Replacing power steering hoses on my sister'* 2000 Alero (3.4 L).

Have tried in vain to get the the subframe to drop down in the rear. Loosened or removed virtually every bolt or nut that appears to be holding this thing up, but I'm evidently missing something somewhere. Any ideas?

Have you pried down on it with a big bar?

How are you supporting the front end?

I have pried down, but the resistance is high.

There are two jack stands under the body about even with the doors.

Two more jack stands are loosely under the very front of the subframe.. The front subframe bolts are only loosened, not removed.

I assume you have the transmission supported......can't remember on the Alero if there is a bracket on the rear of frame to the transmission?

Also be careful you do not drop the rear of the sub frame too much, which will pull on the intermediate shaft of the steering column.....if you need more room to lower, disconnect intermediate shaft from rack(single bolt and shaft slides off....tie steering wheel so that it doesn't move, don't want to damage the clock spring of the air bag)......

Intermediate shaft is already disconnected.

Bolt on rear of frame to transmission/engine mount is already removed.

Didn't tie off the steering wheel, but have not moved it.

Thanks for your input.

Finally got the power steering hoses replaced, but with very limited access to the fittings on the rack and pinion. Had to tediously get the threads started using two fingers while fighting the tendency of the steel line to kick the fitting out of alignment with the threaded hole. Then it was a matter of tightening the fittings one flat at a time due to not being able to turn the wrench any more than that..

Now in retrospect, I'm wondering if the struts were holding the subframe up and not allowing it to drop. None of the procedures for the job mentioned disconnecting the ball joints on the control arms. Could not doing that have caused the problem for me?

No, I doubt it was the struts, because the control arms would have enough flex in them to allow the cradle to drop.....something had to be still connected......

As for those lines, the hard part is just breaking the nut free, and then then getting the final turn when installing.....

A useful tool for this is a crow'* foot with a ball swivel on a long extension to a ratchet.......

An extra elbow in each arm doesn't hurt any.