I'm sure this is a PITA, but has anyone done this? I'm kinda dreading the bolts breaking, since others have already.. not so much worried about the horizontal ones, but the back vertical ones

just curious how many people have done this, and any tips? thanks

I did mine using the "tilt" method. I replaced them with solid aluminum bushings.

Change the horizontal ones first. Put your frame up on jack stands, please be careful. Then support your engine cradle with your jack at the front of the cradle and some stands for safety. Remove the horizontal cradle bolts. I would undo the dog bone mount at the top as well. Then lower the jack stands supporting the cradle so that it is just your jack supporting the cradle at the front. Proceed to lower the front side an inch or two so you can access the old bushings. Resupport the cradle with jack stands for safety. Remove the old bushings (the fun part) and replace them. Jack the cradle back up into place and put your bolts back in. Then do the same process but for the rear. Use your jack to tilt the rear end down after removing the bolts. You can hammer the rear bushings out quite easily. Tilt the cradle back up into position with your new bushings in and put your bolts back.

Depending on where you support the cradle, lining the holes back up for the bolts can be a pain in the butt because it will flex a little. I know when I was putting the rear bolts back in for mine, the holes were misaligned by 1/4inch or so. Had to play around with where I was jacking it up, and had to give it a few good kicks to get it to line back up.

Whatever method you use, please be safe and use jack stands. Don't just let your jack support even the engine cradle.

Hopefully I didn't miss anything, if I did, hopefully others will chime in. Thats the way I did it to the best of my memory. Hopefully no errors!

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This isn't to be taken personally.

To try to be a pussy and not take out even two of the four bolts the cradle because of the four bolts that hold the cradle to the frame will create 3 times the pain in the A. It is much much easier to do it the right way.

If you have to cut the bolts in place, cut them. If you need to cut a hole in the frame that needs to be patched, then do it. It is well worth the effort vs trying to put the engine on the cradle, the exhaust together ect ect ect with the cradle in the car.

Once you have the cradle out of the car, you work on it, and before you ever lay on a creeper again, you have the engine mounted to the transmission, the wiring on the engine, the exhaust on the engine, the engine mounts replaced, the axle shafts installed to the tranny, and through the rear bearings and the hubs on and torqued. You have even put on the engine side of the cooling hoses. Then you roll your ENTIRE drive train and bolt it to the frame with four bolts.

If you ever have to take the cradle out again, because you did it the easy (right) way this time, means you can do it the easy way again.

I have had to cut 3/4 of the front cradle bolts off in place first time I have had to drop the cradle

I have had to cut access holes in the frame to grab on to the captured nut 1/4 of the time first time I dropped the cradle.

I have never had to do it again after the first drop on any car.

quote Originally posted by scott0999: I'm sure this is a PITA, but has anyone done this? I'm kinda dreading the bolts breaking, since others have already.. not so much worried about the horizontal ones, but the back vertical ones just curious how many people have done this, and any tips? thanks

I know dropping the cradle is technically the "right" way, however, if he doesn't have access to certain tools to cut access panels, maybe weld them back up, etc. then tilting the cradle isn't a bad alternative.

With common floor jacks, jack stands, and some hand tools, the cradle bushings can be changed with it being a moderate pain in the ass. Sometimes all of the other stuff just isn't necessary at the moment. This isn't to be taken personally either.