Was installing my coilovers today, front went in smoothly. But the rear I cannot figure out how to remove the rear assembly. Every way I pull it, it gets caught on something. I try pushing the rotors down, moving everything else down, but it still wont come out. I have already removed the top two bolts, and allenwrench nut, and the sway bar link, and the bottom bolt. I didnt install a spring compressor, cuz I shouldnt need to right?? Any help plz?

 

Hmmm maybe just not pushing down hard enough? Trying to do this sh*t solo :/

 

See if this makes sense...(man I need to do a write-up on this, I have the perfect method here)




Step 1: Get both rears off the ground.
Step 2: Loosen the top nuts but leave one on a couple threads. Don't completely remove both nuts though.
Step 3: Remove the wheel and sway bar endlink on one side, just the one nut where the link meets the bracket on the knuckle. Push the link out of the way.
Step 4: Remove the 17mm bolt drilled through the bottom of the damper.
Step 5: This is tough to explain but let me try. Say, you are working on the left side of the car. You got the shock loose; it is kinda dangling on the one nut at the top. But you can't move it past the rear sway bar link bracket to get some room to remove it. You do need to push the knuckle down to make that room. Take your right foot and place it on the brake caliper. Push it down hard as you grab the shock. As you push down with your foot you will be able to get the rear shock out of the hub carrier to move it inward past the sway bar. It is a hard push on the foot, almost need to bounce it down.
Step 6: If you did 5 right, the shock is sitting in a more open space in amongst the suspension links. Now you can remove the top nut holding the assembly up, holding the shock so it doesn't fall.
Step 7: With the shock sitting loose in the suspension, you can tip the top out towards you past the fender lip and pull the assembly out.
Step 8: Take out the opposite side before re-attaching the sway bar link on the first side.


This is the fastest and simplest way to do it without uninstalling a bunch of arms and stuff and fighting with the suspension/sway bar.

Reiterating an important point, do not leave one side on the ground while you work on the other side. Get both sides off the ground.

 

Thanks for the help Marcus. Unfortunately, I didnt read this before I got em out, would've helped a lot. I just got someone to help me, one person push down on the hub as hard as they can, and the other just wiggle it out. Its pretty obvious to see how it comes out, just hard to actually get it out. But with two people is SO MUCH easier! The tricky part is getting it pass the sway bar, I was thinking I would have to remove it, but nope. Thanks again Marcus!

For people that are thinking of trying it, it's really not that hard, just time consuming. Most important thing, make sure you have all the tools you need, this includes hydraulic jack, the hollow handle is the ultimate breaker bar. Just put it over your socket wrench.

 

No problem man, glad you got it done! Next time, undo the sway links on both sides and the whole bar moves out of the way.