I removed the bottom shock bolt, top 3 nuts, and the upper A arm nut. This thing is not coming out. Do I need to remove the sway bar tie rods as well?

 

Remove the bolt of the endlink. Hope it helps.

 

It takes some wiggling. It will come out. Push the upper A arm out of the way, push the shock assembly down and pull the top out first.

 

i took off the endlink and popped the bottom ball joint out

 

I just did coilovers this past weekend. Loosen the top 3 nuts to about the last 2 or 3 threads. Remove bottom bolt and endlink connection (Way easier if both front tires are off the ground). Push the assembly down, and push strut up it should have enough room to be wiggled around to be removed. As long as the strut is in the mounting holes when you start to remove it you can take it out easier.

 

Got it out. I removed the endlinks and it was easier to manipulate. Thanks for the advice. I just did the driver side today, and doing the passenger side tomorrow. Holy **** those nuts are on there tight. Also I noticed that the car sits 1/2 inch higher up front than it did before, even though the stock shock is longer than the coilover. I guess the shocks were blown?

 

So you removed the stock shock and istalled a coilover ? Now it sits higher ? YOu need to adjust the coilover, stock springs are 330 pound and the coilover springs are probably close to 600 pound springs, adjustment is needed to get the proper height.

Blown shocks have nothing to do with ride height. Shock body length and spring do ride height.

 

I'm just going to do the final coilover install tomorrow, and then taking the car over to a local shop to get height adjustment and alignment done. Also considering getting corner balanced.

 

I highly recommend corner balancing+alignment, but I wish I had replaced all front end bushings first. Mine feels great in a turn but has gotten dangerously twitchy in a straight line due to compression bushings and possibly ball joints.