Overview:
The rear struts are a pain to get to because of all the bracing that’s in the way. The easiest way to get to the strut towers is to remove the rear seat.
Difficulty: ***
Time: 2-3 hours
Cost: n/a
Tools:
-Breaker Bar
-10mm deep socket
-12mm socket
-12mm ratcheting box wrench (helpful)
Procedure:
For those of us who don’t know how to remove the rear seat, you need to unbolt two 10mm bolts at the bottom of the seat that I’ve got marked by the two screw drivers. Use a deepwell socket and a short extension to get them.
Now you need to lift to seat up to get it off of the top mounting tabs. I have them marked in the pic.
Break the bottom mount of the strut off so it’s hanging by the perch mounts. Now, start with the rear bolt (it’s a 12mm) by sticking your hand under the vinyl cover. It’s the part that acts as the trunk seperator. I opened my trunk so I could get some light.
Next is the hard part. The bolt is situated directly under the auto-tensioner for the rear belts and it was just too tight to fit a 12mm 3/8’s drive ratchet in there. What I had to do was take my 3/8’s breaker bar with a 12-point socket and just slowly turn the bolt. This should be the last bolt so the perch will slowly fall down. I tried it first and the bolt raised my wrench into the auto-tensioner. To make life really easy, try to find a metric ratcheting box wrench. I have a standard set and 12mm is right in between standard sizes.
the last pic has a maroon line above the breaker bar to show how little room is between the auto tensioner. It takes some monkey wrenching to get the socket on there. Do as much as you can with your fingers.
Now you have it! Installation is reverse of removal. Have someone prop the strut up and start threading the front nut on.