Rear Eibach Swaybar Install Help DIY

[chewiguy]

Hi Everyone! I'm in desperate need of your help so I would appreciate any input you all might have.

So the deal is that I am going try my best to perform a DIY on installing my rear Eibach swaybar but I can't do it without your help.

According to a previous topic on sway bars, MTI said the follwing:

"The basic steps: Get the car, or the back end, up in the air; remove the rear tires, undo the sway bar links; with a jack under the diff, loosen the subframe bushings and sway bar brackets and slowly lower it; when the bar can be pulled stop the lowering, keeping an eye on the brake lines to avoid any tugging. Slip the new bar in and reverse the procedure..

For a driveway DIY, it's going to take a few hours, mostly spent getting the car up and down; for a shop with a lift and tools . . . maybe 90 minutes, if that."

So here is the problem. I have all the tools and I am able to loosen up all the bushings to release the sway bar, but I am not sure which are the subframe bolts?

Are there 4 bolts total (2 on each side) that hold the subframe up?

I have posted pictures below of which bolts I think I need to undo but I just need some confirmation. Please let me know if I'm spot on or if I'm completely retarded and should get a shop to do it. Thanks so much!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Chewiguy/Image02Edited.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Chewiguy/Image05edited.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Chewiguy/Image07edited.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Chewiguy/Image04edited.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Chewiguy/Image08edited.jpg

I'm thinking that I'm going to need to take off all 4 bolts which will then allow me to steadily lower my subframe a tiny bit. Ya?

-Lawrence

[SLAMMED_C]

as I have done this mod to my car.. I can veryify you are on the right track!!
in order to remove and install the rear wway bar you do indeed need to drop the rear subframe (circled spots in your pic)
aad just to caution you. you will need to make sure to remove your rear springs before you loosen those bolts.
it is a huge pain in the ass to do.
I dont know why they ran the sway bar behind the subframe!!

[chewiguy]

Thanks a ton, Slammed. It looks like this is going to be quite the job. Any more tips would be really helpful.

So far the advice I have gathered up is:

- Use only a 6 point socket to remove the subframe bolts otherwise the multi point socket will round them out.

-Use a really long breaker bar because the bolts are really tough

-Remove the springs before undoing the bolts

-Be careful of the brake lines

-Drop the subframe by lowering it on a jack under the differential

How much did you torque the subframe bolts back in? Did you just tighten the SOB to the max?

Off topic: Do you happen to still have that Reiger Lip for sale?

-Lawrence

[RemoLexi]

... I dont think you want to torque anything to the MAX ... ill try and find out exact specs at work ... how thick is the rear swaybar? I will also be doing this sometime so im tuned into this thread. :)

[chewiguy]

Hey Remo,

My muscles are pretty small so I don't think i'll be breaking anything anytime soon at my MAX. :confused:

It would be aweeesome if you could find out the torques for the bolts. I will praise you as a god.

Thanks!

[RemoLexi]

ill try to remember tomorrow... what kind of torque wrech ya got ? pounds or nutenmeters ?

[chewiguy]

lbs please! But if you have it in N/m, I can do a conversion no problemo. Thanks!

All Praaaaiiiseee Reeeemoooo!

[SLAMMED_C]

Originally posted by chewiguy
Thanks a ton, Slammed. It looks like this is going to be quite the job. Any more tips would be really helpful.

So far the advice I have gathered up is:

- Use only a 6 point socket to remove the subframe bolts otherwise the multi point socket will round them out.

-Use a really long breaker bar because the bolts are really tough

-Remove the springs before undoing the bolts

-Be careful of the brake lines

-Drop the subframe by lowering it on a jack under the differential

How much did you torque the subframe bolts back in? Did you just tighten the SOB to the max?

Off topic: Do you happen to still have that Reiger Lip for sale?

-Lawrence
yes you will need an inverted torx bit to remove the subframe bolts.
everything you have ther seems pretty good. remove the rear springs. put a jack under the diff or somewhere where you can easily move the entire subframe back into place.
you probably wont have to worry about much else though.. you arent actually removing the subframe form the car to do this install.. try removing 2 of the bolts and if you need to remove 3, then drop the subframe. probably 5 or 6". you should be able to maneuver the sway bar out and get the new one back in.. just be careful of the surrounding wires and parts.
Im not sure about the torque on the subframe bolts. Im guessing 90ft lbs.. but id have to double check that on monday if no one else has it.
yes I still do have the Rieger lip.

[RemoLexi]

130 Nm's. Im not so bright in math, whats the formula for Lb's ?

[chewiguy]

Thanks so much Remo!!

130 Newton Meters is 95.88 ft-lbs. Slammed you were really close!

A good place for conversions is www.onlineconversion.com (http://www.onlineconversion.com). Math is definitely overrated. :)

Thanks so much guys! I'll attempt this probably next weekend since I couldn't get the right torx bolt from Ace or Osh.

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!

Wish me luck.

-Lawrence

[RemoLexi]

good luck! ill be waiting to hear your pain and gain! :D

[ImportPR]

can you tell me whats the exact. torx bolt size. so i can do this swap this next weekend. thanks