SOMEONE HELP!!!

[PearlM3]

So this is quite embarrassing, I don't consider myself a noob at all when it come to dealing with cars, nevertheless, I was attempting to install a set of firestone rear airbags on my 2011 mitsubishi outlander, requires removing the rear springs and whatnot. Anyways the bags don't fit in the spring, will have to deal with that later, but now i cannot get one bolt back in, the two pieces will not line up. I will post a pic

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa397/zwicker_christopher/C144D0B1-C7E5-4096-BB56-7D9C816E118C-3492-000006C33E8F4351_zps90811d0a.jpg

As you can see the bolt I cannot get to go in...Any help would be appreciated!!

If there is anyone in Pickering who might have a moment, and the know how that would be great also!

thanks

Chris

[Hyperion]

If it's anything like what I think it is, wouldn't a tug on the rotor just pull the entire thing into alignment?

[SomeGuy]

Make sure the spring is fully seated in the perch. Then jiggle shit around (prybar) until things are lined up. Then use the jack to lift the lower arm up until the bolt hole lines up. The damper will take a bit of force to squish together.

Also seeing all the rust, I would recommend some anti-seize for reassembly and probably some lubricants to help things slide together.

*edit* not sure if you can pull down on the brake/hub assembly too? Pulling down with your weight would be better than compressing the spring.

[Cab0oze]

I'm totally confused about what you were trying to do, but I'd say loosen up whatever other bolts you had removed and reinstalled then bang it into alignment with a hammer or something?

[SomeGuy]

I'm totally confused about what you were trying to do, but I'd say loosen up whatever other bolts you had removed and reinstalled then bang it into alignment with a hammer or something?

It looks to me from the picture that the rear suspension setup is the same as our mazda 3's. A bolt into the hub assembly holds the lower spring perch which has the spring further inboard. It appears as though he can't get the lower spring perch to come back up to where it bolts in.

Question - when you undid that bolt, did anything fly apart? Ie was the spring compressed?

[PearlM3]

Yes the spring was compressed, I put a bit of force on it with the jack before taking out
The bolt. I can get it all together but the wholes are off by an 1/8th inch. It's making me mad cuz I've done this before no problem. Anyways I figured in the mean time I put a slightly smaller bolt in and will get jimmy to save the day.

[Noisy Crow]

What you need is an alignment pin:

http://store.riggingcentral.com/klein-bull-pins-p80.aspx

I bet that's what Jimmy will pull out of drawer to fix this for you!

[silverstarmazda]

lol the proper way of doing it is with an alignment pin as noisy crow said. but a lot of people usually just try and wiggle everything in veerry carefully. once its started in, you hammer it through. and bolt it in.