pissed and semi-stuck

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03-06-2009, 08:02 PM
OZMDD

pissed and semi-stuck

ok, i bit off more than i should on a solo job. i'm one corner into a shock swap, and this spring compressor is too long to clear the upper control arm. any chance someone is interested in some free beer and a few bucks to come lend a hand? im down in desoto, of course, the opposite side of town from 90% of y'all. on the upside, the CC Cross Band is playng about a mile from here, and the Martin Bros. are good friends of mine and will be playing with her, and i can get us all in free if we finish this...(massive bribery)::Rant::
03-06-2009, 08:11 PM
ken o

Did you remove the shock from the car?
03-06-2009, 08:11 PM
OZMDD

oh yes.
03-06-2009, 08:13 PM
OZMDD

problem lies in figuring a way to get the spring back in compressed w/o using these too-long strut compressors. Bailing wire probably sint strong enough? Plus the shock of releasing the spring tension all at once is also a bad idea, i presume.
03-06-2009, 08:13 PM
ken o

Post a photo. How is it hitting the control arm off the car?
03-06-2009, 08:18 PM
OZMDD

the threaded rod extends down too far and hits the upper arm, so i cant move the strut around to position it. ill try to get a photo. on toyotas, i was able to reassemble the strut off the car, then put it back, but didnt have the upper arm to put the shock through
03-06-2009, 08:19 PM
OZMDD

should i assemble the strut, then put it back on the car?
03-06-2009, 08:21 PM
OZMDD

to clarify, it is hitting the arm when i try to put the spring on the strut while the the strut is inserted into the lower shock mount/control arm
03-06-2009, 08:23 PM
ken o

Did you read any of these?
http://www.miata.net/garage/garagehandling.html
03-06-2009, 08:24 PM
OZMDD

yes, and some on mx5miata.net
03-06-2009, 08:24 PM
ken o

You should assemble the strut and spring as a unit off the car.
03-06-2009, 08:26 PM
OZMDD

never mind, same thing
03-06-2009, 08:26 PM
OZMDD

ok. if i remove using the a-arm long bolt method, will i need to realign before i can drive it?
03-06-2009, 08:42 PM
MadMonkey

Quote:

Originally Posted by OZMDD

Bailing wire probably sint strong enough?

https://www.sourcetelsupply.com/cata...%20(black).jpg

::Banana::

I rented a spring compressor from O'Reilly's when I did my shocks.

EDIT: Crap they close at 8 :(
03-06-2009, 08:48 PM
OZMDD

no, ive got the oreillys spring compressor...problem is clearance. im now losening the upper a-arm longbolt
03-06-2009, 08:51 PM
OZMDD

omg!! this is a breeze with the a-arm long bolt removed. Thanks! hope my alignment isnt screwed, but planning to get it aligned after the new sway bar and steering rack goes on in a few weeks.
03-06-2009, 09:06 PM
cone-cerned

I have changed all four shocks all by myself, twice. I really like the long bolt method. If I was close enough, I would come help, but Google Maps says its about 95 miles to beautiful downtown DeSoto from my humble abode.
03-06-2009, 09:13 PM
wrx74

1 Attachment(s)

this makes the rears easy for one person.

Miata jack!
03-06-2009, 09:19 PM
OZMDD

gracias to all. I've done this a ton of times on other cars, so it shouldn't have stumped me, but it did. Smooth sailing now...front is finished, on to the rear (thats what she said...)
03-06-2009, 09:23 PM
ken o

alignment should be ok. but get it checked if you are lowering the car it will change. see aj at ntb.
03-06-2009, 09:27 PM
OZMDD

i will go to aj. not lowering, stock springs, just added kyb agx's
03-06-2009, 10:49 PM
sammm

Quote:

Originally Posted by OZMDD

i will go to aj. not lowering, stock springs, just added kyb agx's

Using the long bolt method, your alignment will be fine. Nothing adjustable has been moved.
03-07-2009, 08:32 AM
altiain

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammm

Using the long bolt method, your alignment will be fine. Nothing adjustable has been moved.

+1. Removing the long a-arm bolt will not affect your alignment settings in any way. It is also by far the easiest way to replace the front shocks.

I would still recommend having an alignment after any suspension work. New shocks may ride at different heights from what you replaced, and whether the suspension was in droop or not when you tightened everything back up will make a difference.
03-07-2009, 10:35 PM
creek

I've done 4 of these in the last year, two in the last couple of days. Breaking the upper ball joint is the easiest way I have found.
03-09-2009, 07:13 AM
MadMerv

Why are you guys doing all this extra work? As long as the sway bar end link is disconnected, all you need once the bottom bolt and and hat nuts are off is to use a pry bar to force the lower a-arm down a couple of inches, pull the shock up to clear the lower a-arm, angle the top of theshock assembly towards the rear, and it will come right out. I did this twice on Saturday after three Spec Miatas tried to occupy the same space at TWS!
03-09-2009, 09:18 AM
OZMDD

If you can do that with stock springs and a pry bar, you are more man than I will ever be. Even with all my weight on the hub, I couldn't force it down enough to get the strut/spring to clear the fender. Maybe with lowering springs the clearance is better.
03-09-2009, 10:41 AM
MadMerv

Don't try to take it out TOWARD you (the fender). Do it parallel to the body, with the bottom shock mount toward the front of the car and top hat to the rear of the car, and there is plenty of room. I've always done them that way...since 1992!
03-09-2009, 10:45 AM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMerv

Why are you guys doing all this extra work? As long as the sway bar end link is disconnected, all you need once the bottom bolt and and hat nuts are off is to use a pry bar to force the lower a-arm down a couple of inches, pull the shock up to clear the lower a-arm, angle the top of theshock assembly towards the rear, and it will come right out. I did this twice on Saturday after three Spec Miatas tried to occupy the same space at TWS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMerv

Don't try to take it out TOWARD you (the fender). Do it parallel to the body, with the bottom shock mount toward the front of the car and top hat to the rear of the car, and there is plenty of room. I've always done them that way...since 1992!

You talking about the front shocks or the rears??

Long bolt FTW! (on the fronts) ;)
03-09-2009, 11:03 AM
creek

Prying the A arm down on the rears works. No way it will clear on the front. Not with the stock length shocks and springs.
03-10-2009, 02:23 AM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMerv

Why are you guys doing all this extra work? As long as the sway bar end link is disconnected, all you need once the bottom bolt and and hat nuts are off is to use a pry bar to force the lower a-arm down a couple of inches, pull the shock up to clear the lower a-arm, angle the top of theshock assembly towards the rear, and it will come right out. I did this twice on Saturday after three Spec Miatas tried to occupy the same space at TWS!

My thoughts exactly! I was just about to post that! And as for using the jack on the rears in that pic posted by someone...hit the gym! I'm not exactly buffed up and I just push down on the rear hub with my foot! Who needs power tools and jacks and stuff?!

Granted I've replaced the suspension on a Miata at least 20 times by now, but I think I did all four on my NA in just 2 hours last time, including time for a beer in between!
03-10-2009, 02:26 AM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by creek

I've done 4 of these in the last year, two in the last couple of days. Breaking the upper ball joint is the easiest way I have found.

...and then you tear the upper ball joint boot, which is not a boot that is supposed to be replaced leaving you with either replacing the upper control arm (since it is a complete unit) or using a knife to cut the remainder of the boot off and ziptie a universal boot that you hope fits.

Yes I know from experience and have new upper control arms...eh I needed them anyways with the mileage my NA has!
03-10-2009, 08:16 PM
OZMDD

Long bolt method is my hands-down winner. Easy, no ball joints to break, no alignment issues to fix (immediately), and the rear was even easier, though I did remove the upper control arm bolt there as well, but at the outboard mount. Super-easy.
03-10-2009, 10:37 PM
creek

Quote:

Originally Posted by icepenguin66

...and then you tear the upper ball joint boot, which is not a boot that is supposed to be replaced leaving you with either replacing the upper control arm (since it is a complete unit) or using a knife to cut the remainder of the boot off and ziptie a universal boot that you hope fits.

Yes I know from experience and have new upper control arms...eh I needed them anyways with the mileage my NA has!

Wouldn't know....never torn a boot.
03-16-2009, 04:02 AM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by creek

Wouldn't know....never torn a boot.

How many times have you busted the balljoints out on your Miata? Easier to simply remove one bolt with no risk than to remove cotter pin, remove castle nut, get the balljoint separater and hammer to bang away at it and risk tearing the boot. I remember at least a couple times, the balljoints did not want to break loose so had to hammer the shit out of the tuning fork, tearing the old brittle rubber boots. Plus their is still some tension on the control arm from the long bolt being torqued requiring unneccessary effort to push it down to remove the shock, instead of everything dropping nicely out of the way.
03-17-2009, 12:21 AM
creek

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I've never been able to do it your way and I have tried believe me. I am in the process of modifying a screw type press/separator to fit but after I have done the joints once they will usually pop with a light tap on the side of the knuckle. I guess you do the method you know with the tools you have. I haven't done the long bolt version because I couldn't get it loose the first time I tried it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/gifs/clear.gif
03-17-2009, 12:42 AM
JuanoTejano

Not to fuel an argument but Creek's way worked well on my car. My balls were pretty difficult to break, Creek said they were the toughest he'd dealt with, we had to beat at them for a while but we didn't tear a boot.

I only posted just to be able to say that.::Banana::
03-17-2009, 06:44 AM
HudsonHawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuanoTejano

Not to fuel an argument but Creek's way worked well on my car. My balls were pretty difficult to break, Creek said they were the toughest he'd dealt with, we had to beat at them for a while but we didn't tear a boot.

I only posted just to be able to say that.::Banana::

Not sure I would want Creek beating onmy balls. He's a big boy and might break something. ::BaHump::
03-17-2009, 07:39 AM
altiain

FWIW, the first time I did a shock swap in my Miata, I used the ball joint method (I was used to working on Honduhs at the time, and this was pretty standard on their cars). Tore the boot, ended up having to replace the control arm, just like icepenguin. Not worth it, imho. I've been using the long bolt method for the last seven years, and I've never had an issue with it.
04-03-2009, 01:39 AM
icepenguin66

Quote:

Originally Posted by creek

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I've never been able to do it your way and I have tried believe me. I am in the process of modifying a screw type press/separator to fit but after I have done the joints once they will usually pop with a light tap on the side of the knuckle. I guess you do the method you know with the tools you have. I haven't done the long bolt version because I couldn't get it loose the first time I tried it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/gifs/clear.gif

Just come by a tech day and after doing it the long bolt way you'll see its easy and better. I was going to replace my shocks this weekend but broke my elbow in a hockey game!

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