Miata spring compressor

I'm trying to install my shock/spring assembly in the rear of my '99 Miata and my cheapo HF spring compressor is too bulky to get the whole thing in. What kind of spring compressors do some of you GRM Miataphiles use that might be more compact ? Keith, you're usually good on this stuff !!
Or, do I need to loosen all the A-arm bolts to allow the upright to drop as far as possible?

I use these, but they fight me every step of the way.

If it's any consolation, you may not even need them to install shorter springs, once you get the originals off. I hate messing with springs.

Are you trying to get the shock and spring assembly and spring compressors in the vehicle all together? I just assemble the shock and spring assembly and then use a pry bar to push down on the lower A arm so I can get the assembly under the fender. I suppose you could loosen the lower A arm bolts, but make sure to mark your spots on the alignment unless you are going to do an alignment anyway.

I've had the complete suspension in and out of my '99 twice in the past few weeks... With the lower shock mount bolt removed, the shock can drop further into the A arm. Once you've done that then push down hard on the hub, and the coilover can swing under the fender. No need to loosen any lower control arm bolts in an NB at all, so don't loosen the lower arm bolts and screw up your alignment.

I'm putting stock springs and some KYB shocks back into the car. If I put the spring on the shock and depress the hub as far as it will go it still won't clear the edge of the spring pocket up inside the fender. The stock spring is longer than the rod of the shock. I've tried putting the upper end in first and the lower end first. It won't go either way and I've already loosened all the bolts (marked the eccentrics first). The arms drop far enough to be knocking on something, it may be the axle going as far in as it can. I think I have to put the spring and shock in with the spring compressed.
Woody, how long are those compressors? They look pretty substantial.

Okay, before someone else points out that I'm a dummy, I'll confess. This went a whole lot easier once the Homer Simpson "Duh" moment occurred. If I remove the top hat piece from the car and assemble the whole shebang on the bench it goes back into the car real easy !! I'll go hide in the garage now.(that way no one will see the embarrassing pink hue on my face.)

I just figured that was the way you were doing it...

Glad you got it figured out

OR, if you have a death wish... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KogNDHik_8Q

So many sins, just one video

lol - it never would have occurred to me to not take the whole coilover out as a single unit.

I'm almost afraid to ask - once you disconnected the shock from the top hat, how on earth did you get the shocks (and springs!) off of the car to begin with?

Aieee!

At the risk of being "not GRM enough" I'd respectfully offer that briefly consulting a service manual is job one if you don't know - cold - what to do.

I've been wrenching on my cars for 30+ years and doing all my fabrication, machining and paint for the past 10-15. When I started, on my '80 Civic 1300 DX, at my father's suggestion I bought the factory service manual and read up before beginning.

I've never made a service manual purchase which has not paid for itself many times over - and a factory 90' Miata book set is spendy as hell - even if you bid snipe one on eBay that's spelled wrong.

Woody wrote: I use these, but they fight me every step of the way.

Me too. They barely fit onto the Miata's springs. I've found myself having to put them on the springs in pieces. But I did get them to work.

And soon I'll be doing it again to put Mazdaspeed MX-5 springs on my Miata...

nderwater,
They came out fairly easily by pushing down on the hub and yanking the shock out fist, then the spring came out easily. I just went into the trunk and undid the double nut on the top of the shock, just like I would on the rear shocks of my VW GTI ! I just needed a paradigm shift to get back to assembling the whole thing as one piece, just like the front of a VW. The light bulb went on when I happened to glance under the open hood of the VW as I walked past !

motomoron, I have service manuals for all my other cars. Obviously ,I need one more ! In fact, I have a complete manual for a Miata NA that I didn't bother to look at. It's probably really similar.