Easiest method to remove rear springs

[Mr. Burns]

this?

-Jack up rear of car. no ebrake on, not in gear.
-remove wheels
-place hydraulic jack under diff
-remove diff bolts
-ease jack/diff down by about 2"

this should allow enough clearance to get my trailarms to drop enough so the oem springs will pop out, so I can just slip my new springs in?

anyone know of a quicker/easier way?

[blefevre]

Jack up wheel
Remove wheel
Remove lower bolt from shock
Let TA go down, use a jack to prevent it from ripping the brake line off
Pull spring out

[nrubenstein]

Um, how would unbolting the diff do anything to the trailing arm?

[lolcantturn]

Um, how would unbolting the diff do anything to the trailing arm?

Seriously..and you don't know how much of a bitch it is to get that diff back into place

[Mr. Burns]

Um, how would unbolting the diff do anything to the trailing arm?

exactly what I was thinking.

I did a quick google search @ work, as my Bentley is at home and this is what came up.

didn't seem right to me.

check and gotcha on just removing the shock bolt. either 17 or 19mm i'm guessing.

I want this $hit done in less than 1hr.

[Mr. Burns]

Seriously..and you don't know how much of a bitch it is to get that diff back into place

never touched my rear diff, don't plan to until I grenade it.

[Jaxx_]

Um, how would unbolting the diff do anything to the trailing arm?

i think he means the drive shafts. I know mine didn't let the trailing arm drop fully until they were unbolted, but I was removing factory springs.

[jlevie]

A far better way to to do this is to get the rear of the car up on jack stands. Disconnect the sway links on both sides. Then lift a trailing arm with a jack and remove the fasteners holding the upper shock mount to the shock tower. Lower the trailing arm, remove the shock, and remove then the spring. For stock springs you will probably still need to compress the springs to get them out. Assembly is the reverse.

The advantage to disconnecting the shock from the body, rather than from the trailing arm will become apparent at reassembly time if you do it the other way. It is difficult to get the trailing arm and shock in exactly the right position to start the lower bolt. And there is a risk of cross threading the bolt. With the upper end of the shock free it is much easier get the bolt in.

[blefevre]

A far better way to to do this is to get the rear of the car up on jack stands. Disconnect the sway links on both sides. Then lift a trailing arm with a jack and remove the fasteners holding the upper shock mount to the shock tower. Lower the trailing arm, remove the shock, and remove then the spring. For stock springs you will probably still need to compress the springs to get them out. Assembly is the reverse.

The advantage to disconnecting the shock from the body, rather than from the trailing arm will become apparent at reassembly time if you do it the other way. It is difficult to get the trailing arm and shock in exactly the right position to start the lower bolt. And there is a risk of cross threading the bolt. With the upper end of the shock free it is much easier get the bolt in.

Hm, I've never had a problem getting the lower bolt to line up and i've done it a bunch of times. But yeah, try either way.

[cabriodster87]

Hm, I've never had a problem getting the lower bolt to line up and i've done it a bunch of times. But yeah, try either way.

Same way IMO. Although the upper shock mount on the Cabrio's would be much easier, less time rolling under the car. Good idea jlevie.

[bernzpeed]

Jack up wheel
Remove wheel
Remove lower bolt from shock
Let TA go down, use a jack to prevent it from ripping the brake line off
Pull spring out

ahm... this!

[davem]

Um, how would unbolting the diff do anything to the trailing arm?

isn't it to put less stress on the axles?

[Mr. Burns]

How's this for handywork.

Got car jacked up, wheel off, liquid Wrenched the lower shock bolt.
Let it sit for a few minute and grabbed the impact gun

Brrrzzzzppp!

Falls right down as predicted, however sheered the bolt right off. Cleared the shock, however the end bit of the bolt is sliced into the lower shock mount. Ffs. Tried drilling it out, nothing.

What now?

[Teaguer]

This thread makes me :rofl: and at the same time.

[Mr. Burns]

Its not my 1st time at this rodeo either. My '85 was much less seized and tempermental as my '90 is. 1/2 the miles on it to ffs. Guess it new rear trailing arm or limp to the garage where they can extract it.