1G How to remove rear AWD subframe?

[Nate355RS]

Does anyone have a step by step on how to do this? My bushing are completely shot and need to be replaced.

 

[buhay6]

I've done it before. Theres several ways you can do it, i found the fastest easiest way was to drop the whole rear assembly as a unit. First things first, put the car on jack stands or a lift. Get it off the ground as high as you can, you'll need the room.
Unbolt the rear portion of your exhaust system and pull it out from under the car.

Then remove your ebrake cables from the calipers. Then there's one spot on the contol arms where theyre bolted to (believes its a 12mm) remove those bolts
Disconnect your brake line from the rear calipers, or unbolt the calipers from the hubs and hang them from the strut spring.
Next if you have abs, your sensor harness is bolted to the sub frame assembly in about 3-4 places each side (10mm bolts) unbolt them and discconect the sensors from the harness. Connectors should be clearly visible ontop of the control arms.
Once you got the brakes and sensors taken care of next you need to decide if your going to drop the struts with the sub frame assembly. Either unbolt the strut hats on each strut from the trunk area or unbolt the bottom of the struts from the hub assembly/control arms.
Find the front subframe assembly mounts, you'll see a oblong type brace there both sides. You'll need to unbolt the small bolt on the side thats nearest to the uniframe member should be a 14mm
After thats done you have 6 more bolts to deal with. If i remember correctly all are 19mm. Theres 2 on the mustache bar ( the brace bolted to the diff) bolting to the unibody frame or you can unbolt it from the diff if the bushing are still good in it. Leaving it bolted to the unibody will make things a lot more difficult without a lift. I recommend pulling it with the rest of the subframe assembly.
Now you have 4 bolts holding the main subframe assembly to the chassis. Put a jack under the diff and jack up only enough to hold the weight.
Theres 2 bolts per side i recommend unbolting the front bolts first as you'll be under the car and in a dangerous position. The 2 remaining bolts are easily visible from the the wheel wells unbolt them and while balancing the assemble start lowering it with the jack.
I'll see if i have pictures of the process to give you a better understanding of whats all involved and where stuff is.

 

[Nate355RS]

Thank you, that's very detailed and exactly what I was looking for. So the easiest way is to drop the subframe with the differential? Do you unbolt the driveshaft?

 

[buhay6]

yes its easiest to drop the diff with the whole subframe assembly. When I did it i actually dropped the whole suspension assembly with as well and just removed the rear callipers all together. really depends how much room you have to work with tho, I have a forklift to lift the car as high as I wanted it because it was merely going for scrap.
Ya you have to remove the drive shaft....don't know how I missed that one haha. You'll need a 12 mm wrench and the smallest 12mm socket you got to get the bolts at the yoke/diff flange. It's very tight there, probably the hardest part of the whole job.
I recommend setting aside the weekend for sure if your going to do it and its your only car. Bushings will take a while to burn out and usually you'll have to cut the metal insert the bushings were in out of the bushing housing in the subframes to install your new bushings.