C5 X7 - Front anti-roll bar rod (Metallic susp.)

[boolaideman]

Hello
I ran into a problem replacing the front anti-roll bar rods by myself. I'll tell here the steps I took to get to where I am stuck now.
Car is DV6C TURBO DIESEL, robot gearbox, so no park function. Put on the handbrake and left gearbox in neutral. Jacked up the car on passenger side and put on jackstands, removed the wheel.
After removing the wheel I removed nuts 9 and 13 as shown in the following figure:

Spoiler: show

Looking through other removal-refitting instructions I didn't see it necessary to do anything else besides removing the nuts to remove the anti-roll bar rod for replacement, for example:

Spoiler: show

But this is where the problem begins. I removed the nuts and started working on getting the rod out. Used a hex torque wrench to get the lower half of the rod out which came out nicely, then started working on the upper part. What I did not realize was that the front strut or suspension lower bushing was being held up by the anti-roll bar rod. I don't know if this is typical behavior. Either way I did not see it, and while I was nearing the end of removing the upper part of the rod and almost had it out (I guess this is the point where the entirety of the rod was out of the bushing of the lower half of the suspension) the suspension itself pushed down into the steering rack. I can't seem to be able to push it up. I took a couple of pictures of the current situation because maybe I have worded some parts incorrectly. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to push the suspension somehow back up to refit the new anti-roll bar rod? And if it is possible for me to push it up and fix the current situation that I'm in by myself then what did I do wrong currently? So that when I replace the anti-roll bar rod on the driver side I wouldn't run into the same issue?
Thank you for reading this. I am really hoping someone here has had the same issue before and knows how to fix it. Because currently I am unable to move the car/call tow to even take it to a shop because it is underground and I cant move the car with the suspension pushing against the steering rack.

Here are the pictures of the current situation that I'm in:

Spoiler: show

Need to push this upwards...

I thought I could maybe push the suspension up by compressing the coils shown below with a ratchet ratchet strap. I wrapped the strap around the coils and pulled on it hard: while I did manage to compress the springs a little bit I was still unable to move the lower half of the suspension up even by a little bit.

[bobins]

Brute force is needed to get the hole to line back up. Make sure the suspension is hanging down on that side as low as it will go and then wedge somthing in between the bottom of the shock absorber and the drive shaft and start to work the shock absorber back up and wedge it as you go. Be careful not to damage the drive shaft ! You could get creative and try and use a ratchet strap to compress the shock absorber.

When replacing the anti-roll bar drop links, it's best to knock out the old long top part of the link with a 1/2" extension bar as this will hold the shock absorber in position whilst you put the new one back in.

Extension bar

[Rp0thejester]

I had a similar issue on my C8, to fit it back in I jacked up the brake disc, which compressed everything back into place. I hope this will help

[boolaideman]

I had a similar issue on my C8, to fit it back in I jacked up the brake disc, which compressed everything back into place. I hope this will help

Brute force is needed to get the hole to line back up. Make sure the suspension is hanging down on that side as low as it will go and then wedge somthing in between the bottom of the shock absorber and the drive shaft and start to work the shock absorber back up and wedge it as you go. Be careful not to damage the drive shaft ! You could get creative and try and use a ratchet strap to compress the shock absorber.

When replacing the anti-roll bar drop links, it's best to knock out the old long top part of the link with a 1/2" extension bar as this will hold the shock absorber in position whilst you put the new one back in.

I'll try both of your suggestions first thing tomorrow morning as it is midnight over here, thank you!

[boolaideman]

Well I finally had time to get to it, still nothing to write home about...
I tried jacking up the brake disc as @Rp0thejester suggested. At least for C5 this does not work, the gap between both of the holes became even larger doing so.
Also tried brute forcing like @bobins said to try. Tried at first with a crowbar which gave no results, later I tried by jacking up the brake disc and using ratchet straps to keep the shock absorber compressed. I couldn't fully go through with it, felt like the ratchet straps will explode in my face so I had to stop. I also tried putting the crowbar under the suspension to jack that up but this is also something which did not work in the end.
Does anyone have any more ideas?
I have been going at this for about a week, on and off, with no results.
Looking at this where he removes the anti roll bar rods in the beginning everything seems to be so easy. I don't understand if and what I have done incorrectly, because he doesn't even put an extension bar through the link hole. Why is the replacement so smooth for him? I'm not sure if I am missing something or what might be the case. Here's the video I was talking about:

[MattBLancs]

Rather than ratchet straps, is there room for proper spring compressors to slip in to place? This sort of thing: https://www.diy.com/departments/us-pro- ... 208_BQ.prd (don't ask me why B&Q, a household DIY shop is stocking these, but very cheap!)

Secondly, not sure if stating the obvious, but have you pulled down hard on the hub and lower wishbone, it's the rubber bushes at the subframe end of this which is pulling it upwards. Your ratchet straps and a length of timber will give an easy way to pull it down with your body weight and leave your hands free to try and get the anti roll bar link / damper mounting rod into place.

[darbuck]

You need to use a long handle screwdriver just at the corner of the lower knuckle above where the fork part of the wishbone sits and a combination of brute force and dexterity and an old droplink to line it up if you still have it. I done this Job on Saturday,it's an absolute pig of a job without the big lever Citroen use link below. I plan on either making or buying one of these

https://ige.ie/wishbone-extractor-tool-2160/

[Rp0thejester]

I should of mentioned that I jacked the brake disc up because I was working on a slope and it was lower on the side that I was working on. If on level ground, you will need to jack up both sides so it stays level, if not level, it will never line up due to the torsion being applied from the other side

[MattBLancs]

You need to use a long handle screwdriver just at the corner of the lower knuckle above where the fork part of the wishbone sits and a combination of brute force and dexterity and an old droplink to line it up if you still have it. I done this Job on Saturday,it's an absolute pig of a job without the big lever Citroen use link below. I plan on either making or buying one of these

https://ige.ie/wishbone-extractor-tool-2160/

As described above, ratchet strap and piece of 3"x 2" timber can stand in as a wishbone lever. Think I've a picture somewhere