Got the rear done today. I’m surprised at what a difference 3 inches makes! It looks great and the ride is good too. Just need to get it aligned yet.
I think the rear was even easier than the front. Just lift it up, unhook the shock on the bottom, then twist the axle far enough that the spring pops out. I used this method:
The hardest part was reaching the nut on the top of the shock, as it’s hidden in this little impossible to get to cubby, and of course the whole thing was a giant pile of rust. After fighting with it for quite awhile, I just ended up using a cut off wheel, which worked nicely. After I got them out I went nuts with some semi gloss Rustoleum on everything in sight.
And here’s what it looks like all done, new bumpstops and all:
By the way I ended up not replacing those rear sway bar links. No one stocks them, and the ones I ordered were wrong, plus I thought I was getting a pair for 40 dollars, but it was only one. I decided it wasn’t worth 80 dollars and another couple days to replace them when they’re actually fine.
I also forgot to mention that I replaced the headlight bulbs with snazzy LEDs that look much better. However, now my bright light indicator on the dash doesn’t work. I always assumed that function was mechanically linked to the switch, but it must somehow run off the circuit, and the lower amps of the LEDs is screwing something up.
NEXT STOP, wheels and tires!
