Hey everyone,

I've got a '94 Del Sol with power steering. It's been messed up for a long time, dripping fluids and i'm pretty positive the pump is screwed up too, SO i'm taking out the rack and swapping in a manual rack.

Took out all the hoses, pump, lines from under the hood and now i'm under the car.
Disconnected the tie rods, took out the exhaust, disconnected the shifter rods, unbolted the rack and to me, it seems absolutely impossible to get it out with the subframe in there. I wrestled with it for 2 hours. My manual says to move it all the way to the right, lower the left side and come out below the car. Not happening. Tired of it, want it OUT. Subframe's gotta go!

How do I go about taking out the subframe? Is there a how too, diy anywhere? I suppose i'd need to support the motor since the subframe has a mount on it... remove the sway bar, and just start unbolting? How heavy is it? Sort of nervous about taking it out and messing things up, but don't see any other way around it.

Thanks!

 

I'm guessing you don't have a Helms?

 

are you trying to just take out the rack n pinon?? or the whole subframe? because if u just need to take out the rack n pinon you need to take out the whole steering column out first then the rack should slide out.

 

I do have a helms actually. It says to slide it out the way I tried too. Everything is disconnected including the steering connection. I just can't seem to slide the rack and pinion out?? I barely have enough room to move the steering pin away from the firewall at ALL. I've wrestled with it for hours and it just doesn't seem like it has enough room with the subframe in.

So I was curious if anyone had a step by step to remove the subframe. Can't find any sort of DIY here on honda-tech and my manual doesn't show how too...

 

You don't need to support the engine and tranny since the 2 main mounts are on the frame rails, basically remove the rear T/engine mount bracket and unbolt the subframe. It's heavy enough, you can definitely get it down alone, but borrow a friend when you go to put the new one in. Btw, the power and manual subframes are different too, just a heads up. If you have access to a manual subframe swap it in.

 

From what i've researched, the only difference is the U bracket size that bolts the rack to the subframe... I'm going to wrap the rubber bushing from the power rack around the manual one and use the power steering subframe bracket. Saw a post/pictures looked like it will work perfect.

We'll see how it goes tommorrow getting that subframe out.

 

Boy I feel like a goof. Got outside yesterday with new energy, and got on the passenger side, pulled the inner tie rod HARD and it basically fell out by itself.
Thanks everyone!