# Rear Sub frame 2002 **URL:** \ **Category:** GEM Forum\ **Created:** [July 14, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210 "2016-07-14T14:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/1 "2016-07-14T14:56:14Z")
Well the Rear sub frame on my 2002 broke again for the 2nd time. It broke in the traditional place (where the shock mounts on the passenger side) Any one have a more permanent fix for this??? I suspect that when I added the Air shocks I have lots more travel and moment and I think this sped up the cracking ---
**Author:** ![lowandratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lowandratty](https://community.electricforum.com/u/lowandratty)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/2 "2016-07-14T16:40:27Z")
When I welded mine up, I added a flat 1" wide strip across the top bar about 3 inches past the shock area, and around the axle bar back, and under the straight bar to add more support. I also added triangle shaped gussets in the outside corners of the main straight bars to the rear axle bar, just about an hour of extra welding but a lot more support. ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/3 "2016-07-14T16:53:53Z")
thanks for the reply would you happen to have a photo of your mod ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/4 "2016-07-14T17:19:20Z")
Are you replacing the spacer on the bolt between the shock mount and the square strut tube? I drilled out 1/2 inch nuts and welded them in. ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/5 "2016-07-14T17:35:58Z")
Yes I’m using the Spacer and the Threw bolt. ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/6 "2016-07-14T18:36:50Z")
The Triangles and flat bar sound like a good Idea, as well as replacing the spacer with a Nut. ---
**Author:** ![lowandratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lowandratty](https://community.electricforum.com/u/lowandratty)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/7 "2016-07-15T03:53:14Z")
I will try to get a picture tonight after work, I left the spacer alone. After it was all welded up it was quite strong, no more flex. I have only put 40 miles on mine after the repair so no way to tell if it is going to last forever, but it’s better than before. ---
**Author:** ![lowandratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lowandratty](https://community.electricforum.com/u/lowandratty)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 9:59am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/8 "2016-07-16T09:59:18Z")
Ok I have a few pictures, Don’t make fun of my welding skills, they look like crap but have great penetration. ---
**Author:** ![lowandratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lowandratty](https://community.electricforum.com/u/lowandratty)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 10:01am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/9 "2016-07-16T10:01:09Z")
Yes I could have ground them down and made them pretty, but it’s under my car not yours. ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 10:23am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/10 "2016-07-16T10:23:57Z")
Hey Thank you for the Pic’s I had your discription all wrong in my Head. I’m glad I saw what your were talking about. You gave me some great Ideas. Frankly the stock sub frame on our year cars Is a design failure. Almost every sub Frame in our year car is cracked, and needs repair. The way they designed it at the factory was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![lowandratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lowandratty](https://community.electricforum.com/u/lowandratty)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/11 "2016-07-16T10:27:42Z")
Yes it is the weak link, but in all fairness my cart came from Stanton Island Ny. lot’s of salty air, the lady let her kids drive it all over hell and back. It was abused by many. It look’s like they used it for a ramp jumper. ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/12 "2016-07-16T11:42:55Z")
Note: These suspension frames are supposed to flex. Don’t defeat the purpose with too much bracing. If they didn’t flex you could end up with a really rough ride. ---
**Author:** ![tomr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@tomr](https://community.electricforum.com/u/tomr)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/13 "2017-05-10T01:22:55Z")
I am going to weld my 2002 Gem rear axle frame but am not sure if I should unplug all of the electronics and charger from the harness before I weld so as not to damage anything? ---
**Author:** ![grantwest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/grantwest/32/15_2.png) [@grantwest](https://community.electricforum.com/u/grantwest)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/14 "2017-05-10T01:53:37Z")
Yes I would error on the side of caution I would disconnect your power and ground to the controller that’s what I have done in the past when welding on my’n ---
**Author:** ![lowandratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lowandratty](https://community.electricforum.com/u/lowandratty)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/rear-sub-frame-2002/6210/15 "2017-05-10T21:54:00Z")
I removed the complete rear subframe from my car. I used a pice of rebar thru all 3 mounts and measured between each mounting point, used vice grips on the rebar to hold everything inline and spaced correctly before I welded it. when I was finished I painted it all before reinstall.