Removal

1. Raise vehicle on jackstands or centered on a frame contact type hoist.
2. Remove both rear wheel and tire assemblies from the vehicle.





3. Remove the shock absorber clevis bracket to rear knuckle attaching bolt and nut on both sides of the vehicle.





4. Remove muffler support bracket from rear frame rail.





5. Remove the rear exhaust pipe hanger from the rear suspension crossmember. Let the exhaust system drop down as far as possible.





6. Position a transmission jack and wooden block under the center of the rear suspension crossmember to support and lower crossmember during removal.

Fig. 1:

7. Remove the routing clips for the wheel speed sensor cable from the brackets on the upper control arm.
8. Remove the nuts and bolts on each side of the vehicle attaching the 4 lateral links to the knuckles.





9. Remove the 4 bolts attaching the rear suspension crossmember to the rear frame rails.

Fig. 40:

10. Lower the rear suspension crossmember enough to access the upper control arm pivot bar to crossmember attaching bolts.

NOTE: One flat washer is used at each upper control arm pivot bar attaching bolt. The flat washer is located between the pivot bar and the rear suspension crossmember. Be sure the washers are not lost when removing the pivot bar attaching bolts from the rear suspension crossmember.

11. Remove the 4 bolts attaching the upper control arm pivot bars to the rear suspension crossmember. Remove the control arms from the crossmember.
12. Lower the rear suspension crossmember, lateral arms and stabilizer bar as far as possible using the transmission jack. Then with the aid of a helper remove rear suspension crossmember from the vehicle.
13. Transfer the lateral arms, stabilizer bar mounting brackets and the stabilizer bar and bushings to the replacement crossmember before installing the replacement crossmember in the vehicle. Tighten the stabilizer bar mounting bracket to rear crossmember mounting bolts to a torque of 27 Nm (20 ft. lbs.).Tighten the 4 lateral arm to crossmember attaching bolts to a torque of 95 Nm (80 ft. lbs.). Install the lateral arm to crossmember bolts so head of bolt will be toward the front of the vehicle when the crossmember is installed.