2015 Genesis 5.0 RWD subframe removal

[carguy75]

I have started removing my sub-frame so that I can remove my upper oil pan. I have already removed my electric power steering rack, and front sway-bar.

Today I began removing the front lower control arms that are connected to the sub-frame. The lower controls each have (1)19mm bolt that holds them to the sub-frame and (1)19mm for the front shocks on the inner front control arm. The control arms are connected to the steering knuckle by (1)22mm castle nut on each control arm.

I had to use a combination of a lifting jack stand and rubber mallet to free the inner lower control arms from the front shocks and steering knuckle. The inner lower control arms is a bit tricky to remove with the front shocks still in place.

Note: The ball joints on the front lower control arm needs a large ball joint tool mostly used on full sized SUV ball joints. The steering knuckle design prevents the use of a 2 or 3 arm puller. The castle nut clips on the front lower control need a pick tool to pry the curvy end out while you pull the clip out the castle nut.

I will next remove the sub-frame. I am working out the best method to drop the sub-frame and safely keep my engine supported.

Lower front control arms

Pick tool used to pry the curvy part of the clip off the castle nut.

Large ball joint tool(right). The smaller normal sized ball joint tool(left) is too small for the 2015 Genesis 5.0 ball joints on the lower control arms.

Driver side front lower control arms removed

 

[danenzmann]

Thanks for the tips.
I hope I never have to do that.

 

[Amgil]

Unrelated to your post but I wanted to ask since you have your car apart, Hows the suspension holding up after 7 years? Did you notice any play in anything?
Hows the boots on the ball joints/end links and steering rack?

Im hoping they didn’t make all those rubber boots out of the same rubber they used for the trunk latch lmao

 

[carguy75]

Unrelated to your post but I wanted to ask since you have your car apart, Hows the suspension holding up after 7 years? Did you notice any play in anything?
Hows the boots on the ball joints/end links and steering rack?

Im hoping they didn’t make all those rubber boots out of the same rubber they used for the trunk latch lmao

Very good. No leaky rubber boots or torn rubber bushings. The front lower control arms u-joints are a bit loose, but seem fine so far at 90k miles.

The steering rack outer tie-rods seem a little loose, but not in need of changing with good rubber boots with no leaks or tears.

So far so good, but I would probably change them all by 150k miles for sure.

 

[carguy75]

Thanks for the tips.
I hope I never have to do that.

No problem.

Yeah, it is a very long and complicated process. But, it may be necessary if your engine ever develop a leak in the lower timing cover or upper oil pan.

Leaks will happens if you keep your Genesis pass 100k miles sooner or later since factory RTV gaskets do not last forever.

 

[carguy75]

I still have not given up. I am waiting for a better engine support bracket to arrive by mail. The one I have now is better used on smaller FWD engines(like my son 2007 Highlander) and it has limited adjust ability. I will keep it because it will work well on transverse mounted smaller engines at the house.

I purchased a OTC brand engine brace that can support 1100 pounds and has more articulation. I will use the OTC engine brace to hold the engine from the top and use a pair of RV support jack stands to support the engine from the bottom on the engine mount brackets while I remove upper oil pan.

I will use a floor jack under the lower oil pan to support the engine while I remove the sub-frame with the engine support bar holding the engine from up top until I can place the RV jack stands under the engine mount brackets.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[skipgen]

I still have not given up. I am waiting for a better engine support bracket to arrive by mail. The one I have now is better used on smaller FWD engines(like my son 2007 Highlander) and it has limited adjust ability. I will keep it because it will work well on transverse mounted smaller engines at the house.

I purchased a OTC brand engine brace that can support 1100 pounds and has more articulation. I will use the OTC engine brace to hold the engine from the top and use a pair of RV support jack stands to support the engine from the bottom on the engine mount brackets while I remove upper oil pan.

I will use a floor jack under the lower oil pan to support the engine while I remove the sub-frame with the engine support bar holding the engine from up top until I can place the RV jack stands under the engine mount brackets.

Better safe than sorry.

And the saga continues... You're a patient man indeed.

 

[carguy75]

And the saga continues... You're a patient man indeed.

I have no choice but to be patient.

It is trial and error when you are repairing a car that does not have much support by the aftermarket and is fairly new in general. Therefore, I am learning how to repair this car on my own. The Hyundai service manual states that I need to completely remove the engine and transmission from the car to do a lower timing cover repair. Which is perfect if I had a shop lift; I do not.

The second option is to only drop the sub-frame with the engine supported in the car; not a hard task but can be tricky to do safely. So yes I am taking my time on this part of the project. Plus, this type of repair will happen eventually even if the timing cover did not crack since my engine has the start of upper oil pan and timing cover gasket leaks; therefore I will need to learn how to perform a repair like this on the Genesis if I keep it or spend about $4k if I let a shop repair the issues.

I am sure many other 5.0 engines will be needing the same type of repair as they age and not every member on this forum will have extended warranties that will last past 150k miles when these type of issues start to occur. Hence my posting of this project for future member who may tackle this issue later on as a DIY on high mileage 5.0 engines.

I do have other options of transport while I repair my Genesis; so it allows me to take my time on the repair. I knew this was not going to be only a week long repair.

Heck yeah it is a saga anytime you have to drop a subframe on a very large sedan with a V8 engine.

 

[skipgen]

I have no choice but to be patient.

It is trial and error when you are repairing a car that does not have much support by the aftermarket and is fairly new in general. Therefore, I am learning how to repair this car on my own. The Hyundai service manual states that I need to completely remove the engine and transmission from the car to do a lower timing cover repair. Which is perfect if I had a shop lift; I do not.

The second option is to only drop the sub-frame with the engine supported in the car; not a hard task but can be tricky to do safely. So yes I am taking my time on this part of the project. Plus, this type of repair will happen eventually even if the timing cover did not crack since my engine has the start of upper oil pan and timing cover gasket leaks; therefore I will need to learn how to perform a repair like this on the Genesis if I keep it or spend about $4k if I let a shop repair the issues.

I am sure many other 5.0 engines will be needing the same type of repair as they age and not every member on this forum will have extended warranties that will last past 150k miles when these type of issues start to occur. Hence my posting of this project for future member who may tackle this issue later on as a DIY on high mileage 5.0 engines.

I do have other options of transport while I repair my Genesis; so it allows me to take my time on the repair. I knew this was not going to be only a week long repair.

Heck yeah it is a saga anytime you have to drop a subframe on a very large sedan with a V8 engine.

Indeed it is!

 

[carguy75]

Indeed it is!

To be honest; I actually like repairing my own cars hence the main reason why I am still persisting on do it myself. No feeling like completing a task like this yourself when you are done.

Many owners would just have paid a shop to do the repair or just traded the car in as is for a loss. I do not give up easily even when annoying issues keep happening.

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[carguy75]

I finally received my 1100 pound rated OTC engine support bar. It is a very heavy beefy support bar, much better than the 700 pound rated support bar purchased before. I feel more confident using it to support the Genesis V8 engine and transmission.

Next will be the actual sub-frame removal.

 

[carguy75]

I have started the sub-frame removal. I used chains to support the engine by the factory lift brackets located on the cylinder heads with the engine brace. At the same time I am using a floor jack to brace the engine from the bottom on the steel lower oil pan protected with a 2x2 wood block.

Next, I will actually remove the sub-frame itself and support the engine with a pair of RV support jack stands under the engine mount brackets since I will have to remove the steel lower oil pan to remove the upper oil pan. This is the tricky part of the project; so I am triple checking everything.

 

[skipgen]

I think that you've gone further than any DH owner has gone before....

 

[carguy75]

I think that you've gone further than any DH owner has gone before....

Yes, I think so as well.

I am still working out how to properly secure the engine and transmission before I unbolt the sub-frame. I am about ready to go for it. This is the scary part for sure since a mistake could have some serious negative consequences. Hence the excessive checks and rechecks to ensure that the engine is actually being secured top and bottom.

Plus, I am checking to ensure that I can also access the bottom of the engine to work with the engine supported from the bottom after I drop the sub-frame. Very tricky process.

 

[carguy75]

I finally removed the sub-frame. It was held by (8) long 19mm bolts. . I used a very strong Astro Thor air impact to remove the sub-frame bolts pretty easy. The only other things in the way were a ground wire connection and wire loom supports on the sub-frame that needed to be removed.

I supported the engine with tall RV stabilizer jacks stands on the engine support brackets with the engine supported by the engine support bar from above. The engine seems very stable.

Next I start a new thread on removing the lower and upper oil pans.

The front sub-frame removed. It is pretty heavy at about 60 lbs or so.

The engine supported.

The Thor impact. A very strong compact impact rated at 900ft/lbs normal(1600 ft/lbs for initial nut busting bursts) for breaking bolts loose. Worked very well to easily remove the sub-frame bolts.

 

[skipgen]

I finally removed the sub-frame. It was held by (8) long 19mm bolts. . I used a very strong Astro Thor air impact to remove the sub-frame bolts pretty easy. The only other things in the way were a ground wire connection and wire loom supports on the sub-frame that needed to be removed.

I supported the engine with tall RV stabilizer jacks stands on the engine support brackets with the engine supported by the engine support bar from above. The engine seems very stable.

Next I start a new thread on removing the lower and upper oil pans.

The front sub-frame removed. It is pretty heavy at about 60 lbs or so.

The engine supported.

The Thor impact. A very strong compact impact rated at 900ft/lbs normal(1600 ft/lbs for initial nut busting bursts) for breaking bolts loose. Worked very well to easily remove the sub-frame bolts.

I'd buy that impact gun, just because it was named "Thor"...!

 

[carguy75]

I'd buy that impact gun, just because it was named "Thor"...!

I admit that the name did get my attention when I shopping for a strong compact air impact.

It does live up to the name.

 

[carguy75]

I forgot to post how I ended supporting my engine after removing my sub-frame. I used two RV stabilizer jacks with wider posts that are cushioned by rubber jack pads than the first set with smaller posts I tried earlier. The larger posts fits the engine mount brackets perfectly for very good support.

I did not need the upper engine support bar to hold the engine. I also used a motorcycle lift to support the transmission just in case for more support. Not needed as well.

 

[carguy75]

I finally found a work around to moving and lifting the heavy sub-frame(about 70lbs) for installation. I am using two motorcycle jacks with wheels together side by side. Work perfectly as a dolly and lift system for the sub-frame.

Now I can lift and adjust the sub-frame myself. 70lbs is not that heavy to pickup while standing, but the sub-frame is near impossible to hold up while laying on my back with one hand while trying to bolt it down with the other hand; let alone make adjustments to line up the bolt holes.


My solution.

 

[carguy75]

I finished installing the sub-frame. It was pain in the backside to align, but the motorcycle jack dollies worked to get it done. I torqued the sub-frame bolts down to 102 ft/lbs and now I can check the sub-frame off the list. Next will be the suspension and other components that I had to remove to access the sub-frame.

The sub-frame on the dollies; barely made it under the car.

The dollies supporting the sub-frame (and one supporting the engine since I had to remove the jack supports)while I bolt it down.

The sub-frame installed. The hard part of the job is done. Time for the next step in putting my Genesis back together.