Rob Edwards

The obvious answer is high enough, dumbass, and if you're not high enough, lift the car higher.

Now that I've answered my own dumb question, do I need to have the car on the absolute top of my 3.5 ton stands and liftbars, or can one just put it up 15" or so, and angle the shock (with the upper A-arm horizontal) enough to thread it out without hitting the ground? TIA for BTDT advice!

Richard S

It doesn't have to be all the way up. I just measured mine, I set them at 15-16 inches.

Rich

Ed MD

I just raised the car 2 notches on my jack stands . See this post and it will make it easier. https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/273754-easier-way-for-front-strut-removal-on-85-a.html
"Easier way for front strut removal on 85"...also works on 87 and 88's.
Ed

Rob Edwards

Thanks, guys.

Ed, I'll give that a try- I've had my wheelwells in and out several times for cleaning and lamp changes- they come out super-fast now, since I'm now missing half the screws ......

Bill Ball

The last set I did on a 90, I removed them from ABOVE the upper A-arm. Jack the car up, remove the wheels, unbolt the shocks at both ends and pull them out the top, wheel well covers left in. I had the lower A-arms detached from the unibody mounts as I was doing motor mounts as well. That may or may not be essential. The key is whether the top of the shock will clear the shock tower lip. I had to pry just a smidge to clear that. The tilt the shock forward as you pull it up out of the upper A-arm. There may be a little maneuvering required to clear the wheel well lip, but mine cleared.

Okv

VERY interesting - this would make the front coilover swap very easy.

But:
- You had removed lower arms, which may make it possible to angle the upper A arm lower down, and thus provide necessary space.
- Was that a stock coilover, as the stock is larger in diameter than most replacements like Hypercoil.
- Like always when you come over something too good to be true - well, usually it is not.