I have all of the tools I need. I just don't have a lift.
What'* the best way to go about replacing the subframe bushings? I've searched & searched, I can't find answers anywhere. Someone, please help.

1. Lift the car and put good solid stands under the lift points under the front doors:

From Page 5-25 of your owner'* manual

2. Use a floor jack to support the subframe
3. Undo both rear bolts enough so that a few threads are showing
4. Undo the left bolt the rest of the way
5. Replace this subframe bushing
6. Reinstall the left bolt to leave a few threads showing as before
7. Undo the right bolt the rest of the way
8. Replace this subframe bushing
9. Reinstall the right bolt to leave a few threads showing as before
10. Tighten both bolts securely
11. Undo both front bolts enough so that a few threads are showing
12. Undo the left bolt the rest of the way
13. Replace this subframe bushing
14. Reinstall the left bolt to leave a few threads showing as before
15. Undo the right bolt the rest of the way
16. Replace this subframe bushing
17. Reinstall the right bolt to leave a few threads showing as before
18. Tighten both bolts securely
19. Lower the car
20. Enjoy

Boilerplate: Do all of this at your own risk, safety first, etc.

how rusty? I have my big bertha milwaukee impact with largest battery fully charged and I took it to one of my craddle bolts.

cant even make it budge. The anvil tries and tries. I even tried for a considerable time and sprayed it too. If I had the car on jack stands, using a breaker bar and leverage would probably push the car off them.

This is wisconsin rust tho!.

Ahh, Wisconsin rust. Number 4 reason why I left NY for Arizona.

IMHO, I would decline any further attempt at removing these bolts. If you seen what they are attached to and can picture what would happen if the part the bolt threads into decides the cancer has eaten enough of it out that it causes irreparable damage. Now you are left with a sub-frame that will not stay attached to the body. I did this last year with my NY *-10 trying to get the bed off. One bolt ripped itself right out of the bed hardware with no threads left.

my 1990. high school days.. so long ago rip

So, basically with the vehicle supported by the body and the engine/trans also supported (separately), I can go 1 by 1, loosen the bolts & lower the subframe slightly. Enough to swap the bushing once the bolt for the specific bushing is removed, while the rest are still threaded in, but loosened. Then put the bolt back in & torque to spec. Repeat. I have this crazy wandering in the steering & it'* driving me nuts. Besides an alignment, there'* nothing else it could be. I'm positive my intermediate steering shift is good, no play or anything there. Before you suggest any other suspension pr drive train parts, read below. Lol.

I've about had it with this Buick. I'm in the Quad City Area (IA/IL). Normally there'd be more rust, but this was an older gentleman'* car before it was mine. I have the normal Lesabre rust at the corners of the wheel wells. Minor coat of surface rust along the subframe. No rust caked up, rot, or anything. I got it with 92,XXX miles & every bushing was so bottomed out, it actually rode decent. Everything I've replaced/repaired since has only highlighted every other problem. I've done everything. Both lower control arms complete with balljoints, both hub/wheel bearing assemblies, inner & outer tie rods, steering rack, both Axle Ends, Brand new tires, motor mount bushings, front trans bushing & front struts. I'm replacing the rear trans mount bushing tomorrow (I'm getting some shaking in the gas pedal when i accelerate. I looked at it & can see visible dry rot & an original 20 year old GM bushing. I'm installing the camber bolt kits for the front struts to get it aligned in the next day or 2. I've never used them, so I'm hoping all goes well with those to get it to the shop. Everything but the struts I did within the last couple of months & then got an alignment. I did the struts tonight & instantly it'* pulling to the right. Passenger tire toe is visibly off. I'm wondering if some of the camber issue may resolve itself as the struts settle? Should I even bother with the camber bolt kit? I've also heard the subframe can cause camber issues & after replacing the bushings there, I'll need ANOTHER alignment. Idk. I know I'm rambling. This car has driven me nuts, I swear.

Sounds like it just needs a bunch of replacement parts, then an alignment.

I've not personally seen body bushings on unibody cars get so rotten that they cause the car to have crazy wandering.

Can you post pictures of them?

A subframe which is not fastened to the body securely can shift and this will make the alignment change with the shifting however this can easily be determined by measurements/take pictures and do drives. If you can actually get measurements that vary side to side, even front to back, you would have the problem he thinks he has.

However, a sub 100,000 k car this doesnt sound correct to me. Id be more suspicious of the cars rear sway(and front sway tbh) bar and bushings before Id suspect the craddle is not consistent.

Whats the conditions of the torque axis mount and the mount in the drivers wheel well? Those two are attached to the body and they would have to be worn in addition to your craddle to see your drivetrain shift a lot.


Before you get crazy, swap your two front tires and report the behavior,

if you wanted, swap your front to rear and rear to front, drive a bit, record findings, if still problematic, swap the front 2(originally the back 2 in this hypothetical) with eachother and try again

I just read this in depth now. What do you mean "Axle ends" did you replace the CV axle assemblies? Not just half of them, i hope.

You are using cambolts?

back the hell up son, you have an issue if you replaced your control arm, your tie rods, your strut assembly, and wheel bearings and you DO NOT HAVE CAMBER IN SPEC?

What do your knuckles look like? We need pics, please. Also, parts you have used to replace components. I cant definitively say what is good and not because you have replaced at least more than 2-3 components that were most certainly just fine with parts of unknown quality in a Parts canon attempt to fix your car. You can only have so many things wrong to cause your issues and you only increased the probablities of what it could be.

PICTURES. We need pics

this is not perfect btw but Its a picture of my car which has a similar suspension setup up front. pics like these are what I mean. (driver front is the pic i posted)