Another Subframe Bushing question

[96SEChick]

Does anybody know where to get subframe bushings? Not the spacers, but the new bushings themselves. Courtesy carried them last year, but they don't anymore. What I thought was a worn rear strut turned out to be my differential and subframe bushings completely being shot. My car will never let me sell her!!! lol

Thanks for any help guys & gals :)

[Dousan_PG]

1) dealer (other then courtesy?)
2) get another (new to you) subframe..cheaper AND easier!

[Flybert]

I think tanabe sells some nowadays. They are firmer bushings but they aren't metal. might cost a lot though.

[96SEChick]

Originally posted by dousan36
1) dealer (other then courtesy?)
2) get another (new to you) subframe..cheaper AND easier!

The dealerships I have called can only get the subframe as a whole ($500--bend over, no lube).

As for trying to find a subframe with good bushings out of a salvage yard - unfortunately not in this state - I have called and put a tracker on probably close to every junkyard in the state (have connections who helped me), and no S14's found. We actually have a totalled S14 in the back lot of our bodyshop, but the bushings are shot on it as well.

Thank you for the tips, though! I'm wanting to get this done within a week or so, so I can buy this Z32TT I've been looking at. With the way things are going, it may not happen. If I have to get a whole new subframe, the repair's going to be $1100 :cry:

[Dousan_PG]

Originally posted by Flybert
I think tanabe sells some nowadays. They are firmer bushings but they aren't metal. might cost a lot though.



you mean this:

http://www.tanabe-usa.com/driftspec/crossmemberbushing.asp

they look like subframe spacer and not bushings to me

[Dousan_PG]

1100? that much? honestly call soem friends up and do it yourself. takes a day and an alignment!
yeah getting the subframe is the hard part especially for s14! :( (s13 is easy)

but all s14 shoudl fit and finding one is easy (zenki) but removing it at yard..not cool.

[96SEChick]

Originally posted by Flybert
I think tanabe sells some nowadays. They are firmer bushings but they aren't metal. might cost a lot though.

Thanks for finding the website Dousan!! This is where I'm finding all the problems, though -
Rear Subframe Crossmember Bushing Kit
...designed to work in conjunction with the factory bushings

I'm needing the "factory" bushings. Argg.....

[Dousan_PG]

one more idea
check to see if s13 bushings fit s14! subframes are very similar minus the mounting locations. they might use the same bushing!

[96SEChick]

Originally posted by dousan36
one more idea
check to see if s13 bushings fit s14! subframes are very similar minus the mounting locations. they might use the same bushing!

How would I find that out? I don't even know where to get the part numbers of the bushings themselves to compare them with :(

[[email protected]]

Originally posted by 96SEChick
How would I find that out? I don't even know where to get the part numbers of the bushings themselves to compare them with :(

S13 and S14/S15 subframes use the same bushings (also the same as Z32 subframes). If you want something similar to OEM, you can get Nismo bushings (they are stiffer though).

[96SEChick]

Originally posted by [email protected]
S13 and S14/S15 subframes use the same bushings (also the same as Z32 subframes). If you want something similar to OEM, you can get Nismo bushings (they are stiffer though).

Thank you very much. I just talked to the mechanic, though, and he said if I brought in bushings to put in my existing subframe, the labor would double - have to cut and melt out the old bushings, and cut something (I didn't catch what he said it was) so he can put in the new bushings, then weld mystery piece back together. I'd be better off getting a new subframe and finding a buddy to put it in.

The good news is the fact that he told me my bushings aren't very worn - just enough to make a little squeeking sound (the reason I took it to the shop for diagnosis to begin with). He says I still have a good 30k+ of life left in them. So, I will deal with the sound and discount the sale price of my car for that very reason.

Thank you so much for all of your help guys!!

[96SEChick]

Originally posted by [email protected]
S13 and S14/S15 subframes use the same bushings (also the same as Z32 subframes). If you want something similar to OEM, you can get Nismo bushings (they are stiffer though).

Oh, almost forgot - the guy at Courtesy didn't know what he was talking about obviously - he said the Z32 bushings are totally different than S14 bushings. But, I also told him that I knew for a fact that they used to carry the Nismo S14 bushings 6-9 months ago (I had it bookmarked, too - but the link is now dead because they no longer carry them). He replied "No...we've never carried subframe bushings for the S14".

[[email protected]]

Not entirely their fault, it takes some research to figure out they are the same :)

Originally posted by 96SEChick
Oh, almost forgot - the guy at Courtesy didn't know what he was talking about obviously - he said the Z32 bushings are totally different than S14 bushings. But, I also told him that I knew for a fact that they used to carry the Nismo S14 bushings 6-9 months ago (I had it bookmarked, too - but the link is now dead because they no longer carry them). He replied "No...we've never carried subframe bushings for the S14".

[Flybert]

they look like subframe spacer and not bushings to me

For some reason since they weren't metal, i thought they were subframe bushings.

Those tanabe subframe spacers should get rid of the noise. They aren't made out of metal. On the link dousan put up, it says that they are made of 33% glass fibers and 66% nylon. That should do the job and you could put them on yourself.

[240Dave]

What all this cutting nonsence?

Remove subframe > press out old bushings > press in new bushings

Shouldn't it would just like tcrod or any other bushings...just harder?

[ridebmx]

you urself could change your bushings, or atleast take the old ones out, ill i did was burn the rubber out with a torch...made it easier to get at the metal, then used an air chisel to get the metal part of the bushings out, just be careful not to cut threw with the air chisel, ive gone something like 2k miles with my aluminum bushings from spl with no problems, and to me, ride isnt harsh, but im not too picky about ride quality either, oh and if you went with soild ones, just toss them in the freezer and they slide right in(thanks to spl parts for that tip, that probably saved me alot of headaches)

edit* dave, if someone lives in a smaller town, then nobody has a press big enough to get the stock bushings out, that is the problem i can into

[[email protected]]

Originally posted by 240Dave
What all this cutting nonsence?

Remove subframe > press out old bushings > press in new bushings

Shouldn't it would just like tcrod or any other bushings...just harder?

We have heard of several cases where the subframe was damaged trying to press the bushing out. This is because the subframe is really thin around half the bushing...

The usual way is to burn out the rubber using a torch, then cut out the outer metal races (there are 2 or 3) on the bushings. If you are really careful, you can use a die grinder and get through it pretty quickly. We recommend doing the last metal race by hand though, to avoid cutting into the subframe...