I dropped the rear sub-frame to refresh the suspension pieces, should I done this from the start. With 180k a lot of the bolts and e-brake cables were fighting.
What is the best way to clean the aluminum sub-frame? I tried gunk and a brush, that combination did not work very efficient. Maybe a pressure washer or oven cleaner? What works best, I do not want to install the new suspension with the dirty sub-frame.
Kerosene cleans everything.
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
Yes, it does, but that does not look so dirty. There is surface oxidation, but I'd leave it alone. are you looking to take it apart further? good time to do bushings.
Multiple commercial aluminum cleaners on the market any will work. Looking for shiny? Try aluminum polish... Best: A power washer after using a petroleum product like Snotty recommended that will remove all the shipping grease (Now long dried and hard).
Last edited by StephenVA; 05-19-2020 at 03:52 PM.
Current Garage Highlights
2003 525iT TiSilver
2002 M5 TiSilver
1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)
Former Garage Highlights
2005 X5 4.8is
2004 325iTs (2x)
1973 Pantera L
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
1969 Road Runner 383
1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green
Going to slide the sub-frame out from the car and full rebuild. Replacing the rear ball joints, wheel bearings(bad), air shocks(slow leak), new Koni shocks, sway bar bushing/links, the three differential bushing and the 4 large sub-frame bushings. With the sub-frame out, I hope to do the sub-frame bushings without the special factory tool.
Plus the brake hoses and rebuild the calipers. The wheel bearing took a lot of time to remove, the 4 torx bolts were really frozen on. Should have started by dropping the sub-frame but the emergency brakes would not come off.
Need to clean the sub-frame and then paint with aluminum colored paint. Polishing would be more work that I want. Gunk is like 90% kerosene and did not touch the grim on this stuff. I used a brass wire brush for the aluminum part that holds the wheel bearing. Hoping to find a faster solution.
I can see you getting the old subframe bushings out without the tool, but you should use the correct tool to get the new ones in and seated correctly.
A wire brush on a drill will provide a nice shiny surface in a few mins. I hand polished part of mine on the M5 show car, looks great but to see it you have to face plant in the grass.
Current Garage Highlights
2003 525iT TiSilver
2002 M5 TiSilver
1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)
Former Garage Highlights
2005 X5 4.8is
2004 325iTs (2x)
1973 Pantera L
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
1969 Road Runner 383
1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green
78C9BC2F-4A86-4FD9-968D-FFA8EC16CB20.jpgMake sure to add the brake dust shield before bolting the bearings on.
^ Me like pretty.....
Current Garage Highlights
2003 525iT TiSilver
2002 M5 TiSilver
1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)
Former Garage Highlights
2005 X5 4.8is
2004 325iTs (2x)
1973 Pantera L
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
1969 Road Runner 383
1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green
+1 using the tool to replace bushings. Any fool can melt out the old ones
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I replaced the subframe bushing using a 2 jaw puller with a slide hammer screw and a harbor freight wheel bearing kit for the press pieces and install cups. Also three hose clamps with a ball joint press to install the diff bushing that needed to be compressed for installation.
This took a lot more time that I expected. It is now bolted in and have to install the e brakes, rotors and hook up the air bags.
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