anyone know how thick the repair plates for the frame-to-body mounts are on the subframe?i've seen them in the catalogs.i was wondering cause i only need 1 and want to just make it up.
thanks in advance...

EMT

There's a couple different ways to fix the mounts. I believe the kits you can buy are made from 1/8" stock. That's what I made them from. $10 for a 3 foot piece of flat cold-rolled that's 3" wide at Lowes. It welds real nicely.
I would suggest designing and fabbing your own without a template. Once I was done with mine and had them tacked on temporarily, I realized the templates used to fab the plates weren't even close.

Or you can just find giant washers that fit the bolts. You can just use big washers alone or cut holes in the mounts that are the same outside diameter of the washers and weld them flush.

I had to replace all 4 of mine which were GONE! Like I said I used 1/8" plate and used a template that someone here was gracious enough to send me. I spent a few hours last night lining the subframe up with the plates on top of the mounts and the solid bushings on top of them. I used the drivers side alignment hole in the front mounting point to line everything up. Then I tacked the plates on one at a time until I was happy that all 4 points were centered so that I can move the sub around later to line it up with the body. Even doing it alone, it wasn't that difficult. From the points I used as reference to square it to the body, I was right on. I was amazed. smile.gif They didn't turn out as pretty as I'd hoped because they didn't line up on the mounts straight, but it's nothing that more grinding and smoothing can't hide. A couple coats of POR-15 and they'll be invisible.

Since you started this thread, I'll use it to ask a question I had last night.... for those people that use solid bushings instead of rubber. Do you guys use the lower rubber bushing below or do away with the rubber altogether? I can't see using rubber lowers with solid uppers. It would defeat the purpose.

Joe, I would forget about the rubber parts if you are going with solid mounts. I used the two piece global west bushings so this was not an issue for me, but you could do just as well with a washer and shorter bolt.

Holy Smokes... I didn't even think about the length of the stock bolts being a concern now that there's no lower bushing. I didn't have a problem with the front bolts being too long but I might with the under-seat mounts now that I think about it.
Off to Lowes I go....
Thanks for mentioning that Scott! smile.gif

thanks for the reply....

Same drill for me. Joe, I bought grade 8 and put antiseize on them too.

I know we already answered his questions, but now I'm wondering something else about using solid bushings.

The inside diameter of the CE bushings I'm using are 1". Obviously the bolts are no where's near that diameter. Once the subframe is bolted up to the body, there will be plenty of 'play' for alignment before the bolts are torqued which is a good thing. But what's gonna prevent the frame and body from shifting around even after the bolts have been torqued? I can just see the frame moving to one side after driving it for a while and/or planting the rear wheels a few times.

I haven't heard of any horror stories from people that use solids. I'd be very interested in hearing what others might have done to prevent it from happening. Have sleeves made to fit the OD of the bolts and the ID of the bushings? That wouldn't work because I guarentee the bolts aren't and won't be perfectly centered through the bushings once the body/frame have been aligned. I suppose the subframe connectors will help a little.

I used the GW ones which weren't as large inside. However, there is some play. If I remember right, the torque was like 100#. After two years, I was looking them over and there's NO movement. If you're still concerned, maybe you could fill the space with some nail shanks to use as filler? That way you could allow for the offcenter spacing? I put a large grade 8 washer under my bushing to spread the clamping force.

I think what I'll do is fab interior plates that match the upper ones and then slide them inside the frame and under the front mounts. Drill holes a bit larger dia. than the bolts and they can act as a second washer to keep the bolts in place.
Why didn't I think of that! ;)

Once ya weld in the subframe connectors, nothing ever moves again!! :D

Two good points!

If you've replaced the bolts, where did you find replacements with the same thread size as the factory bolts that still fit in those square 'nuts'? I want to find a larger diameter shank but with thread diameter that still fits in them. Possible? Finding a 5/8" or 3/4" bolts won't be a problem but they'll still need to fit those funky square nuts. Unless I also get normal nuts for them.

I went to Lowe's. As I recall they were merely course thread. I used new nuts with the center bolts because I had to remove the cage and cut out the original bolt/nut as they were 'rust fised' together. The rears were just a bolt replacement.

I hope you checked the bolts you got at Lowe's were grade 5 at least.

Yup - grade 8.

Lowes only carries 3/4" at grade 8. 7/8" are grade 5 only there. Looks like I found replacements that'll take up some more space inside the bushings.