Sub Frame Inserts

[justa25thTA]

Hopefully got some on the way from Pedders. Anyone installed these yourself? Any tips tricks or pics?

[hypurone]

Yeah, be prepared to swear a lot! The front bushings on the subframe aren't too bad but the back ones... You have to drop the subframe quite a ways to get it to clear the guide posts. I couldn't get the clearance needed with the front bolts in place like they said I would! Had to remove them and once it cleared the rear guide posts mine shifted on me! Was a bitch to get back in place.

YRMV but wanted to point out some possible pitfalls.

Later on I was thinking about it and I could have split one side of the rear inserts and dropped them in that way. Would have saved a shitload of time and wouldn't have affected the inserts' performance as they have deep "tabs" that go quite a way down into the OE bushing....

They do make a hell of a difference tho!

[sting808]

If you're going to drop the subframe, consider doing the toe rod and trailing arms the same time. Need to remove the OE eccentic adjustment bolt to install the arms. If you plan to lower the car, consider the Pedders rear eccentric replacement bolt kit to adjust rear camber. There are other solutions to adjust camber, but thought I'd mention it. Depending how much you lower the car, you may not need it.

Easier to hit everything while the cradle is lowered.

[DMSDesign]

Doing the insert bushings is seriously easy. With the Camaro in the air, remove one bolt at a time and pry off the lower washers. With a floor jack on the differential and all 4 bolts and large washers off the bottom, lower it down enough so you can see the ends of the line up pins. If it is tight, and the subframe down 2-3 inches, you will be able to pull down on a side for plenty of clearance. The instructions assist you in identifying the 4 different bushings. Install the top units front and rear, and begin to race the rear subframe. Install the lower inserts, then washers and bolts, and tighten. Then, tighten the 4 bolts to specs. They are really tight.

This job should take you between an hour and 1.5 hours.

mike
dms

[flht99b]

You may find ( I did ) that prying off the lower 4 washers from the stock bushings difficult, if not impossible. However, a small amount of heat from a small torch around the center of the washer at the bolt hole pops the washers off very easily. Once off you'll see the washers have a small shoulder on them that lightly presses into the aluminum center of the stock cradle bushings/mounts. If I remember correctly the torque on the 4 cradle bolts is 140ft lbs. It's an easy job and the inserts are a great compromise in stiffness without an increase in noise, vibration and harshness from the rear suspension into the cabin.
Ed M.

[Kilo-9]

For me, removing the lower washers was the worst part...by far. The rears were easy compared to the fronts because there was more area to gain leverage with the pry bar. The fronts almost gave me a stroke. Supposedly, there is a trick where you can vibrate them loose with an air hammer, but that didn't work for me. I used pry bars and brute force, which left me with some burrs and scrapes to clean up on the inner surfaces of the washers. Also, I had to remove the rear section of my exhaust to enable the cradle to drop far enough to slip the rear-upper insert in. Pedders' instructions don't call for this step, but I couldn't get it to work any other way.

[JusticePete]

If you have an air hammer and a round bit you can wedge the bit in, vertically so to speak, and vibrate them out in minutes. Keep in mind you are not chiseling them out. You are using the round bit to vibrate the washer loose. Any dings should be smoothed out. Being politically correct here, any place you plan to install a Pedders bush should be smooth enough and clean enough that you would insert any part of your body into it.