Question,

I have seen aluminum subframe mount bushings and urethane ones also. Has anyone mounted the subframe directly to the body with no bushings?

I thought of using a stainless sleave to align the joint and a thin (1/8") piece of urethane between the body and the subframe.

Any thoughts on how this will effect the fitment of the fenders, inner fenders etc?

 

The reason for the urethane bushings is for vibration dampening. Yea you can hard mount anything but you will feel it and pay for it later. Those vibrations can end up tearing your car apart.

 

So what U R saying is go with Urethane?

I think I might do a "combo" and use a hard Aluminum Mount at the rear and Urethane at the front. Thinking about making up my own subframe connectors and I do not want any "flex" at the joint of the connector to the rear of the front subframe.

 

I put the aluminum mounts in about 25 years ago. You just have to keep them tight (use Locktite), and make sure you complete everything in the solid configuration. If any single spot can flex, you'll get breakage at that spot from metal fatigue. If you make it all solid, you won't get the flex, but you will get a lot of NVH. If you can take the NVH, you'll be fine. It will NOT be a date car afterward, chicks don't dig rough cars.

How solid is mine? Aluminum body pucks and spring eyes, solid motor mounts and trans mount, and the rear subframe tied into the cage and rockers. Add straight-cut trans gears, Pete Jackson gear drive, forged pistons, Longacre 3" straight-through racecar mufflers, and Rhodes lifters, and there is a lot of NVH.

If you try to just take out the pucks, nothing will line up. Not just the fenders, but the linkages, steering column, etc., not to mention possible distributor interference (mine's tight already).

 

Go with the polyurethane for sure! The vibration will rattle every other bolt in your car loose for sure! Good luck!

 

Yea I agree. I couldnt imagine driving one without them.

 

then you just aren't finding the right chicks

I machined mine out of nylon back in 1999 and they still work fine. stiffer that poly, but more give then aluminum.

the one thing I learned the hard way, was that because I made dropped bushings, there wasn't as much room to snake my pre-bent stainless fuel and brakelines between the body and frame (as you can do with stock height bushings), so I had to drop the frame back out to run the lines