E30 REINFORCED FRONT SUBFRAME

Description

Out of all the mods available for the E30, this is one of the most important modifications you should consider if you drive your car hard or plan on adding more power. The Garagistic reinforced front subframe arrives with a fresh coat of black military-spec powder coating, in addition to welded reinforcement plates that strengthen the sway bar, engine mounts, and control arm ball joint mounts. Adding reinforcements is necessary to prevent the notorious cracking, bending, or breaking that E30 subframes are known for. Stock E30 subframes that are being used in a motor-swapped car, S50 to an LS1, and anything in between will eventually need to be reinforced to ensure the longevity of your vehicle; it’s simply a must-have if you are using stiffer or solid engine mounts. Stock E30 front subframes after 30 years have lived a pretty hard life. It is common for E30s to have filthy subframes with ripped motor mounts and weak sway bar mounting locations in the E30 world.

Oftentimes, the first modification E30 owners will do is reinforce their subframes, and forums are littered with issues regarding subframe warping and cracking on the engine mounting points, accompanied by testimonials of just how costly repairing it can be; not to mention that bigger aftermarket sway bars on an E30 are not a bolt-up affair since the sway-bar tabs are very thin and weak. This holds especially true with motor-swapped E30s with heavier and more powerful engines (LS1, S5X, M30, M60, turbo, etc). It's as "bolt-up" as it gets! These are a must for tracked vehicles. Even spec E30 legal!

FEATURES

• Coating: Black Mil-Spec Powder Coat
• Fitment: Fits all E30s, Including M3
• Reinforcements
  • Reinforced engine mounts (including gusseted section)
  • Reinforced sway bar mount points
  • Optional: Reinforced front control arm/ball joint mounting points
  • Reinforces known weak points on the subframe
• Advantages: Inexpensive insurance against failure
• Advantages: Allows for safe use of solid/stiff motor mounts
• Sway Bar Compatibility: Compatible with the use of aftermarket/bigger sway bars

Important Notes

We inspect all of our subframes for straightness and any obvious signs of damage before modification. The forces created from the flex in these old chassis under extreme driving conditions would often lead to the E30 eating its subframes, and the addition of stiffer suspension components and engine swaps in search of more power simply magnifies this effect.

That being said, these 30-year-old chassis have some history so the subframe you receive may not be an exact fit for your car. E30 chassis flex quite a bit over time but they can also be made to fit your new subframe with some simple techniques. 

First, keep in mind that the chassis relaxes within minutes of the subframe being pulled off the car. If you chassis relaxes to the point where the new subframe is not fitting properly, use straps or a porta power to the frame back into place. We also recommend leaving a strut bar on during installation, as it will help to limit how much the chassis relaxes. Lastly, it is normal for the subframe to have a slight rock when placed on flat ground, so don't panic if this is the case! 

If you have an alignment issue with your new subframe, please reach out to us immediately. The longer you wait to install the subframe, the more difficult it becomes for us to provide you with adequate support.

CORE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

This is a core exchange program. You send your stock straight/rust-free subframe in, we install the reinforcements, get the subframe powdercoated, and send it back! If you choose the "core after" option, once your new subframe is installed, you can send us back your STRAIGHT/RUST-FREE/ZERO MODIFICATION core, and we will refund you the core charge.

TURNAROUND TIME: HOW LONG DOES THE MODIFICATION TAKE?

To ensure a quality and more durable part, we now powder coat all of our subframes at no additional cost. If you do not supply a core and we must source one, then add another 1-3 weeks of lead time. With that being said, the total lead time is anywhere from 6-10 weeks, depending on what options you choose. 

Supplying your subframe speeds the process along. You can use the box it comes in to ship your old subframe back. Your reworked subframe will come with our eccentric hardware. If you choose to send your core in to be worked, you will not be charged the core fee. If you will be sending in your core after you receive the new reinforced subframe, you will be charged the core fee. Once we receive your original core, we will refund you within 7-9 days using the method you paid with (if within 30 days of receipt), as long as your original core is straight, rust-free, modification-free, and in an acceptable condition.

CORE EXCHANGE OPTIONS

This will explain the core options. If you chose "I will supply my subframe up front". You will not pay the core charge upfront. We will wait until we receive your subframe, which is why you are not charged. This option is the fastest. Supplying your subframe speeds the process along.

If you choose "I will not provide a core" or "I will return a core after", you will be charged the $200 core fee, as we must source a core for you after your order has been placed, which can add 1-3 weeks to the turnaround time. Providing us with your core is the best way to ensure it is identical to what is on your car. All of the subframes we stock will work across the model cars that are listed here, but if we are not re-working your subframe, expect that there may be some minor differences between what you receive and what is on your car.

While E30 and Z3 subframes are all functionally the same fit, there are minor differences in ABS routing tabs, exhaust hanger pick-up points, etc that we do not differentiate between. This is especially true with E30 M3 subframes.

CORE RETURN INFORMATION

CORES MUST BE RETURNED WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING YOUR REINFORCED SUBFRAME FOR A REFUND. ALL CORES RETURNED AFTER 30 DAYS ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR STORE CREDIT, NO EXCEPTIONS. ALL CORES MUST BE IN OEM UNMODIFIED CONDITION. WE DO NOT ACCEPT PREVIOUSLY MODIFIED COMPONENTS FOR CORES. SERIOUS RUST ISSUES, MAJOR CRACKS, OR BENT SUBFRAMES ARE ALSO NOT ACCEPTED AS A CORE.  PLEASE CONTACT US WITH PHOTOS OF YOUR SUBFRAME BEFORE SENDING IT BACK TO US! YOU CAN EMAIL THE PHOTOS TO OUR SUPPORT EMAIL, SUPPORT@GARAGISTIC.COM.