Subframe: Service and Repair
- TOOLS REQUIRED
- SA9lOSE Engine Support Bar Assembly
- SA9132S Lower Control Arm Ball Stud Separator
REMOVAL
1. Loosen clamp at throttle body assembly.
2. Disconnect fresh air hose at cam cover.
3. Remove air cleaner housing cover and clean air inlet tube.
4. Disconnect electrical connector at the Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor.
5. Remove plastic fasteners at top of resonator and remove resonator.
6. Remove the three air box fasteners and remove assembly.
7. Remove transaxle strut-to-midrail bolt.
8. Secure the cooling module to the body structure. A good method is to tie the fan mounting bracket to the body tie bar.
IMPORTANT: The two cross bars on the engine support fixture have two settings, one for the SOHC (L24) and one for the DOHC (LLO) engine. The setting locations are marked on the bar and shown in the illustration. Make sure the attachment pin and hooks are installed in the proper location to prevent damage.
9. Install Engine Support Bar Assembly SA9105E (or equivalent).
a. Assemble support bar.
b. Place engine support bar in vehicle as shown. Place the support bar feet on the outer edge of the shock tower.
c. Connect bar hooks to engine support brackets.
d. Position stabilizer foot on engine block to the right of the engine oil dipstick.
e. Adjust hooks and stabilizer to remove looseness.
CAUTION: MAKE SURE VEHICLE IS PROPERLY SUPPORTED AND SQUARELY POSITIONED ON HOIST. TO HELP AVOID PERSONAL INJURY, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE VEHICLE THAT COMPONENTS WILL BE REMOVED FROM.
10. Raise vehicle on hoist.
11. Remove front road wheels.
IMPORTANT: For left side, remove front section of shield first, then rear. For right side, remove rear section of shield first, then front.
IMPORTANT: If molded-in fasteners are damaged or broken, drill out with a 5/16 inch bit and replace with a push pin.
12. Remove left and right side splash shields.
a. Remove two push pins.
b. Remove lower shield to cradle molded-in fasteners at cradle by gently prying at three fastener locations.
13. For coupes, remove left and right lower fascia braces.
14. Remove front air dam from vehicle.
15. Remove engine strut cradle bracket-to-cradle fasteners.
16. Remove and discard lower control arm ball stud cotter pins.
17. Loosen, but do not remove, ball stud castle nuts.
NOTICE: Do not attempt to separate the joint using a wedge-type tool because the seal may be damaged.
NOTICE: On ABS equipped vehicles, the outer CV joint has a speed sensor ring. Using the incorrect tool or procedure to separate the control arm from the knuckle can damage the ring, resulting in a loss of ABS operation. Even minor scratching of speed sensor ring may result in a loss of ABS operation.
18. Using Lower Control Arm Ball Stud Seperator SA9132S (or equivalent), separate lower control arms from steering knuckles.
IMPORTANT: It will be necessary to pull down on lower control arm to allow removal of castle nuts.
19. Remove lower control arm ball stud castle nuts.
20. Remove transaxle mount-to-cradle fastener.
21. Remove front exhaust pipe-to-manifold fasteners.
22. Remove front exhaust pipe-to-catalytic converter fasteners.
23. Remove exhaust pipe support bracket-to-exhaust pipe fasteners.
24. Remove front exhaust pipe from vehicle.
25. Support steering gear with mechanics wire.
26. Remove steering gear to cradle fasteners (power steering gear shown, manual similar).
27. Remove brake pipe bracket push pin at rear of cradle.
28. Use the powertrain support dolly and two 4 inch x 4 inch x 36 inch pieces of lumber to support the cradle on the dolly.
29. Remove four cradle-to-body attachment fasteners.
30. Carefully remove cradle from vehicle.
DISASSEMBLY
1. Remove the lower control arm-to-cradle fasteners.
2. Remove front stabilizer shaft at lower control arms.
3. Remove lower control arms from cradle.
4. Remove front stabilizer shaft -to-cradle mounting bracket fasteners.
5. Remove front stabilizer shaft from cradle.
If front stabilizer shaft-to-cradle STRUX (R) nut becomes damaged due to corrosion, cross-threading, etc., or is broken loose from the cradle, it can be replaced using the following procedure:
If nut is broken loose from the cradle and the bolt is locked in the nut, proceed to step c.
If nut is not broken loose from the cradle but is damaged and the bolt is removed:
a. Distort threads of the bolt sufficiently to cause the bolt to lock into the nut.
b. Install bolt and using an air impact wrench continue turning bolt until nut is broken loose from the cradle.
c. Cut off bolt head.
d. Retrieve bolt shank and nut from cradle cavity. Install new bolt (P/N 21010823) and repair nut (P/N 21006321).
Torque: 140 Nm (103 ft. lbs.)
6. Remove cooling module support grommets from cradle.
7. For coupes, remove left and right fender brace to cradle J-nuts.
ASSEMBLY
IMPORTANT: Do not install fastener nuts at this time.
1. Install both control arms onto front stabilizer shaft.
IMPORTANT: Do not install fasteners until both control arms are correctly positioned.
2. Position each control arm into the cradle.
NOTICE: Front stabilizer bar to cradle bushings must be positioned on front stabilizer shaft and in attachment brackets with their installation slits facing toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Install front stabilizer bar-to-cradle bushings onto front stabilizer shaft.
IMPORTANT: Front stabilizer shaft can be installed upside down. All front stabilizer shafts are marked with paint on the right hand side. Make sure this paint mark end is installed into the right control arm. If paint mark is not visible, make sure front stabilizer shaft turns upward between attachment brackets.
(1)Proper Installation.
(2)Improper Installation.
4. Attach front stabilizer shaft attachment brackets to the cradle with new fasteners.
Torque: 140 Nm (103 ft. lbs.)
5. Tighten front stabilizer shaft-to-cradle fasteners a second time.
Torque: 140 Nm (103 ft. lbs.)
If front stabilizer shaft-to-cradle STRUX nut becomes damaged due to corrosion, cross-threading, etc., or is broken loose from the cradle, it can be replaced using the following procedure:
If nut is broken loose from the cradle and the bolt is locked in the nut, proceed to step c.
If nut is not broken loose from the cradle but is damaged and the bolt is removed:
a. Distort threads of service bolt sufficiently to cause the bolt to lock into the nut.
b. Install bolt using an air impact wrench, continue turning bolt until nut is broken loose from the cradle.
c. Cut off bolt head.
d. Retrieve bolt shank and nut from cradle cavity.
e. Install new bolt (P/N 21010823) and repair nut (Pit 21006321).
6. Install control arm-to-cradle fasteners and torque to specification.
Bolt: Torque: 125 Nm (92 ft. lbs.)
Nut: Torque: 100 Nm (74 ft. lbs.)
7. Install control arm-to-front stabilizer shaft fasteners and torque to specification.
Torque: 144 Nm (106 ft. lbs.)
INSTALLATION
1. Install cooling module support grommets into cradle.
NOTICE: Make sure that the following parts are correctly positioned when raising cradle into vehicle:
a. Lower corner arm ball studs to knuckle.
b. Cooling module support grommets.
c. Engine strut cradle bracket.
d. Transaxle mount.
2. Using a powertrain support dolly, carefully position cradle into vehicle.
3. Install two rear cradle-to-body fasteners.
IMPORTANT: Do not tighten fasteners at this time.
4. Position cradle to body at the two front cradle alignment holes using a 9/16 inch rod and install fasteners.
IMPORTANT: Check cradle to body alignment after tightening. If alignment is not correct, loosen fastener, align cradle and tighten.
5. Tighten four cradle-to-body fasteners.
Torque: 205 Nm (151 ft. lbs.)
6. Remove powertrain support dolly.
7. Lower vehicle enough to allow underhood access and remove engine support bar.
8. Install transaxle strut-to-midrail bolt.
Torque: 70 Nm (52 ft. lbs.)
9. Remove cooling module support wire.
10. Install air box with three fasteners.
Torque: 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)
11. Install resonator and secure with plastic push pin.
12. Connect electrical connector at the intake air temperature (IAT) sensor.
13. Install air cleaner housing cover and clean air inlet tube.
14. Connect fresh air hose at cam cover.
15. Secure clamp at throttle body assembly.
CAUTION: MAKE SURE VEHICLE IS PROPERLY SUPPORTED AND SQUARELY POSITIONED ON HOIST. TO HELP AVOID PERSONAL INJURY, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE VEHICLE THAT COMPONENTS WILL BE REMOVED FROM.
16. Raise vehicle on hoist.
17. Install a new transaxle mount-to-cradle fastener.
18. Tighten transaxle strut cradle bracket-to-cradle nut.
Torque: 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)
19. Install new engine strut bracket-to-cradle fasteners.
Torque: 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)
20. Remove steering gear support wire.
21. Install steering gear-to-cradle attachment bolts and new nuts (power steering gear shown, manual steering gear similar).
Torque: 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.)
22. Attach brake pipe bracket to rear of cradle with fastener (ABS brake shown, base similar).
IMPORTANT: Lower control arm ball stud threads must be thoroughly cleaned and lubricated before tightening nut.
23. Install ball joint stud castle nuts and install new cotter pins.
Torque: 75 Nm (55 ft. lbs.)
IMPORTANT: Do not loosen nut to align slot in castle nut with hole in stud. Always tighten nut when necessary to install cotter pin.
24. Install new cotter pin.
25. Position front exhaust pipe into vehicle.
26. Install front exhaust pipe-to-exhaust manifold fasteners and tighten.
Torque: 31 Nm (23 ft. lbs.)
27. Install front exhaust pipe-to-catalytic converter fasteners.
Torque: 25 Nm (19 ft. lbs.)
28. Install front exhaust pipe isolators.
29. Install front air dam onto vehicle.
30. For coupes, install right and left lower fascia brace-to-cradle J-nuts.
31. For coupes, install right and left lower fascia braces with fasteners.
Torque: 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)
IMPORTANT: For left side, install rear section of shield first, then front. For right side, install front section of shield first, then rear.
32. Install left and right side splash shields.
33. Install tabs in body cut-out.
IMPORTANT: Make sure shield flaps are tucked in at body locations.
34. Align molded-in shield fasteners with holes in cradle. Push straight in to install.
35. Install push pins.
NOTICE: Before installing wheels, remove rust or corrosion from wheel mounting surfaces and brake rotors/drums. Failure to do so can cause wheel nuts to loosen in service.
36. Position wheel onto hub.
37. Install wheel nuts and tighten in a crisscross pattern. Repeat tightening pattern to make sure torque is correct.
Torque: 140 Nm (103 ft. lbs.)
38. Lower vehicle from hoist.
39. Perform wheel alignment.