Solid rear subframe "bushings"

Fabricating solid rear subframe bushings....

First you have to completely remove the rubber from a stock bushing. I did this by drilling out most of the rubber on my drill press then using a dremel.

then you have to fabricate the to endcaps

then you have to correctly position and weld the central insert/bushing

You can get these ready made from Ireland Engineering...for $125

Worth every penny if you can afford it. As this project too a good amount of time...

I too broke and well I have all the tools and did a pretty good job with the tig welder if you ask me!

see all the pics CLICK HERE.

Front control arm reinforcement!

Reinforcing the front control arms...

Seeing as BOTH of my front control arms were bent....some reinforcing was in order.

Now I have seen many racers do this to their arms. I've seen some stitched and some with 1 plate added. I did one better and stitched the arm and added plates. Each plate once dimpled only added 6oz. so total weight gain in this crucial unsprung weight area was 12oz per side....not bad I think....

Stock control arm sand blasted = 2lbs 5.5oz
Gussets (dimpled) =6oz each
complete welded assembly = 2lbs 12.2oz

....plus they look kick ass! don't you think? worthy of a baja trophy truck!

click here for all the pics...

Front subframe reinforcement

Believe it or not my subframe was bent!!!!!

Weather it was from my little incident at BE or from before is unknown. But now we know it can happen. I bought a junkyard subframe and had it sandblasted.

I fabricated a plate that I welded to the inside of the engine mount and added another brace on the other side as well. On top of that I decided to go all crazy and add a steering box brace/support.

why not I got time, tools and nothing else better to do.

While I was at it added some dimpled plates to the bottom and stitch welded some of the seams around the subframe

see all the pics CLICK HERE.

Shiney steering box?

Decided to do a overhaul of my front suspension components including some new paint on everything!

cleaning, brushing, sanding, spraying....

Even the steering box got some nice silver paint.......

All the pics CLICK HERE.

Rear subframe down....

...and for my next trick I removed the rear subframe...

This was a bit more tricky to do alone....but I did it.

You put at jack under the diff.
remove the wheels
remove the drums and pads
remove the brake lines
remove the drive shaft
undo both subframe bolts
lower the complete assembly
roll it all from under the car

...admire your handiwork

see all the pics CLICK HERE.

Getrag cleaning

Next I removed the tranny.

I cleaned it up and set it aside for now....
It will get new seals and fresh juice before going back in...


See all the pics CLICK HERE.

Subframe out!

Next I removed the front subframe....in preparation for complete overhaul and reinforcement....

quite simple really.....

1- disconnect steering
2- remove rotors and calipers
3- unbolt struts
4- put a jack under it
5- unbolt subframe
6- lower and remove!

I had 2 bent control arms....

see all the pics CLICK HERE

To rebuild or not to Rebuild...humm....

So......what to do....what to do........

FUCK IT. I'm pulling the motor and rebuilding it.

I'll get the block checked and put in some new bearings just in case my low oil pressure were indeed caused by knackerd bearings....


Borrowed my neighbors cherry picker. Unbolted the tranny, disconnected everything and voila! in about 30mins I had the engine on the ground.

see all the pics CLICK HERE...

Off with her HEAD!

I decided to remove the head as a preliminary measure to see what was going on....

See all the pics CLICK HERE

Clearly upon removal the tii cutting ring gasket had failed........but now I had a decision to make....

DO I take a chance and put a new head gasket on and see if it continues to overheat? I've been here before not too long ago. A few had told me it could be a cracked block. The only way to check that is to disassemble the block and get it checked.

what to do........

Oops! new headers

Next up I pulled the smashed headers from my off track excursion at buttonwillow.....

Click here for all the pics.....HERE.

For the new system I just copied what Jeff Ireland and many others on the grid are running. It a very loud but legal setup. IE stepped race headers to 3" collector to small section of 3" tubing to a downturn. Loud but effective on the dyno according to Jeff Ireland himself.

So I quickly fabricated and mounted my own.....Click here for all the pics

You can see a few shots below

new exhaust

Pressure test

One last thing I wanted to re-check was a pressure test of the cooling system. Basically here a used a borrowed snap-on tester. It replaces your radiator cap and with a hand pump you pump up to 20 or 30psi and leave it pressurized for 30 mins. and see if there is any change when you return.

If there is a change then you cooling system has a leak (head gasket).

Mine had 0 psi of change.