Lots of different ways to do this on your own, I split the top balljoint, this makes it easy to get enough deflection of wishbones to fiddle it out. If you use this method, you may need to replace the balljoint rubbers, so get some just in case. Other methods include detaching the lower wishbone balljoint via 2 bolts, no splitting required, but awkward bolts to reach; and the Long Bolt removal method, which involves withdrawing said bolt from upper wishbone inner bushes.

 

Thanks for the reply, very interesting I'll have to have a think, which would you recommend? Is splitting the balljoint easy enough and how much are the ball joint rubbers?

Thanks

Rich.

 

Is splitting the balljoint easy enough and how much are the ball joint rubbers?

Splitting the joint is easy enough if you use an appropriate scissors type splitter. I did it this way because the balljoint rubbers were looking ropey and they're an mot item. Rubbers are £8 each from mx5 parts.

 

This methods good

 

^ Guess that's one way Lol!

 

When Rodders fitted my meisters he used the long bolt method. Actually seems to make things a lot simpler than splitting balljoints.

Other tips he mentioned were to make sure you have both sides of axle up with wheels off to reduce the load on ARB. When fitting new suspension, put both sides in place before bolting topmounts in. If you bolt one topmount in before getting shocks in place you increase load across ARB and make second side more difficult.

 

Thanks buddy, how easy is the upper wishbone bolt one? Likely to snap or Anything
Thanks

Rich

 

Much less likely to snap than ARB Droplink bolts which seem to like shearing.

 

I find the easiest way is to split the tapered swivel joint on the top wishbone.

Dead easy, just remove the castelated nut and strike the swivel eye with a hammer. See this clip

Ignore his reference to a sledge hammer. A sharp rap with a claw hammer does it easy. Video shows him releasing a track rod end but it is exactly the same for the upright.

The bushes tend to keep the taper engaged in the swivel eye. after you hit it a clout try pulling them apart. Last time I did this I had separated the joint but it appeared that it was still stuck firm I hit it a few times with a hammer and then realised it had actually popped on the first clout.

No need to replace rubbers this way and no need to by a splitter. Furthermore you could avoid needing tracking reset although technically you should still have it done.

i used this method to remove lowered coilies and replace them with standard suspension. One man job. Two hours max.

Try it and see

 

No No No, you don't need to do any spliting of balljoints or any other exotic California methods to get Gaz off the car.
Just jack the car up, be safe and put an axle stand under the sill with a block of wood and remove wheel.
Just wind the spring seat and lock ring down as far as they will go, turn the damping to full off, undo and remove the lower bolt and then push the lower part of damper upwards until the spring stops it going any higher. All you then need to do is wind off the top nut and remove the shock and top mount. simples

 

I see, seems like a fair few useful ways, ^ What about getting a standard shock back in?

Thanks for the above guys!

Rich.

 

Unfortunately I've always need to use spring compressors to get standard ones on or off.

 

^ 100%, I've just done the rears, and using spring compressors I didn't have to bother with the long bolt, or the anti-roll bar drop link, it just pulls straight out. Well worth the 12 or so quid.

 

Rears are a piece of piss, fronts I ended up using a ball join splitter:angry:

 

I did all of mine on my own and used the long bolt method for the fronts. I found that spring compressors just got in the way and made it harder to manipulate the shock.

 

Oh.

So I've got that to look forward to in a second.

 

I made a mess of my ball joint- wish I knew there was another way!

I dropped the anti roll bar from the chassis legs, left the drop links in place, took the ball joint off and lifted it through the gap while someone was jumping on a scaffolding pole wedged into the bottom wishbone.

after doing the rears effortlessly it was kind of annoying, commit yourself to the evening and make sure you have the ball joint dust boot before you start, as mx5parts can randomly go out of stock

 

Here you go mate but if you are removing coilovers like I did with my racelands, you could wind them up to compress the springs and make them shorter and easier to remove without using spring compressors, I could only fit one spring compressor on the front when I tried removing the racelands anyway.

Courtesy of Autolink

http://www.autolinkuk.co.uk/index.php/faq/suspension/132-suspension-swap.html

 

on the fronts i usually just remove the wing , plenty of access then , sounds a lot of work but only really a handfull of m6 bolts and a few screws, gives you a good chance to give everything a good clean and fresh lick of underseal

 

Easiest way?

+

Might hurt a bit.

 

can be done without removing long bolts or ball joints but there will be a lot of swearing .

got mine done that way. also gaz coilovers. ...
need a LOT of pressure on the bottom arm.

... take out the long bolt... its easier

 

Rears when I fitted the Gaz coilovers took me 30minutes a side (Bar one nut rounding which cost me a few days) the fronts I had a mate assisting and got them off eventually although it took ages that was with lots of swearing, spring compressors and lots of cut knuckles! - I imagine removing the gaz's will be easier but putting standard suspension on again may be painful! - How easy is this long bolt method?

Thanks again for all the replies/links

Rich.

 

I personally prefer detaching the whole stub-axle/balljoint from the lower wishbone, then a prybar can be used to push down the lower wishbone allowing enough clearance to get the whole shock/spring/topmount unit out without needing spring compressors.

Putting the new shocks back in just requires a jack under the wishbone to lift it enough to get the stub axle "tongue" back into the wishbone. (and a screwdriver through the shock mounting hole to hold it away and give access to the vertical bolt that secures the balljoint tongue)