shotimes'"
<shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 2:34 PM
Subject: RE: [Shotimes] Misc related to subframe bushings


> I suspect that once the two pieces corrode together after a couple of
years
> of Midwest winters, they would probably survive that way for many, many
> years. Other than swapping between cars as I did, there really is no
reason
> to pull them off of the subframe. For things like a clutch job, pulling
out
> the bolts is sufficient.
>
> I agree on the AL SFBs. If you can tolerate a bit more harshness,
> particularly on small bumps and rough roads, the AL SFBs are great! The
> sharper steering response is well worth it. You also need to torque then
> occasionally. Someone mentioned that they do it at each oil change, which
> sounds like a good idea.
>
> Ron Porter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carl Prochilo [mailto:carl@prochilo.myserver.org]
> Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 3:23 PM
> To: Ron Porter; Shotimes
> Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Misc related to subframe bushings
>
>
> When the clutch was replaced on my 92, the subframe had to come off.  I've
> already posted on the experience getting one of the stuck bolts out, but
> while the thing was apart I was able to examine the FPS AL SFBs.  I bought
> these from Doug Lewis pretty much around the time he first started selling
> them.  They've seen a couple of NY winters and the rest of the time down
> here in FL.  These parts look about as good as when I first bought them.
If
> you can put up with the harsher ride, these puppies look to last forever.
>
> Carl P.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Porter" <ronporter@prodigy.net>
> To: "Shotimes" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 12:52 PM
> Subject: [Shotimes] Misc related to subframe bushings
>
>
> > Much of this probably falls into the "Duh" file, but anyway...
> >
> > Had the dubious pleasure of swapping subframe bushings between the two
> cars
> > last weekend. The aluminum SFBs were in the green '95 that's being sold,
> and
> > they were swapped with the stock rubber bushings in the blue '94.
> >
> > The AL SFBs are about a year old, and I got the regular AL (not the
> > anodized) from Jomar. More corrosion than I expected (which made
removing
> a
> > couple of them an interesting experience!). I cleaned them up with some
> > coarse sandpaper, and slopped them up with grease (better than nothing,
I
> > guess!), we'll see how they hold up. I would definitely recommend
coating
> > them, although the Jomar SFBs are quite a tight fit into the subframe
and
> > into each other, so not sure that painting would be beneficial, and
> > powdercoating might be iffy (but could be worth a try).
> >
> > The '94 had what appeared to be original rubber SFBs. Not in TOO bad a
> shape
> > (they didn't disintegrate like the original '95 rubber bushings, nor the
> > ones on Ryan Staley's '91). Obviously the collars that have those four
> > little !#$%^& bolts in the front subframe are toast!! It's been said
> before,
> > but in a northern climate with snow/slush/salt, I feel that it would be
a
> > good idea to replace the SFBs every 4-5 years or so on cars that are
daily
> > drivers. Even putting in new factory rubber SFBs should keep the front
end
> a
> > lot tighter.
> >
> > Ron Porter
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Shotimes@autox.team.net
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