Removing shocks and springs!!

[Ajay]

hey guys,

as most of you are aware i stripped an mx5.. now the only thing to do before the mx gets taken away is getting the $$$ suspension/springs off..

what tools are required to do this at home..

obviously i cant take it anywhere to get it removed..

and will the car still roll down my driveway with no springs/shocks?

any help would be GREATLY appreciated

Kind Regards
Ajay

[Juffa]

There are a number of instructions on the miata.net site.

Link ==>> http://www.miata.net/garage/garagehandling.html

J

[bigdog]

Easy to do, but easier still if you have a helper. No special tools required, just 10, 12, 14 and 17mm sockets (deep ones are helpful) and ring spanners. There is a good description of the process on the big forum which I have copied below (obviously you don't need to refit them etc). Don't know how it would go moving the car after removal - maybe wege some blocks of wood on the top wihsbones to keep it off the ground?

Here's the easy way to replace the front shocks and or springs without messing up your alignment. Its also a whole bunch easier than splitting or unbolting the ball joints. Credit for this tip goes to Mazda Master Tech, John Long, of Mazda South in Austin, Texas.

1. Jack up front of car and place on jackstands at the side rail jacking points.
2. Remove front wheels.
3. Inside the engine bay, loosen center nut holding upper spring mount to shock shaft (14mm socket w/extension). Only back this off a few turns, not all the way. This helps get the spring off easier later.
4. Remove the 2 nuts holding upper spring mount to the body (14mm socket).
5. Remove upper through bolt connecting sway bar end link to sway bar (14mm socket and box wrench). Note which way the bolt goes.
6. Remove lower shock absorber mounting bolt (17mm socket and box wrench).
7. Loosen rearmost mounting bolt for front sway bar frame bracket until the back is flush with the backing nut (12mm socket with extension).
8. Remove upper control arm mounting bolt. Use 21mm box wrench on the nut and a 21 mm socket on the bolt head. Slide the bolt back through the big washer towards the sway bar frame bracket. Rock the a-arm up and down if the bolt is stuck. Once the bolt is all the way out of the a-arm, just leave it where it is.
9. Being careful that the rubber brake hose is not in tension, pry down on (or stand on) the hub or lower control arm until the top of the shock/spring unit can swing out clear of the shock tower.
10. Disassemble shock/spring unit using appropriate spring compressor. Be VERY careful!!
11. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly.

Note: Do not tighten mounting bolts for sway bar end links, shock lower mount or upper control am while the car is in full droop. Once everything is back in place but not tight, place a jack under the lower arm as close to the hub as possible. Jack up until the car just starts to come off the jackstand. Now tighten those mounting bolts. You should also torque the shock shaft upper mounting nut at this time.

Rear Shocks/Springs

2. To access the rear shocks, first remove the metal trunk guard that protects the fuel lines (left shock) and the spare tire (right shock). Loosen the shock absorber upper shaft nut a few turns (it's more difficult to do this after the unit is out of the car) with a 17 mm wrench and extension, but DO NOT completely remove the bolt, or the spring will separate from the shock (which is dangerous, and probably impossible to rectify once it occurs).

3. Remove the upper mounting plate nuts with a 14 mm wrench and extension. Be careful not to drop the nuts into the sheet metal around the upper mounting area, or they'll wedge into place against the body in a very tight area (especially the rear one). I dropped one, and it took about 1 hour to retrieve it with a pair of curved needle nose pliers. During the process, I learned that Pep Boys does not carry 14 metric flanged nuts.

4. Disconnect the sway bar's attachment to the lower A-arm linkage (14 mm socket), to allow the A-arm to swing out of the way in subsequent steps. The sway bar can be removed either where it joins the A-arm, or at the point between the main (horizontal) sway bar and the curved link that fastens to the arm. I suggest the latter approach - it was very difficult to reattach the bushing to the lower A-arm, much easier to reattach between the main sway bar and the A-arm link.

5. Remove the lower shock mounting bolt (and keep track of which way the head of the bolt is pointing so that it can be replaced in the same configuration).

6. Remove the bolt that joins the upper A-arm to the wheel hub (and again, keep track of how the bolt should be replaced). This allows the wheel hub to swing downward, freeing up the shock/spring assembly, and allowing for easy removal. There is a paint mark on the spring that should be used to return the spring to the same position after the unit is replaced (if the shocks are to be replaced and the old springs reused). Alternatively, place a piece of tape, paint, or otherwise mark the spring to allow for reorientation.

7. Recover the top mounting gasket (a thin, white plastic gasket between the top mounting plate and the frame).

8. Clamp the shock in a vise (if they're going to be replaced, no need to worry about damaging them in the vise; otherwise, protect the shock with wood or aluminum sheets placed between the shock and the vise jaws), and attach spring compressors. Compress the spring until the top mounting plate is loose, and the spring can rotate independently of the shock. Remove the top shaft bolt (loosened in Step 2), the mounting plate, and the compressed spring.

9. Protect the replacement (or re-used) shocks in the vise as noted above, and reassemble the compressed spring over the shocks (if new springs are to be installed, then decompress the old spring and discard (sell?), then compress the new spring). Place the top mounting plate over the shock/spring unit, and replace the top mounting bolt. Make sure the unit is aligned correctly, with the spring seated properly against the shock absorber and the top mounting plate, then reinstall in the car. Use the OEM paint marks or your marking tape, etc. to replace the spring in the same orientation that is occupied prior to removal.

10. Lubricate the lower shock mounting bolt with molybdenum or similar grease, and replace the bolt. Lift the wheel hub and replace the bolt joining the upper A-arm to the wheel hub (a short piece of wood to support the hub or a helper is nice; a little grease also can be used to lubricate the bolt). Make sure the plastic gasket is replaced on top of the mounting plate (not that I forgot to do that the first time...), and thread the upper mounting plate bolts through the chassis holes. Loosely reattach top mounting nuts, and replace the sway bar linkage bolt/nut. Re-torque all nuts/bolts to specifications (see below), and replace wheel, spare tire, and metal trunk guard.

[manga_blue]

and will the car still roll down my driveway with no springs/shocks?

No

[mxrx]

I changed the springs and shocks in my NA model using these instructions, just a few weeks ago. They are very good. I will suggest one extra thing and that is to remove the plastic undertray from the front of the car. it interferes with the removal of the top A arm bolt on the front suspension.

Good Luck

[Insurgence]

i did my suspension a few weeks ago

tips:

- Use 6 point sockets instead of 12 point sockets
- Do remove the underbody tray as previously mentioned
- If you can't get the top shock nuts off (side) then put another nut on top of the nut and use a deep socket set
- A helper is useful as they can push down on the suspension arm to give enough room to remove shock.

[mr_rotary]

i did my suspension a few weeks ago

tips:

- Use 6 point sockets instead of 12 point sockets
- Do remove the underbody tray as previously mentioned
- If you can't get the top shock nuts off (side) then put another nut on top of the nut and use a deep socket set
- A helper is useful as they can push down on the suspension arm to give enough room to remove shock.

Add to tip, if an old NA, spray some anti seize on the nuts and bolts the day before for ease of removal the following day

[mxrx]

i did my suspension a few weeks ago

tips:

- Use 6 point sockets instead of 12 point sockets
- Do remove the underbody tray as previously mentioned
- If you can't get the top shock nuts off (side) then put another nut on top of the nut and use a deep socket set
- A helper is useful as they can push down on the suspension arm to give enough room to remove shock.

My question is how do get access to move the top A arm bolt towards the front of the car unless you remove the plastic undertray. It seemed much easier to get at the bolt.

I did the job solo so the option of having someone to help was not on.

[lowmiata]

and will the car still roll down my driveway with no springs/shocks?

No

It will if you have 4 bits of 4x2 pine

ram them betweenthe top and bottom A urms front and back , they have to be long enough to hit the under side of the chassis forward and aft of each wheel

Don't ask how i know this

Everyone starts in a back yard somewhere