Loose Subframe bolts

Apr 01, 2004 11 Replies

OK... I just got my Bullitt back from the dealer... I took it in because it was creaking when I would go around turns and such. They gave it back all fixed and ready to go. I ask the service guy what was wrong with the car... he said, "oh just some subframe bolts were loose." Now, I'm not a mechanic.. but that doesn't sound like it's just casual news. What the heck is the subframe and how bad is it that the bolts were loose?


-brian


Its the front frame section that holds the engine and suspension.

Not near as bad as if they all fell out :)

MadDAWG

Now thats funny!

HAHAHA... in other words... this could have been REAL bad at highway speeds! hmmmm... I find it interesting how casual the service guy was while he was telling me this teeny, tiny, itsy bitsy piece of news.

-brian

Not really.... it's not a big deal - loose bolts would have given you a lot more indication than 'creaking'. More likely a case of "not tight enough" than loose.

FWIW.... loose bolts would offer up steering wheel position that changes after turns, tire wear that would make you cringe and a floppy flier feeling just in normal driving. More like a poor choice of terminology than a life threatening scenario......

More worrysome would be the folks that insist on driving with s*it brakes and front ends that can't make up their mind which way to lean...

Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

I think it really depends on what bolts were loose. Some, I'm sure, have no chance in hell of backing all the way out with the car still relatively assembled. If one bolt is loose, or even one per side... depending on the bolts and/or where... it could have been a minor issue... one that would have eventually caused excess stress on some components, but probably just a minor annoyance.

Then again, he could have been downplaying the situation. Hard to say.

JS

It was only "creeking" on the front left. But, it was bad enough that I came to a stop light once, there was a guy in a camero already at the light... and when the car finally came to a stop... it ended with a "creek", he looked over... looked the car up and down and just chuckled. It could hear all the "POS Ford" comments running through his head.

-brian

So who gives a damn what that dude thinks... it's YOUR Stang... not his. let him laugh.

-Mike

Then you beat him in a drag race right ;) I get that with my car alot. My one wheel peels lol.

That was the problem... I have so much "pride" in my Bullitt, my first reaction was to rip his ass out through is nose... but, reason set in, and I realized that.... I might have a noise on my car... but, I can fix my noise... and he will still be in a camaro. ;-)

-brian

I was going home from work last Friday and saw him again (different light this time), he looked at me again and chuckled. I rolled down my window and said, "nothing a wrench couldn't fix... but you still have to live with your piece of s*it". Then I revved it up with the beautiful sound that Bullitt knows how to make so well... letting the motor slow back down to idle with all the growling coming out the tail... the whole time just staring at him with a big cheesy grin on my face. No need to race... he lost already! I LOVE MY STANG! :-)

-brian

The mustang doesn't have a bolted on subframe in the usual sense, it's welded frame rails that everything is bolted too. So my guess is it was the K member brace that goes under the engine.

For reference:

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picture of the stock one being replaced with an aftermarket assembly.

Hard to say which ones, maybe the big four mounting ones.

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