Rear subframe install

#1

Last night I installed AKG’s camber and toe adjusting kit onto the subframe. I installed the differential onto the subframe and finished it off with new poly bushings in thd subframe mount. With the help of my 4 yr old daughter the whole unit went into the car like butter. Now that everything is in, I’m realizing that it’s gotta come back out because the rear trailing Arms have to be installed while the subframe is out of the car. RealOEM.com shows the outer trailing arm bolt being installed from inside to out. The original setup probably has the trailing arm bolts torqued outside of the car. I’m assuming that the adjustable bolts have to be installed from outside to in because there’s no way to torque the nut otherwise because the bushing mount is right there.

In which direction are your adjustable outer bolts installed? Is the nut on the inside or out? I usually do my own alignments. This is gonna be a bitch adjusting with this setup.

Ray

#2

Go read some old threads. There is no right answer to this. I did mine a couple times before I decided which way was best. I still don’t know if I chose right. My bolts go from outboard in. My adjuster is next to the subframe bushing. I removed a little material from my subframe bushings in order to get better access to the adjuster bolt’s head. I use a couple flat cut down wrenches to turn it. It is not easy.

One thing that made it easier is that toe doesn’t seem to change when you lift your car. Therefore you don’t need to keep putting your car up and down while you are adjusting the toe bolt.

#3

I can’t remember the orientation off the top of my head but it just makes sense to install the bolts so you can remove/install the trailing arm without having to pull the subframe. The outer mount would be bolt head inside nut outside, the inner I believe is opposite. However it actually ends up being when you are laying under the car make sure you can remove the trailing arms without pulling the subframe. Neither removing the subframe or pulling a trailing arm takes very long but a quick TA replacement is quicker.

#4

Once installed on the car you can get a torque wrench in there, I’ve done it. The factory torque spec isn’t very much though, 55ft/lbs or so, muscle works just fine!!

#5

The whole assembly with differential and half shafts and brakes balances perfectly on a floor jack. It’s an easy one man job when you do it that way.

#6

That is how I normally do it!

For the op though with the subframe already installed it might be quicker to just install the TAs vs. pulling the subframe again.

#7

I’m going to drop the subframe and mount the TA then reinstall. The adjusting bolts will have to be installed with the nut on the inside. I think that orientation will be easiest to mak adjuhstments and tighten the nut afterwards.

The subframe would have to be at least lowered to get the right side TA off due to the fuel filler hose being right there. I don’t think dropping the entire assembly is that big a deal, even at the track. Imo, the drive shaft would be the biggest pita to deal with.

Ray

#8

Read the old threads. I was fighting this battle 3-4yrs ago. Lots of guy chimed in with good ideas on every aspect of this.

As you drop the subframe, be extremely cautious about the driveshaft putting load on the S pipe between fuel tanks.

#9

The outer TA arm bolts are installed with the nuts outboard in the OE configuration and should be done the same way in a race configuration. The subframe bushings, especially poly or aluminum, will prevent the bolts from being installed.

But you don’t have to remove the subframe to do this. All you need to do is to dismount the subframe and lower it an inch or so.