First, loosen the rear wheel lug nuts; then lift the whole back end of the car and stand it securely on jack stands. Keep the front wheels blocked, so the vehicle doesn't fall off the jackstands, then take off the wheels. We need to remove the stabilizer bar link from the strut by hand in 1998 and newer models. Undo any brake lines or ABS wiring that connects to the suspension strut. Put the floor jack under the rear knuckle to keep it from dropping. To get to the upper strut mounting nuts on Sportage models, you need to take off the trim covering. When your car has ABS, you need to take off two parts: the bracket that holds the wheel speed sensor on the strut, and the bar link that keeps the rear stabilizer bar attached. Take off the nuts from the strut's upper mounting point. Lower the rear knuckle carefully by hand while you keep it supported to prevent it from moving outward. Unscrew the mounting fasteners, take care to pull the entire strut apart from the knuckle unit. We need an assistant to hold the strut in place while the mounting bolts are being removed because the strut is too heavy and hard to maneuver by itself. Pulling out the parts, like we did before, works the same way but in reverse. We make sure all screws are tightened to the right specifications as we connect the parts.
