kevin2012

I want to adjust a bit of the ride height at the rear. Trying to removing the shock but the suspension arm cannot be fully removed from the bottom of the shock. I haven't remove the top shock nuts yet, do I need to remove them? Do I need an alignment after doing so? Any comment please? Thanks.

jscott82

You need to remove that arm entirely. And you will need an alignment if you change ride height.

crw

Put a jack under the shock and elevate it from the bottom to take some of the tension off it. That should make getting out the rest of the arm easily which can then be punched out easily with a screw driver or round metal dowel.

pp000830

Why remove to make the adjustment. If you have the proper strut wrench you should be able to adjust them in place.

Tlaloc75

Why are you removing the shock to change ride height?

kevin2012

I have the proper strut wrench and I used it to fine tune the front ride height but for the rear, the drop link mount is in the way. Is there any way that I can turn it without dismount the shock? I guess the drive shaft is blocking the way. Thks.

Tlaloc75

The spring perch can be moved independently of the drop link perch. There are a couple lock rings just below spring perch which you can use to make the ride height changes with wheel off but shock still mounted.

kevin2012

I should mentioned it at the beginning that I am using the BILSTEIN B6 shocks. I think the drop link mount needs to be rotated clockwise to lower it and make room to turn those two lock rings below the springs. Am I correct? Thks

Tlaloc75

It depends on how much room you have between the ring above the drop link and the two rings below the spring perch. In my shocks there was enough room to move them independently.

Have a picture of what yours looks like? I can only see bottom of shock in your first picture.

pp000830

I would think you could gently tap the rings with a screwdriver and a small dead-blow mallet to free the rings for rotation. A little PB blaster oil will help free them up if the threads are corroded.

Tlaloc75

I've found that if you arrange the wrenches so that they are close enough that you can squeeze them both with one hand you can usually break them free with grip strength. With no load on the wheel the top ring can break free upwards as well as the bottom ring downward. So it's not necessarily as hard as it looks.

nine9six

To make things easier, rent a spring compressor and make adjustments to the ride height.
Tighten lock nut.

mpruden

B6 shocks can have only one ring with the drop link mount acting as the 2nd locking ring. If so, you will need to remove that toe link.

You don't have to remove the shock though. You can spin the entire shock body keeping the drop link mount stationary.