[nomiS330d]

I've been gathering some parts over the last few weeks and now feel ready to tackle this next weekend. I'm fitting Lemforder M3 subframe bushings, Replacing the poly diff bushings with standard rubber, replacing the shock absorber lower mounts and replacing the 2 center brake hoses so it's worth dropping the whole subframe from the car if no other reason so i can get ruthless on the subframe bushings.
I'm going to just cut the old brake hoses so thats no problem but i'm unsure about the handbrake cables. Do i need to remove the brake discs and unhook them then pull the out or do i need to disconnect them from the handbrake lever in the car and take out with the subframe? The ABS and pad wear sensor just unplug and don't need any further disconnecting do they?
Anything else i need to think about?

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by nomiS330d

I've been gathering some parts over the last few weeks and now feel ready to tackle this next weekend. I'm fitting Lemforder M3 subframe bushings, Replacing the poly diff bushings with standard rubber, replacing the shock absorber lower mounts and replacing the 2 center brake hoses so it's worth dropping the whole subframe from the car if no other reason so i can get ruthless on the subframe bushings.
I'm going to just cut the old brake hoses so thats no problem but i'm unsure about the handbrake cables. Do i need to remove the brake discs and unhook them then pull the out or do i need to disconnect them from the handbrake lever in the car and take out with the subframe? The ABS and pad wear sensor just unplug and don't need any further disconnecting do they?
Anything else i need to think about?

It may be easier to remove the subframe to install all the bushings properly, I swapped mine out and the handbrake needs disconnecting both sides and then unhooking from the subframe. Remember that you need to press the handbrake spring mechanism back proper to attempting to release the cable from the drums, I've had a right sweat going in trying to get that bloody spring mechanism back and rather than use a screwdriver to push it back it makes life so much easier using the jack handle, because of the length you have so much more leverage to push it back than a screwdriver.

It's highly unlikely the hard brake lines will come off without shearing off so be prepared to have some new ones made up. Wear sensor needs removing, propshaft centre bearing needs removing (this is required so the propshaft can slide towards the transmission) you also need to remove the three bolts from the guibo to the differential, you need to replace those, I didn't because of covid at the time and in a matter of maybe 2 weeks one of them snapped and caused horrible vibrations at speed so to me it's not worth chancing.

Not sure if they will help but I took a few videos when I did mine.

[nomiS330d]

Thanks for that. I got the job done last weekend. All went about as well as can be expected, never doing it again though! I did get the brake lines apart without shearing them off! To do this I cut the rubber pipes in half to remove the subframe then bent the retaining spring wings which allows the rubber pipe to be unscrewed off the hard line. The new braided pipes have spinning fittings so no problem there.

[MrSweet1991]

Originally Posted by nomiS330d

Thanks for that. I got the job done last weekend. All went about as well as can be expected, never doing it again though! I did get the brake lines apart without shearing them off! To do this I cut the rubber pipes in half to remove the subframe then bent the retaining spring wings which allows the rubber pipe to be unscrewed off the hard line. The new braided pipes have spinning fittings so no problem there.

I'm glad you had more luck and came up with the plan to shred the rubber brake lines, though I am sure one way or another the rubber lines would still join to a hard line? I maybe got one or two off without Sheering them off and that was when the subframe was out the car and I could leave it in WD40.. To me once they got corroded to a certain degree it was near impossible to get any off with no signs of twisting. It made me laugh when you said you wouldn't do that again, I was saying the same thing for a long time.. I hate being stuck under the car for that long, I got all sorts of s**t in my eyes and glasses would only fog up if I tried them. Have to say though, it is nice when I do see under the car now that it's had Hammeright under seal.

[nomiS330d]

It’s hard to explain in text but here goes. normally the hard line fitting is the one that spins to disconnect/reconnect. The rubber end union is held from spinning in the bracket which is toothed to stop it turning by the spring things. So, I bent the wings up which allowed the rubber pipe union to be pushed out of the holding teeth and unscrewed off the hard line. Obviously to allow this to work the pipe has to be cut in half. The new braided pipes have spinning fittings so you can screw them onto the hardline fitting rather than the other way round if you used oem rubber pipes.
Wonder if that makes sense :-/