i have seen loads of posts on forums about the alignment of the front subframes,most say it`s best to take to a garage to have work done (clutch/engine change etc)

from looking at a haynes manual (i`m sad like that ),surely it`s just a case of re-aligning the subframe as per ford spec?
is it not as easy as it sounds,or am i missing something?

and on the note of aligning the subframe,could the frame not be retro-fitted to something else as long as it is fitted properly,taking into account wheel alignment and levels etc?

surely iy can`t be that hard?

a confused gold member

dave

 

It's a piece of piss. When you drop it down, there will be a clean part of paint where the dirt can't get. Just make sure you bolt it back up in the same place....

 

when we do one at work looks like it just bolts back in theres no movment so u could turn it slightly the bolts are very tight in the subfram

 

there are little slots in the bushes from what i could see when i puled mine apart that seem to be the things they use to line stuff up

but if you only undo one side at a time there are no rel problems

if the whole things come off then you might need to get these pins for realignment

mind yuo, i did the fronts on mine and it was the rears that needed doing

 

so it seems highly possible that the complete subframe can be retro fitted into something else,as long as the alignment is spot on

thanks for the comments guys,really helpful

dave

 

It's a piece of piss to do WITHOUT the pins, just wrap tape around some bolts until snug fit in holes.
tabetha

 

According to the ford job sheet, when you change the bottom arms, there's one side thats not so easy to change, and ford say you have to drop the subframe to change. i got my bottom arms changed at rapid fit, tbh it still didnt feel rite, so i took to my local ford dealer to have a look, they said rapid fit didnt drop the subframe when they changed the arms, apparently they could tell because the bolts were the wrong way round ? apparently most people do it that way, but it knocks the subframe out of alignment, im no mechanic, so i dont know the ins and outs, but ford told me on the job sheet, its states the subframe must be dropped. i went back to rapid fit, explained all that, and they fitted 2 new bottom arms, and dropped and realigned the subframe free of charge, so i gather what ford told me must hold some truth ?.

 

the problem on the near side front lower suspension arm is that one of the bolts won't come out because the gearbox is in the way. Loads of garages just chop the bolt and insert it from the bottom instead of the top, rather than take the subframe down or lift the engine/gearbox. Problem is, if the nut comes off, the bolt can drop out and it's goodbye time....if the nut comes loose and the bolt is in from the top then at least the bolt stays in place. Dropping the subframe is a doddle...just line it back up with the clean part as said above.

Ant

 

done one on my mates drive way with his brother(well he done most of it!)
all ok

 

If the kwik fitters did not drop the sunframe how could it then be out of alignment ?
All these arguments about nuts falling off is a load of bollocks, just make sure you use NEW locknuts.
Helicopters by thier nature shake a bit, and they use locknuts everywhere, K-NUTS in thier case.
The whole front arm on the mondys is a piece if shit design, unlike the equivalent yank versions who have HORIZONTAL BUSHES, that work with the suspension not trying constantly to tear it apart like the english versions.
I always put in from underneath, never even heard of a bolt falling out, there is NO load on bolt trying to undo the nut anyway, if still unsure put a blob of weld on it, or drill and pin it.
tabetha

 

you've got to tel us which mondeo you are talking baout, mk 1/2/3 as they are diferent between the arly and late ones

i;'ve got a mk3 and none of the bolts are anywhere near the gearbox

but they are waisted so that they need to go in one way as opposed to the other

the other reason they go in from the top is to stop the bolts from falling out should they ever come loose, safety liability etc from fords point of view

on the mk3 you've got to drop the subframe a fair old way, about 2 inches, to get the bolt out and seeing as the bushes those bolts are in are hudraulic, twaiting them too far can split them and fuck them up, meaning oyu've got to replace the whole arm

 

sorry ,it`s a 1998 mk2 model

dave

 

totaly different set up from the mk 3's then that didn't suffer as much with the alignment issues then

mk1 and 2's were almost the same bar the facelifted stuff but i've not had as much experience of them but considering the subframe has the rack on it as well there could be other issues in it as wel if it were misaligned, such as improper deformation of the sterring column in case of a head on etc

they used the same sort of set up on the renult 19's so it might be worth a go seeing if anyone has transplanted one of them into something else

 

the mk3 also has the rack attached.

the alignment holes, are simple a round hole in the sub frame which lines up to a round hole in the front floor pan, one hole each side. all the propper tool is is a pointing bit of metel which goes through both holes and aligns them, then you tighten the bolts.

its as easy as that. the only arse of a job i find is removing the rack from the frame.

 

Quick note for anyone putting nearside wishbone bolts in from the bottom.

IF the n/s gearbox mount goes weak or breaks and the bolt has been fitted incorrectly, the pointed part of the bolt WILL go through the edge of the gearbox casing, causing the gearbox to be scrap.

Anyone not believing me, please feel free to go back to your local Ford dealer and ask them. We had it happen when I worked @ a Ford dealer. The dealer was responsible, had to pay for the replacement 'box and labour themselves, and the lad responsible got a written warning and no bonus that month.