Any tips for removing rear coilovers?

[Jhuff]

So I leveled the front of my Bronco, but need to add the same kit to the rear for a little rake.

You would think that the rear should be a piece of cake compared to the front, but the only instructions I've found for the rear suggest that more tools are needed than I possess, and I wonder if that is necessary.

Those instructions call for lifting the bronco's rear (which will occupy my two stands), removing both coilovers, thus leaving the axle unsupported and requiring disconnecting or making slack for all the wires and brake lines that would be holding weight. This leaves me with my one jack to balance & wrestle the entire rear axle and I don't like that.

Is it possible to get the clearances needed for removing one coilover at a time with only one side disassembled at a time? Or maybe even leaving the opposing tire on the ground? Thanks for any input.

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[Silver-Bolt]

Buy two more jack stands to support the rear axle.

 

[projectbadlands]

The rear is actually way easier than the front and requires less tools and a lot less time.

Here is what I did.

1. lift one side (I did driver side first) the rear of the vehicle by the rear portion of the frame and place jackstand.

2. remove wheel

3. loosen up the lower shock mount. I used a 4ft long breaker bar and made easy work loosening up the bolt

4. using phillips screwdriver, I removed rear wheel liner

5. using jack and a piece of wood, slightly lift rear axle assembly by the rear differential until you can position your second jackstand under the axle and lower the axle onto the stand to support the weight so it is no longer hanging on by the shock.

6. remove lower shock mount bolt completely

7. remove top 3 shock mount nuts evenly and once they are near the end of the bolt, support the shock so it does not drop to the ground when the nuts come completely off

8. remove shock

 

[Aztec1382]

you can do
One wheel at a time

 

[NORCALGXP]

The rear is actually way easier than the front and requires less tools and a lot less time.

Here is what I did.

1. lift one side (I did driver side first) the rear of the vehicle by the rear portion of the frame and place jackstand.

2. remove wheel

3. loosen up the lower shock mount. I used a 4ft long breaker bar and made easy work loosening up the bolt

4. using phillips screwdriver, I removed rear wheel liner

5. using jack and a piece of wood, slightly lift rear axle assembly by the rear differential until you can position your second jackstand under the axle and lower the axle onto the stand to support the weight so it is no longer hanging on by the shock.

6. remove lower shock mount bolt completely

7. remove top 3 shock mount nuts evenly and once they are near the end of the bolt, support the shock so it does not drop to the ground when the nuts come completely off

8. remove shock

Perfect thanks.

 

[kodiakisland]

Yeah, do one at a time. It's really pretty easy. This is with the lower trailing arm removed as well, but it's quick and easy. Just get a 3 foot breaker bar for the lower shock mounts.

 

[Jhuff]

The rear is actually way easier than the front and requires less tools and a lot less time.

Here is what I did.

1. lift one side (I did driver side first) the rear of the vehicle by the rear portion of the frame and place jackstand.

2. remove wheel

3. loosen up the lower shock mount. I used a 4ft long breaker bar and made easy work loosening up the bolt

4. using phillips screwdriver, I removed rear wheel liner

5. using jack and a piece of wood, slightly lift rear axle assembly by the rear differential until you can position your second jackstand under the axle and lower the axle onto the stand to support the weight so it is no longer hanging on by the shock.

6. remove lower shock mount bolt completely

7. remove top 3 shock mount nuts evenly and once they are near the end of the bolt, support the shock so it does not drop to the ground when the nuts come completely off

8. remove shock

you can do
One wheel at a time

Perfect! Thanks for responding to the question asked. After reading the first response I was worried this would turn into a shit-post.

Complete disassembly of the rear suspension seemed like overkill, so I'm glad I won't have to, nor will I have to buy anything else.

 

[Evolkidbell]

The rear lower bolt was the worst part of the rear end shock swap. It's torqued to 350 ft-lb.

 

[Jhuff]

The rear lower bolt was the worst part of the rear end shock swap. It's torqued to 350 ft-lb.

Yeah I'm hoping my impact is strong enough for it, otherwise a 4' piece of pipe is waiting in the corner.

I've been wondering too if that thread compound would loosen up with a little heat. I e read horror stories where guys were putting the equivalent of 800lbs on them to break loose (4'+ bars x body weight).

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