Removal of Rear Strut

Front-wheel-drive models
PROCEDURE

Raise the vehicle on both sides.

Secure the vehicle.

Remove the wheel.

Place a support under the axle on the side where the strut will be removed, and raise the axle approximately 10 mm.

Loosen the lower retaining bolt on the strut.

Loosen the four upper retaining bolts on the strut. Hold the strut while doing so.

Remove the strut.

When installing, first tighten the upper strut bolts (55 N·m).

Loosely install the lower strut mount, and replace the self-locking nut.

Lower the vehicle to the ground on all four wheels.

Only now tighten the lower strut retaining bolt to 240 N·m. Otherwise the rubber-metal bushings may become misaligned.

All-wheel-drive models
PROCEDURE

Raise the vehicle.

Secure the raised vehicle.

Remove the wheel.

Place a support under the transverse suspension arm on the side where the strut will be removed.

Unscrew the lower retaining bolt on the strut.

Loosen the four upper retaining bolts on the strut. Hold the strut so that the entire rear axle suspension does not strike the wheel arch from the inside.

Loosen and remove the retaining bolt of the transverse suspension arm at the top of the strut.

Remove the strut.

When installing, loosely fit the lower strut mount, and replace the self-locking nut and bolts.

Tighten the upper strut bolts (55 N·m).

Loosely screw in the retaining bolt of the upper transverse suspension arm. Replace the bolts and self-locking nuts here as well.

Lower the vehicle to the ground on all four wheels. If the suspension wheel bolts are tightened on a raised vehicle, the rubber-metal bushings will be misaligned.

Only now tighten the lower strut retaining nut to 90 N·m, then turn an additional 1/2 turn (90°).

Tighten the retaining bolt nut of the upper transverse suspension arm to 70 N·m, then turn an additional 1/2 turn (180°).