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PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:44 pm 
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Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:58 pm
Posts: 21
Location: Elkhart IN
Year and Trim: 1997 Buick Lesabre Custom
Sorry this took so long guys, I did not get them till Tuesday of last week, and on Wednesday I left for a 2K road trip. So I got them in that day, minus the front, which have not failed yet, and I would like to do it with no snow on the ground, lol.

Anyways, it is pretty easy as it turns out.

Start by putting the car up on ramps, maybe some of you are skinny enough to fit under your car without doing this, I however am not. And the ramps are really the best way, because you want as much room under the car as possible. I used jack stands on the subframe, when I lowered it, just for extra support, and so it was not just resting on that one point in the rear.

After it is up on ramps, inspect your frame, mine is/was shot... As in, the bushings would go right through all but one of the holes on the rear. So, I ordered some 3.75 OD washers from fastenal. The ID of them was too small though (did not have the replacement bushings when I ordered them to measure) so I widened the holes out. The OD of the bushing is 2", so if you can find them that size, go for it. I might try PN 33829 from fastenal, if I did it again. You will still have to notch out the outside of the 3.75" ones though, so they will slide inside the inner frame bushing holes.

Frame intact people may skip to this step. Support the subframe. I used the scissor jack that came with the car, plus a huge 1.25" impact socket I had. But a couple of blocks of wood between the jack and the frame would work just as well. Jack it up enough that the weight is off the bushings. No need to jack it anymore, because you will be lowering it once the bolts for the bushings are loose. I placed jack stands on both side of the jack, while still having enough room to lay between them and the ramps.

Loosen the 4 rear bolts of the subframe. Due to the subframe being rotted out, mine were pretty easy to remove, on the one that had not failed, I had to use a torch, and multiple prying tools to get it off. Plus the bolt had rusted itself to the bushing, and I was spinning the whole bushings trying to get it out. Be careful of hot rubber and rust dropping on you if you go the torch route...

With new ones in hand, you will see how they are designed, and be able to figure out the best approach for getting the old ones out.

Now you may have to lower the rear of the frame, to get the top part of the bushing out. Just lower it enough so that you can slide the upside down looking cone thing out (gm calls it a spacer). That and the upper bushing should slide out. The upper bushing should be replaced, spacer depending on condition, I ordered all new ones, but probably did not need to. Judging by the condition of my frame, I would say mine was a worse case scenario.

Installation is the reverse of removal. After you get the upper bushing and spacer in place, you will have to jack it back up before installing the lower bushings. Or else the bolts will not reach.

Then just torque them down. I need to re-torque mine, it is making some creaking noise (although the creaking is nowhere near as bad as before), which I attribute to the frame settling, and maybe the washers settling (I may eventually have the washers welded in place).

The front I assume is the same, but have not gotten to them yet. Will update when I do, the only thing I can imagine you might have to do, is loosen the inner/middle bushings, so the front will drop down some.

And here, is the important thing, the over $300 in parts:
6X Spacer 25526705
6X Retainer 1640188
6X Lower Bushing (yellow) 14103535
2X Upper Bushing (blue rear outer) 25536051
2x Upper Bushing (tan rear inner) 3542639
2x Upper Bushing (orange front) 25536050
6x Bolt 15677731

I however, would recommend you just email them in advance, asking which parts numbers are correct for your car. When you send them the vin, and they choose the parts, you can return them. Now maybe some of you think you know better, I do not, so I put in the special instructions to look over my order, he did, and switched some stuff.

I wish I had pictures, but it was dark when I did them (due to not getting them in till late) so the camera was of little help.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:35 am 
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Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:58 am
Posts: 496
Location: Cincinnati OH
Year and Trim: 03SSEI, 00SSEI, 92SE(sold), 93SSE/SC, 87GTA, 01TA
I also did this several years ago using some custom cut washer type pieces.
My frame was rotted so I ended up having to weld them in place due to noise and drivability problems from the frame shifting around sideways.
I dropped the subframe out of the car so I could do a better job of welding, cleaning up rust and painting it.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:02 am 
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Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:58 pm
Posts: 21
Location: Elkhart IN
Year and Trim: 1997 Buick Lesabre Custom
Yeah, as I was driving it today, I noticed the creaking more. I don't really think the subframe is moving around too much, because the washers are too big to allow it to. But I am going to drop each one again, and put a little JB weld between the washer and the frame, can't hurt. And blow the rust out with a wire wheel, lol.


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