changing lower gearbox/subframe mounting

[apples12]

Hi all

has anyone changed the lower round gearbox mounting in the subframe? the one that most tend to insert a polyflex bushing into?

mine is quite damaged and i'm looking into replacing it, just curious what the procedure is, and/or if anyone has the VW procedure for these.

many thanks

[skard]

The mount is actually two pieces, it took a lot of perseveance to get them in when I did it.

[apples12]

how do you get the old one out and the new one in? i'm assuming its a press out/ press in jobby?

[rich83]

You have to remove the subframe.. and yes its a press in job as fair as i know!

[scopes]

I'm near sure mine was done on axle stands with 2 jacks

old one popped out, new one popped in...

[skard]

Subframe off, and a bit persuasion to get it out, and a faff to get it back in without a press - it's so, so tight that knocking it in is difficult.
If you can make do with a poly insert, I would.

i'm assuming its a press out/ press in jobby?

Pressing a jobbie is best left to the bathroom   (sorry, maybe have to be Scottish to get that)

[Sie]

Cheapest option is to buy a seconds hand subframe on eBay for about £35 plus postage then fit your new mount or uprated one to that and arb while it is off then swop them over and sell on other.

That way least amount of down time and only one time needed for re alignment.

Well that's the way I plan to do it. Lol.

Simon

[apples12]

Cheapest option is to buy a seconds hand subframe on eBay for about £35 plus postage then fit your new mount or uprated one to that and arb while it is off then swop them over and sell on other.

That way least amount of down time and only one time needed for re alignment.

Well that's the way I plan to do it. Lol.

Simon

didnt actually think of this...

are all the mk5 subframes made the same? may be able to pick one up for a tenner, although its only the actual subframe itself and not the side arm bits, the one for 35+postage includes the side arm bits, arb and some drop links. i'd probably change out the bushes and drop links whilst im in there

just got to find out if all these subframes are all the same now.

 

[skard]

These 'side arms' have a habit of bolts seizing and splitting in half when you ndo them, try and test them before buying, if they come out ok put some copperslip on.

[apples12]

picked up the subframe this afternoon along with the side arm bits for 25quid, gna clean it up and see how difficult it would be to deal with pressing out/pressing in the mounting

[murph81]

Any tips for pressing these in, I cracked one Lemforder bush today and I don't want to crack another one.

I filed a nice taper on the bush, cleaned out and sanded the subframe and used plenty of lube but the outer part of the bush where the gap is for the dog one mount just doesn't want to go into the hole.

[r5gtt]

Mate you may as well throw those bushes in the bin and get some vibratechnics mounts as you'll never get them in. I've done some a few months back and it was a nightmare of a job. When pressing with a press the bush flexes and snaps for one. Or flexes and bows so doesn't sit home. In the end I grinded them down on the edges that press in and got a colleague to press his huge pipe grips around them and even he said it was something that he'd never want to do again 

I'm waiting for my car to come back and will be fitting the vibratechnics alloy bushes in.

Good luck and let us know how it went