IIRC how my old mechanic did this, while the diff was off the car for a gear swap project, he used a hydraulic press.

 

BigSpoon, sorry man, but I don't remember exactly how that came apart on my car almost 5 years ago. I remember I had my mechanic do it and he was not terribly happy about it, but I am almost positive the differential was still attached. My car was RWD though so I am sure that frees up some space. If it makes you feel any better I noticed a much bigger difference in feel with the rear differential brace than any of those silly bushings and that is a lot easier to install.

 

Easier said than done for us sedan guys. All the nice videos on YouTube show lots of access on coupes. Wait, but my diff is already out of the car lol

 

Haha yeah man I can't believe it but I'm not about to pay a shop nearly $1k to take that sleeve out and put everything back together. FML. I have that brace somewhere in the garage too! I can't wait to see how it feels with the Z1 bushings, whiteline sway bar and endlinks, and that brace all at once.

 

1k is pretty steep considering you've already done over half the work. This is making me rethink doing the bushing install myself in my garage on my back. Granted I've got a RWD instead of a AWD but I do notice there is considerably less space in the back to work with compared to the coupe video's I've seen.

 

Just had the Z1 bushings installed by my local mechanic, 675 for labor. I had the pinion seal replaced, so the diff had to come out anyway. Granted it was in a package with a strut install and a couple of other items, so total cost was actually 2k. My 2 cents after the bushing replace (I am also running Megan Racing rear sway and Bell Diff brace) is that I feel a bit more NVH from the driveline. Only really noticeable above 80mph - my rear-view mirror vibrates a bit, that never happened before. Car feels great of course after new struts.

 

$1k?!? Yeah, skip that and just do the brace yourself. I think my friend the mechanic only charged me like $50-$100. I replaced all the rear bushings in the subframe, rear differential, etc. and could hardly tell a difference. Added the rear differential brace and suddenly the rear end came to life and it was so much easier to put the power down coming out of corners on track. Seriously consider saving the $1k for something else.

 

Pretty sure the $1000 was for the bushing replacement, not the diff brace. The diff brace is a no brainer... maybe a half hour on the lift, tops. Hence your $50 charge.

 

I know, that is what is so shocking. I paid roughly $50-$100 to have all of the bushings replaced. (My mechanic friend is pretty nice to me on pricing.)

 

I know this isn't my thread but what I was saying was.... the whole reason I was having a shop do it was because I could not do it myself anymore. That was the whole point. I couldn't get that metal sleeve part of the bushing out of the rear cross/sub-frame member. I don't think you coupe guys know what it's like to have the sedan -x AWD. There is NO room back there. I even cut off my exhaust and took out the sway bar and so much crap and still... even with the Z1 tool, there was no way I was gonna be able to do it. The shop told me they did end up using the Z1 tool, but it took TWO BIG STRONG GUYS underneath with the car up on the lift (not on jackstands at home garage) with very long breaker bars to get it to budge. And that was AFTER they used some cutting tools and torches on the metal sleeve part.

Yeah I probably could have gotten a better price, but I was screwed and that is what mechanics do to you. No one will give you a quote on the phone. Every shop tells me :"oh we can't give a quote on the phone we would have to evaluate the car in person" blah blah blah and I didn't have the time or luxury to keep calling 15 different shops. So I bit the bullet and paid $1100. I am not happy about it. But at least it's done and all back together. It handles much better with no NVH!

Yeah they wanted $1000+ for everything: getting that metal sleeve of the rear bushing out, then installing the diff and sway bar again.

 

I hear you Big Spoon. Sometimes projects go beyond practicality and ability. I had a sedan, but it was RWD and it sounds like the AWD makes for quite the treat. What I was saying is that you might want to abandon that project and get the much cheaper and easier to install rear differential brace since it also provides a more noticeable result. But that ship has sailed. Any way you look at it, those rear bushings can be a real pain to install.