Shock Absorber and Spring Assembly - All Wheel Drive (AWD): Installation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Montego, 2006 Ford Freestyle, and 2006 Ford Five Hundred. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Tape the spring to the upper rubber spring seat.
Insert a 76 mm (3 in) piece of rubber hose on the upper shock absorber stud, then position the spring and upper rubber seat on the shock absorber.
Install the shock absorber and spring assembly on the lower arm. Install a new bolt.
- Tighten to 105 N.m (77 lb-ft).
Position a suitable jackstand under the lower arm at the lower shock absorber mount.
Slowly raise the lower arm with the transmission jack while an assistant guides the upper shock absorber stud into the bushing.
Loosely install a new lower arm-to-knuckle bolt.
Raise the jackstand until the center of the wheel hub is at the correct curb height (measured in Step 1 of the Removal procedure).
Tighten the lower arm-to-knuckle bolts to 90 N.m (66 lb-ft).
Lower the jackstand and position it under the trailing arm attachment point.
Raise the jackstand, then install a new trailing arm-to-knuckle bolt.
- Tighten to 110 N.m (81 lb-ft).
Tighten the trailing arm-to-subframe bolt to 110 N.m (81 lb-ft).
Install the brake caliper anchor plate bolts.
- Tighten to 100 N.m (74 lb-ft).
Remove the jackstand.
Install the wheel and tire assembly. For additional information, refer to WHEEL AND TIRE .
Lower the vehicle.
Remove the rubber hose, then install a new shock absorber-to-mount nut.
- Tighten to 83 N.m (61 lb-ft).
Install the interior trim.