Removal of Front Engine Subframe

[philw696]

Rebushing..? You mean re-shimming to put geo back straight, or literally, pressing out all flanbloc bushes, replacing, & re- shimming it straight too..?
Interested as I know others have gone this route...McGrath pretty much said it was pointless to try as there is a high risk of cracking the arms around the bushes...!!

The whole lot.
It's very time consuming but as a skilled motor engineer it's what we do and the kits are readily available from Maserati.
Obviously if there are cracks or the ball joints worn its complete arms.
Problem for me was estimating how long they would take to do so the customer could keep on top of the cost.

 

[Wagons-Lits]

I got my QP done two weeks ago by Rust Buster in Spalding - another forum member recommended and I can as well. £600 or thereabouts, money well spent I think. Chris the proprietor said my car (a 2011) was fine, very minimal surface rust, and better than the other member's GranCab that he saw recently. For what it's worth my car lives outside - the chap who actually applied the treatment said the worst cars he sees are the ones stored 'dry' (but in reality put away wet)

 

[philw696]

There is certainly advantages of airflow getting around a vehicle during storage and on a nice fine day you can't beat taking them out for a good drive to keep
everything moving and working nicely.

 

[TimR]

The whole lot.
It's very time consuming but as a skilled motor engineer it's what we do and the kits are readily available from Maserati.
Obviously if there are cracks or the ball joints worn its complete arms.
Problem for me was estimating how long they would take to do so the customer could keep on top of the cost.

I m starting to think McGrath like to stay inside their comfort zone with the 3200/4200/GS model cars. New parts, service stuff...
Cracking the arms could lead to the kind of financial exposure they arent that comfortable with I guess....

 

[CatmanV2]

I m starting to think McGrath like to stay inside their comfort zone with the 3200/4200/GS model cars. New parts, service stuff...
Cracking the arms could lead to the kind of financial exposure they arent that comfortable with I guess....

Try getting them to look at a GT. Even though they work on QPs and have one on their page (or did....)

C

 

[TimR]

I know others have said it before but I think perhaps their prefrence is for the older cars....

 

[Scaf]

Really must get under mine and treat it this winter

 

[philw696]

Really must get under mine and treat it this winter

The best thing you can do is get under and inspect asap before the salt and grit gets on the roads.
A good clean and treat as needed then a good spray of a decent treatment to give the sub frames half a chance.

 

[Dhanj]

I was assuming that a full geo check straight afterwards would be absolutely essential after you put everything back together. McGrath are local to me so that's possibly where I would take the vehicle afterwards for the geo check.

But whoever does the geo check would re-shim wouldn't they?

I might even go to the length of replacing the front shocks, bump stop and some top mount components whilst at it.

I was also going to decide on whether to replace the flanbloc bushes as I went slowly through the job. On a car with 50k miles on the clock what is everyone's opinion? Just bite the bullet and press them out and replace all? Seems logical to me.

 

[Devonboy]

The best thing you can do is get under and inspect asap before the salt and grit gets on the roads.
A good clean and treat as needed then a good spray of a decent treatment to give the sub frames half a chance.

Just did mine at Rutbuster......

 

[TimR]

McGrath grumbled about the Geo being a specialist job. I actually dont disagree - Another of the reasons they gave me as to why they werent able to help me fit coilovers in place of Skyhook. I ended up using a specialist who set the weights and did all the geometry too...I fit the coilovers myself which was fine; and as I was there, did a whoLe bunch of stuff that otherwise would not have been sorted....
As long as you have sufficient shims to enable the tech to make the adjustments, I d use a place with specialist experience & equipment..
In truth. you probably dont want Maserati set up data in the end anyway...!

 

[Navcorr]

Wheels In Motion are not too far from Kimpton.

Should this thread be made a sticky?

 

[Zep]

McGrath grumbled about the Geo being a specialist job. I actually dont disagree - Another of the reasons they gave me as to why they werent able to help me fit coilovers in place of Skyhook. I ended up using a specialist who set the weights and did all the geometry too...I fit the coilovers myself which was fine; and as I was there, did a whoLe bunch of stuff that otherwise would not have been sorted....
As long as you have sufficient shims to enable the tech to make the adjustments, I d use a place with specialist experience & equipment..
In truth. you probably dont want Maserati set up data in the end anyway...!

Bear in mind the OP has a QPV. They only need shims for caster adjustment, the rest is eccentric bolts, so a lot easier than your car!

 

[TimR]

Bear in mind the OP has a QPV. They only need shims for caster adjustment, the rest is eccentric bolts, so a lot easier than your car!

Ah - OK...I imagined your eccentric bolts were essentially located in the subframe with shims one end or the other..Perhaps not ? My 4200 (non-eccentric bolts) certainly are . I would think this serves as a way of correcting manufacturing tolerances....

 

[Wagons-Lits]

Just did mine at Rutbuster......

how was it under neath before the treatment? I went for the Dinitrol which smelled for a week or so but it seems to have gone now

 

[philw696]

how was it under neath before the treatment? I went for the Dinitrol which smelled for a week or so but it seems to have gone now

I would rather have a smell that know the car is rusting away rapidly and as you say the smell goes away.
Rust doesn't but can be slowed down.

 

[Wagons-Lits]

I would rather have a smell that know the car is rusting away rapidly and as you say the smell goes away.
Rust doesn't but can be slowed down.

completely agree, it seems insane that you wouldn't do this if you can catch it in time

 

[davy83]

I have dropped the subframe on my 3200 to replace the turbos and the engine was supported on a frame over the upper body, it worked ok. It was heavy. I spray the underside of my car twice a year with Terotex 380 (i think) and it does not smell. it does wash off however after a few months, pretty good for a quick treatment before winter as you can apply with a hand sprayer. I also have made a point of treating and painting any sub frame or chassis parts if I am ever working on them, to try and stem the evil tide.

 

[Zep]

Ah - OK...I imagined your eccentric bolts were essentially located in the subframe with shims one end or the other..Perhaps not ? My 4200 (non-eccentric bolts) certainly are . I would think this serves as a way of correcting manufacturing tolerances....

That’s what I am saying. QPV and GT are different from the Coupe.

 

[TimR]

Isnt 15 a shim..?
Asymetric "silent bloc" which rotates giving an inward/outward adjustment as well as the inescapable up/down but they are fitted with shims either end...front aft setting...Unless the QP Duo Select is different..?
Anyway- I knew what I meant...which doesnt help you I s'pose !