Help with back strut

[DWBOX2000]

Good morning. I am in the process of replacing the rubber sealing ring on my right rear strut. I removed the three nuts from the top expecting it to drop at least a few inches. Didn't budge. Is there something else I need to loosen just to get it to drop? I know I need to loosen eccentric bolt on control arm to get it even lower but I am not there yet. Any suggestions?

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

Good morning. I am in the process of replacing the rubber sealing ring on my right rear strut. I removed the three nuts from the top expecting it to drop at least a few inches. Didn't budge. Is there something else I need to loosen just to get it to drop? I know I need to loosen eccentric bolt on control arm to get it even lower but I am not there yet. Any suggestions?

Is the car jacked up? Are the wheels off the ground?

[DWBOX2000]

Car jacked up, wheel suspended in air. Maybe compress spring?

[jakeru]

To remove stress on the rear swaybar, you should have the entire rear end of vehicle jacked up. (Both rear-left, and rear-right completely unloaded/off the ground.) Jacking up only one corner won't work.

You may also need to disconnect the rear swaybar, but first you should "destress" the rear swaybar.

[DWBOX2000]

Ok, am I ok to jack up other side (left) from where rear suspension arm mount on left side while the 3 nuts that hold the strut mount on right are not on? I want to jack up and throw a stand under left rear jack point. Right side is up. Thanks.

[jakeru]

If you need to disconnect the rear swaybar to accomplish whatever it is that you're doing, that's going to be easiest when both sides are completely even. Trying to disconnect a swaybar when there is any stress or loading through is not a good idea.

If you have the strut top disconnected on one side, but then unload the tires on both sides while the swaybar is still hooked up, the strut top should drop some, but its downward travel will be resisted (and probably limited some) by upward force from the swaybar.

If you disconnect the swaybar, it may allow the strut top to down further.

The other "spring like" force that could limit and resist downward travel is the rubber inner a-arm (coffin arm) bushing. To relieve that torsional resistance, however, will mean messing up your vehicle's alignment (necessitating getting it realigned afterward), so you might tend to try an avoid doing it.

[Racer Boy]

What jakeru said.

[DWBOX2000]

Do i loosen the sway bar from the link or from the two bolts that I believe screw into arm mount? Both wheels are up off the ground. I removed the three nuts from the strut mount. It dropped about an inch. Do I loosen sway bar on both sides on just right. Should I let the right suspension hang or relieve some weight by jacking the wheel carrier support up a little. Thanks for your help.

[Boxstard]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

Do i loosen the sway bar from the link or from the two bolts that I believe screw into arm mount? Both wheels are up off the ground. I removed the three nuts from the strut mount. It dropped about an inch. Do I loosen sway bar on both sides on just right. Should I let the right suspension hang or relieve some weight by jacking the wheel carrier support up a little. Thanks for your help.

Let both ends hang free, then just disconnect the sway bar from the drop link on just one end. I did replace that rubber gasket this year, be careful how you orient the plastic spring seat that the gasket fit, mine was not aligned properly and it took some try ＆error.

[DWBOX2000]

Thank you guys. I will try in morning and see what happens.

[DWBOX2000]

I went back out this morning. I removed sway bar connection with no change in drop. With great sadness I decided to leave this one to the pros. I just don't have the space or the desire to mess with the rear suspension again. Thanks everyone for the help.