I wouldn't bother with spring compressors until you get the struts off (and then only if you need to remove the top mounts).

I used the long bolt method:
- Undo the two nuts in the engine bay holding the top mount in (not the big one that holds the shocks together)
- You probably should undo the drop links to free up the ARB. I couldn't get mine undone so I left it and still got them out without too many problems.
- Undo the bottom bolt that goes through the bottom of the shock
- Undo the big bolt that holds the upper wishbone in and slide it forwards towards the front of the car (theres a big nut at the back so you need to hold the nut & undo the bolt or vice versa).
- Pull the shock down into the lower wishbone as much as you can (that's the bit that slowed me down on my rears - the bottom eye part of the shock can go an inch or so lower into the space on the arm if you see what I mean..), then pull the bottom arm down and it should drop enough to pop out at the top without too much of a problem.

If you google for "miata long bolt method" it should throw up some useful results too.

[EDIT]
I tried to use compressors when I was doing my rears and it just made the whole assembly too bulky to manipulate and get out.

 

This video shows the method but he's undone the central top mount nut, I definitely wouldn't do that but it shows the long-bolt & general method.

 

 

I had to take the whole assembly off before tho as the long bolt was seized in and took heat and hydraulic press to get it out, hope I don't have that issue tomorrow as swapping suspension on my car

 

This method worked for me

 

I disconnected the ball joint from the wishbone, easy peasy.

 

That and one of these (http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cht222-ball-joint-remover?da=1&TC=SRC-ball+joint+splitter) will do the job perfectly

 

removing the strutts takes about 30 seconds if that once they have been unbolted and bolts removed, this method works on the front and rear,
3 foot of steel tube aprox 30mm diameter, thick ish wall,
just place inbetween the top wish bone and chassis above the top bolt if that makes sense,
obviously remove wheel and support the car safely first,
then just put your weight on end the bar and push the arm down, gives loadsa room to remove strut,

done shockers on mine this week, took longer removing bolts than removing strut

 

arb drop link off and one of these on the lower wishbone
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Suspension-Arm-Lever-VS3815-/271092859075?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item3f1e64c0c3

 

didnt remove the anti roll bar links onmine, just needed a fat git on the bar,lol

 

all you need is a length of tube or box section, around 3 foot ish, all you do is take wheel off, obviously,
undo strut top and bottom, and lever down the top arm with bar placed above the top arm bolt, nothin fancy needed, easy
doing another car this week, removing coilovers and putting standard struts back after,

 

I'm struggling to ge tmy shock and spring back in. I've dropped the ARB and even with spring compessors and the bottom wishbone reaching maximum drop I can't get enough clearance to get the damper and spring back in. Don't understand it as I've done it before with some other sprngs and had no hassle. Think I'll try undoing the top ball joint next.

Fucking thing, lol.

Nick

 

I agree with the lever bar - big ass breaker bar, lever the wishbone down and sit on it whilst you swap the strut over. easy peasy

 

replaced the stock Bilsteins on my Mk1 S-Spec with the long-bolt method - none of the bolts had been touched in 20 years so a few were more than a little tricky to undo.

FYIW; worked like so:

- up on stands previous Saturday pm
- copious amounts of plusgas
- Sunday am another coating
- Fronts
* remove plastic panel
* remove sway bar (undo top two bolts + where attaches on wishbone).
* loosen shock at bottom bolt (17mm?)
* loosen 14mm top bolts from shock.
* Use b*stard long breaker bar to loosen top bolt and then slide out.
* undo top bolts, bottom bolt and remove shock.

- Rears the only real PITA is getting to the offside top bolts.

I also made sure that every bolt I undid was cleaned and oiled before being replaced. And then made sure that all torqued correctly.

Took me about 4 hours in total because so many of the bolts were properly stuck but just kept spraying with lubricant and all came free eventually. I reckon if I had to do it again it'd be about 15 minutes are corner.

I did experiment with shock compressors before starting but given the PITA they were to put on and off springs whilst in the hand, I never actually bothered when removing / replacing as couldn't imagine trying to do the same in a wheel arch.

Had the neighbour on hand with a suitably long lever should I have needed it.

 

double post

 

triple post (WTF?)