[V8] Yikes...it's a total rebuild...

[Brian K. Ullrich]

I got my 200tq 10v up on the rack this morning and saw for the first time
what I fully expected.and at least one thing I didn't. As I expected, pretty
much every bushing is shot and needs to be replaced. Given that I'm putting
in new struts at each corner, that's not terribly bad news since I can get
some economies of scale by doing all the work at once. Ball joints are gone
as are lower control arm bushings, so I'm going for new lower control arms
entirely since that will include everything, and I'm pretty much
disassembling the front corners for struts and brakes anyway.

 

Unexpected was the sub-frame mounts on the driver's side. Totally shot. In
fact, the rear one is so bad that the upper part of the bushing appears to
be completely gone. And the driveshaft center support is shot.

 

So.I can pretty much handle most of this with help from some trusty friends
with tools. 

 

What I need some assistance with is how to press in the sub-frame mounts,
and doing the center support.

 

The manual calls for this fancy-schmancy press and jigs to press out the
sub-frame mount bushings and press new ones back in. But the assembly is
just in a ridiculous place when I view it from the perspective of how to
operate a press around it. Does anyone have personal experience in doing
this? Can I leave the sub-frame more or less in place, or do I need to
remove it from the car?

 

Also, looking at that driveshaft center support makes me think I can just
remove the entire support assembly and slip a new one in. Am I missing
something? Does it also need to be pressed into the driveshaft? One buddy
was saying that I need to take the driveshaft and the center support to a
driveshaft shop to get it done.

 

Thanks!

 

Brian

http://200tq.com