Haveing problems aligning rear struts, HELP

[BANANA]

So after a lot of hassles and cussing the poor design of our cars, i got three of the 4 struts on. but now im stuck. on the passenger rear, the main strut bolt doesn't have enough clearance to come out all the way. its hitting the calipers and the break line. how do i get that off? in the how to it doesn't say anything about needing to take off the calipers.. what am i overlooking?

and the drivers side rear, i cant seem to get the new strut aligned with the breaks. the bottom holes line up but the top one is just a tad bit off. should i try attaching the endlinks and snugging all the bolts first and THEN try to line (dunno)up the holes? i just can't seem to get enough play in the breaks to pivot it up to the other hole...

 

[slavrenz]

pics?

 

[yangsui]

I had to undo the caliper bolt and flip it down to pull the bolt out. Just do that. It's not too hard. When you reinstall, install it so that the bolt slides in towards the back of the car so you won't have to take apart the caliper next time. ...if there is a next time.

As for the driver's side, did you already tighten the nuts on the top strut tower? I.e. did you already secure the top of the strut to the car? Loosen those so both the strut and the brake knuckle are free to move around a bit. Should give you enough play to line everything up.

If that doesn't help, take pictures to show us the problem.

 

[BANANA]

the first pic is of the bolt that's hitting the caliper. second pic is of the new strut that i can't get lined up

 

[Tzar177]

That bolt is installed in the wrong direction

 

[CTt3P5]

When we just recently installed my suspension we removed the calipers at all four corners. That is the way Bruce has always done it and the way he instructed me. Maybe you don't have to remove them but I know it made mine a much easier install. My biggest issue was the rear endlinks.

 

[yangsui]

Rear caliper is easy. See that black plastic cap with a little nub on it? There's a bolt under there. Undo that one bolt and the caliper will flip right down. Disconnect parking brake cable first.

You don't even have to flip the caliper all the way down, just enough to pull the bolt out.

For the driver side that doesn't line up. Try this: slide the bottom bolt in, don't have to tighten it. Slowly jack up the whole wheel until the top holes line up. Now I remember, the spring needs to be compressed a little bit for everything to line up.

 

[BANANA]

Rear caliper is easy. See that black plastic cap with a little nub on it?

i just take the needle nose pliers to this right?

[For the driver side that doesn't line up. Try this: slide the bottom bolt in, don't have to tighten it. Slowly jack up the whole wheel until the top holes line up. Now I remember, the spring needs to be compressed a little bit for everything to line up.

So i got the bottom bolt in, now i can barely lift the brake nuckel... if i continue to jack up the car your saying that it *should* line up?

 

[yangsui]

i just take the needle nose pliers to this right?

To what? The little plastic cap? That comes out by hand. Just pull it right off. The bolt underneath is a 10 mm, I think.

So i got the bottom bolt in, now i can barely lift the brake nuckel... if i continue to jack up the car your saying that it *should* line up?

I meant jack up the wheel. The car is already on stands right? Put your jack to where the trailing link connects to the wheel hub and jack up. This simulates putting the car back on the ground. As the spring compresses, the top hole should line up with the knuckle.

 

[BANANA]

hey, that worked

 

[yangsui]

So both problems solved? What where you doing? Putting on lowering springs? If so, you owe us pics of the slammed ride yo