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| Joined: | 10-04-2011 |
| Location: | Shawnee, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 1 |
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I have a parking lift so I just put a 5 foot floor jack stand with a 2x4 to dissipate the weight. I lowered the lift to support/raise the engine and undid the necessary bolts. I had already removed all of the front suspension as I was determined to get all that 39 year old metal out of there and had it powder coated. I went a little nuts.
I removed the right side suspension parts first to keep the left side in tact as a guide. I wasnt in a rush, so i went slow....all the parts went to the powder coater, but when the parts came back and I went to install...I couldnt do it! I mean, here are these beautifully powdercoated parts and I am going to bolt them on to this scuzzy, dirty subframe....nope...couldnt do it. So, out came the left side suspension parts, took off the steering rack and voila!....six more bolts and out came the subframe.
When it came back, wow, i just laid our all the parts and stared at them...took pics....drank a beer....best Saturday night date EVER! Shined....looked young....fresh...didnt say anything....not cheap, but wow!
While I was there, I took the opportunity to clean up the sump, repainted the motore mounts, and repainted the wheel wells with a POR15 chassis paint.
I also ordered all new hardware....ALL NEW....in grade 8 so I could have that cadmium color against the shiny black. I had to dig through McMaster Carr and Fastenal to find everything...including the all metal lock nuts.....Whoa.....now when i have it lifted to park my Mini underneath, I get to see this magnificent piece of mechanical art. It also helps me forget my upper subframe woes...
oh yea....subframe bushings....the issue I had with the upper subframe bushings was that mine were completely shot. Bushings were shot, rubber was all worn out...there was light between the bushing and the rubber! They had to go, and as I was unaware I could a Mythbusters plaster casting and 2 part magic potion, I called Delta.
This is where the problem began. I ordered two replacements from Delta and one of the inner bushings was too narrow for the 7/16ths bolt. It was 15mm and therefore, would not accommodate the 7/16th bolt. The other bushing worked just fine. I called Delta and they checked the others they had in their parts bin only to find out that they had some which were 7/16ths and some 15mm, so they sent me a new 7/16ths one. Unfortunately, as I went to install the new ones with the subframe, I found the aforementioned bushings were both too short, causing the subframe to "collapse" as I torqued down the nut. As i compared the old to the new, I saw that the original bushings were just flush with the bushings and fit the subframe channel with limited clearance. The ones from delta were a full 1/4in too short. I contacted Delta and they told me that as these were new parts FROM JENSEN supplier overseas, they had not sold them and not aware of the issue. They were VERY responsive and helpful....kudos to DELTA!!!! In the end, I had a couple of bushings made locally by a friend and back up went the subframe!
I took a billion photos to help remind me what had a flat washer, what had a lock washer, etc. I have way too many and need to edit. They're not exactly in order either, but I do have the photos of the upper subframe bushings and a few shots of the completed project.
Now the rear looks like crap....
Here's the photobucket file:
Jensen Healey Front Suspension Rebuild
It rides great and looks fantastic! If you are going to the East meet in Monroe, WI, I will be the guy laying on the ground, looking up at the bottom of my car!