Rear Axle

NOTE: The numbers found below in parenthesis ( ), refer to that number (and that part/component) found in the illustration. (The drawings show a car fitted with the V6 engine.)

REMOVAL
1. Use a brake clamp to hold the brake pedal in the depressed position.
2. Raise the car and remove the wheels.
3. Unplug the speed sensor connectors and disconnect the cables from the spring link.
4. Remove the return springs from the levers on both sides.
5. Remove the lefthand hand brake cable from the lever and holder and equalizing sleeve.
6. Remove the righthand hand brake cable from the lever and holder.





7. Remove the rear silencer (1).
8. Remove the rear anti-roll bar. Collect the nut washers.
9. Remove the lefthand and righthand rear brake pipes. Plug the brake calipers and hose connections (2).
10. Remove the retaining clips for the brake hose connections and press them out of the holder.
11. Use a high-lift jack or the like to press up the spring link on one side slightly.
12. Remove the damper's lower retaining bolt (3).
13. Remove the high-lift jack.
14. Using a crowbar, carefully force the spring link down and remove the coil spring and spacer.
15. Remove the four hub assembly retaining nuts (4) and lift off the hub assembly and spacer.
16. Place a jack or the like under the spring link on the other side of the car.
17. Press up the spring link slightly.
18. Remove the damper's lower retaining bolt (3).
19. Carefully release and lower the spring link. Remove the coil spring and spacer.
20. Remove the four hub assembly retaining nuts (4) and lift off the hub assembly with spacer.
21. Position the jack under the rear axle.
22. Remove the rear axle retaining bolts (5). Lower the rear axle.
23. Place the rear axle on a workbench. Remove the inner anti-roll bar and bush.
24. Remove the brake hose and brake cable holder.





INSTALLATION
1. Install new bushes (1).
2. Install the brake hose and brake cable holder.
3. Install the inner anti-roll bar with rubber bush (2).
Tightening torque: 60 Nm (44.3 ft. lbs.) + (60 - 75°)
4. Remove the bolt for the tie-down bracket.
5. Place the rear axle on a high-lift jack or the like.
6. Raise the rear axle, offering it up to the body mountings. Install the retaining bolts and nuts but do not tighten them.
7. Place the jack or similar under the spring link and raise it to the correct distance between the edge of the wheel arch and the upper edge of the hub centre. This distance should be about 37 cm. Tighten the retaining bolts to the correct torque.
Tightening torque: 65 Nm (48 ft. lbs.).
8. Tighten the bolt for the tie-down bracket.
Tightening torque: 24 Nm (17.7 ft. lbs.).
9. Install the coil spring and spacer.

IMPORTANT: The marking on the spring should face rearwards.

10. Press the spring link up additionally and install the damper's lower retaining bolt (3). Tighten the bolt.
Tightening torque: 62 Nm (45.8 ft. lbs.).
11. Move the jack or similar to the other side of the car. Press up the spring link and tighten the bolt securing it to the rear axle.
Tightening torque: 65 Nm (48 ft. lbs.).
12. Position the coil spring and spacer on the other side. Use a crowbar to press down the spring link.





13. Install the damper's lower retaining bolt (3). Tighten the bolt.
Tightening torque: 62 Nm (45.8 ft. lbs.).
Remove the jack or similar. Install the hub assembly on both sides. Tighten the nuts.
Tightening torque: 50 Nm (36.9 Lbs ft) + 30° + 15°.

IMPORTANT: Always install new nuts if the hub nuts have been slackened or removed as they are of self-locking type and should not be reused.

14. Install the hose connections in the holders and install the retaining clips.
15. Install the nut washers and mount the rear anti-roll bar. Tighten the bolts.
Tightening torque: 24 Nm (17.7 ft. lbs.).
16. Remove the plugs from the brake pipe connections and install the brake pipes on both sides (4).
17. Fix the cables to the spring link and plug in the speed sensor connectors on both sides.
18. Install the righthand brake cable to the holder and lever.
19. Install the lefthand brake cable to the equalizing sleeve, lever and holders.
20. Install the return springs on both sides.
21. Install the rear silencer (5).
22. Lower the car slightly and remove the brake clamp.
23. Bleed the brake system.
24. Install the wheels and lower the car to the floor.