I have some homemade lift blocks for my loyale, and I'm having a tough time getting them in. Here's where I'm at:

 

 

Do I need to take my tie rod ball joint out? It seems like it's holding me back from pulling the strut down far enough to get my blocks in. But I want to make sure I'm not taking too many things off

Take the sway bar out and put your blocks in through the top thats how I do all of mine, its a pain in the a$$ but thats the best way. get it set on jack stands and use the weight of your body to push the strut down, but standing on the hub and knuckle, you can leave all the ball joint and everything in just remove the sway bar and you'll have to strugle through it.

 

Jeff

Edited June 26, 201015 yr by one eye

I'm having a lot of trouble with this. Is there anyone around the Snohomish, WA (Maltby more specifically) area that could help me out this weekend? I'd be willing to pay for work and gas to get here. Also, my house has a car lift, I could trade for some lift time (if interested)

you dont want to take your strut out and then try and get it tight up top, you'll have a good one on your hands trying to get the strut back in the knuckle on the bottom side............

 

Jeff

I have my bolts welded to the top of the blocks. So I can't get the strut down far enough to get it placed into the blocks.

 

I removed the sway bar (the one going across the car, from wheel to wheel) but what about the ones going from the body to the control arm? It looks like my problem is that the axle is hitting my control arm, preventing the strut from dropping lower.

I would take those bolt out, I know you might have them welded but it will go 100 times easier, that being said you can still do it, I've had a couple that Will welded and it was a pain but still got it.

 

try and loosen up your motor mount bolts on the motor crossmember that way your motor will be able to go up and you can get them that way.....

 

Jeff

That seems pretty difficult though. It's almost easier to just cut some new blocks

that is your best bet.............

 

Jeff

to cut new blocks? or to loosen the motor mounts?

Cut new blocks, or you could give the motor mount Idea a try.

 

Jeff

the bolts are only tack welded in, it seems like I could grind them down and pound the bolts out, but I'm not sure how to grind the welds down...

all else fails unbolt the control arm from the body,disconnect the swaybar(or toss it).everything else can stay connected then it will be easy to get the strut blocks in...

You can do it with the blocks you have. It's been done multiple times before, so, unless your Subaru is somehow special; it can be done again.

 

You need to use a long prybar to pry down on the hub while you fish the blocks in. I did it just by standing on the hub with one foot. It takes alot of downward force, but, any way you do this, at some point putting something back together is going to be tough. Putting the ball joint back in will be tight, and if you remove something else, then that may ease putting the balljoint back in, but, putting that back together will be hard. My point is that somewhere along the line it's going to take alot of force to put this back together. I'd just deal with manipulating those blocks in, and cursing as you try to get the ball joint back in.

 

AND DISCONNECT THE SWAY BAR.

 

I know I mentioned this about a dozen times in all the PMs you sent me, but, in case you didn't get it then: YOU NEED TO DISCONNECT THE SWAY BAR. If it is not disconnected; you may as well head back in the house. Cut it, take it off, do whatever you need to to get it out of your way. It makes this job impossible.

 

I see you have it disconnected in the pic, but, make sure to do the other side too.

Edited June 26, 201015 yr by 3eyedwagon

The axle hits the "housing" of where the control arm mounts to the body. Which prevents everything from dropping lower

Do you have pictures of your blocks?

I made disconnecting the sway bar my first step. In the picture it is just hanging there, not bolted in at all.

 

 

Yeah here they are:

 

Those bolts don't really look too long. They should go in man. It takes some wiggling, and snaking around to get them in there, but, it can be done.

 

You can grind the tacks off, and take the bolts out, but like I said earlier; no matter how you do it, one part of this is going to be hard. It's either struggle with this, or struggle with something else depending on how you do it.

haha yeah, thanks. I'm going to give it another go with a 3rd set of hands, and hopefully I can get it in.

I just can't drop the strut down far enough because the axle hits the "housing" where the control arm bolts to the body

so, unbolt the control arm....?

It took some strength and anger, but I got everything in. One corner done tomorrow hopefully the rest. I can't wait to order tires, so I can get it done!

I guess this is one of those jobs where being a fat*** comes in kinda handy!!! :lol::lol:

 

I found this task pretty easy.

haha I guess so. But now the rears, is there any complications with welding them? Like with gas/fluids in the strut, heating up too much?

i installed one of bills lifts about 2 weeks ago. little different but same principle. i installed the spacer onto the strut, then put the strut into its mountin place but didnt thread the nuts on more than 4-5 threads or so to allow for movement. took a little effort to get the knuckle down enough to get the strut in, but it worked out, however, i think pulling the axle out would have made it MUCH easier. i also found it easier to pop the ball joint out of the control arm, and loosen the 2 bolts on that trailin arm thing until the bolt was flush with the threaded hole/nut. gave a little extra space. also i have heard that loosening the cross member will help too but found it unnecessary.

 

once it was all together, i just had to get the ball joint back in the control arm. i pushed down on the control arm with a 4' pipe i was able to place in a good prying spot and then sat on it while lining up the ball joint. im bout 195lbs for reference.

 

naturally i cant really comment about the 3 spacer method as far as lining them up properly but as far as the process goes, if i can do it, you can do it.