Aluminum cradle/subframe swap

[BrandonHall10]

I'm planning on doing a trans swap sometime this spring. I thought that would be a good time to do the aluminum cradle swap. Since I have plenty of time to look and be choosy, I'm wondering:

Is there an aluminum cradle from a particular year/make/model that is more desireable than the others?

I remember reading somewhere that certain things were changed during the production life cycle. Also planning on doing the aluminum oil pan if that affects anything. Current steel pan is dented and leaking.

 

[dezebe1]

I swapped to the 05 Chevy Monte Carlo sub frame and used new 05 Impala police package frame bushings from the 9C1 RPO code

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

make sure you look for the one piece rear cross tube for the steering rack mount. the machining of it gives the tabs that mount the rack. the ones that are welded on are weaker and do not have as much additional support material. you are also looking for it to not be new enough to have the tubular front legs. you want the diagonal truss units of the earlier aluminum subframes.
9c1 and taxi package impalas are pretty good places to start. make sure you grab and keep the newer bolts since they will likely be less crowded than yours and keep in mind that you want to keep the forward steel braces that go to the core support and to the underside of the vertical mount bolt

 

[BrandonHall10]

Good info here guys. Thanks!

...and used new 05 Impala police package frame bushings from the 9C1 RPO code

I'll probably end up re-using the stock ones from whatever cradle I get. If they're junk, I'll replace them. Do you have part numbers for those bushings?

make sure you look for the one piece rear cross tube for the steering rack mount. the machining of it gives the tabs that mount the rack. the ones that are welded on are weaker and do not have as much additional support material. you are also looking for it to not be new enough to have the tubular front legs. you want the diagonal truss units of the earlier aluminum subframes.

I don't think there's anything in the pick-a-part newer than '06 maybe '07. I assume the one piece rear cross tube and diagonal truss units overlap?

make sure you grab and keep the newer bolts since they will likely be less crowded than yours

The one I'm eyeing right now is from an '05 Impala. This one is the front runner due to the fact that it's already on the ground and the motor/trans have been removed. Just need to strip the rack and LCA's. Hopefully whoever dropped the cradle didn't throw the bolts/bushings/plates too far. I guess if I can't find them, I can just grab 'em from another vehicle.

and keep in mind that you want to keep the forward steel braces that go to the core support and to the underside of the vertical mount bolt

I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about here. I'll have to look at one that's still assembled to see if I can figure out what these are.

Thanks again guys.

 

[BrandonHall10]

Got one from a '02 Impala.

Also grabbed all the bolts, bushings and washers. Just need to give it a wash and grind off the curb rash. $51 OTD.