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.

Fig. 5:

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 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. 7:

7. If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes, remove routing clips for wheel speed sensor cable from brackets on upper control arm.
8. Remove the nuts and bolts on each side of vehicle attaching the 4 lateral links to the knuckles.





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





10. Lower the rear suspension crossmember enough to access the upper control arm pivot bar to crossmember attaching bolts. Remove the 4 bolts attaching the upper control arms to the suspension crossmember. Remove the control arms from the crossmember.
11. 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.

NOTE: When installing the lateral links on the crossmember, the lateral link attaching bolts must be installed as listed below. Install the forward lateral link to crossmember bolts so that the head of the bolt will be toward the front of the vehicle when the crossmember is installed. Install the rear lateral link to crossmember bolts so that the threaded end of the bolt will be facing toward the front of the vehicle when the crossmember is installed.

12. 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.