Removing rear springs... PICS... what else needs to be removed

[longhornsqx4]

I want to install an airlift 1000 kit, that I just got. And aparently on our vehicles its not simply push the bag into the spring and go, you gotta remove the spring, cut off the HUGE bump stop, and install

But Im unsure how to remove the rear springs, has anyone done it before??

The instructions say- raise car on jackstands and supprt frame, lower axle or raise body until suspension is fully extended

-detach shock absorbers

-detach panhard bar at the lower bar mount??? no idea what this is

-carefully lower axle until coil springs are free

-cut off exposed portion of the rubber jounce bumper

-install kit, reverse

I dont quite understand what a panhard bar is though, or what it means by the lower bar mount

Can anyone help me based on these pics??





Appreciate any help

[Pwnin O'Brien]

The panhard bar is the black metal bar in the middle of your first picture. You need to remove the rusty bolt that holds that bar to the axle (the bolt i'm talking about is almost directly in the center of the first image).

[longhornsqx4]

Ok so its the bar that seemingly does nothing (as far as I saw it bolted to the right side of the back of the rear end, and just went tot he other side of the rear end and bolted there aswell

Just a simple 2 bolts and its off??

[Pwnin O'Brien]

You just need to remove that one bolt in the picture, not the one on the other end. You don't need to remove the entire panhard rod because you just need to be able to drop the axle down. That bar prevents the axle from moving left to right. It wont be easy because the bolt is likely extremely rusted and you will need to soak the bolt in penetrating fluid for some time before trying to remove it.

[longhornsqx4]

Thats fine, Ill replace the nut when I get it off, and I dont plan on doing this til friday so I will soak it everyday (that I remember) so it should be free by then

Thanks for your help bud

[02pathy]

keep in mind brake cables, hose on the top of diff, if you had a small spring compressor it might help so that you don't have to disconnect everything not sure, i was just going to pay my mechanic to do it, you have to pretty much drop the rear end which is not bad when you have correct working conditions, but working off the floor makes the job that much harder

[W O T]

There will be a few brake line brackets youll have to undo, but its an easy job. You have to get the rear frame jacked up fairly high on stands to get it to drop far enough though

Definetely a handtool and driveway job though

Soak as many bolts as you can before hand

[Natedogg1701]

and you dont have to cut off the bump stops, there is a blot inside them that allows them to come out.

[fueler]

the bumpstop is held with a bolt like nate dogg says. You need a ratchet with a long extension 14mm? i cant remember.

i think you might be able to get the bump stop out without removing the spring. it depends on whether or not it fits through the coil - i think you should be able to squeeze it out. its worth trying this way first before you start compressing the spring for removal.

you dont need to detach the panhard rod. you dont need to detach the rear shocks. i swapped out my rear springs in my driveway by simply lifting the rear off the ground and using a spring compressor.
Modified by fueler at 9:32 PM 2/21/2010

[longhornsqx4]

Wish I had a local place here in canada that rented out there spring compressors

[fueler]

oh. so if you dont have access to a spring compressor, then yeah youre gonna have to unbolt the shocks, to get the axle to droop down enough so the springs come right out. but like i said... once you tackle this project, try getting the bumpstop out through the spring (with the car off the ground) before you go do all that work. Cause you gotta take the bumpstop off to take off the spring anyways.