Graham.

I put a jack under my 1/2" ratchet on the fill plug and pumped up. Amazingly the rear began to lift a few inches off of the ground! Then it broke the bolt loose.

My breaker bar was too long, and so was my flex head 1/2" ratchet, so in the end my "worthless" stubby 1/2" ratchet got the job done.

It's the short one sold at AutoZone.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.