replacing springs

[bobfish45]

I changed all the springs of my sport estate today using the method that does not require interfering with the dreaded pinchbolt. I removed the rear bottom arm nut so I could drop it enough to get the strut bolt out, gave myself enough clearance, removed the shocker bolt which will go back the opposite way, and did up the bottom arm bolt. Then take a long solid bar, insert it between the bottom arm and subframe and pull down as hard as possible. If you adjust the steering so that the front of the disc on the side you are doing is facing inward you will find the fork on the shock will be easy to manoeuvre over the bottom arm. Then go to the inner wing and after taking off the cover over the scuttle look for the 2 grommets on the inner wing. Move the pipework enough to put a 13mm socket on the bolts underneath and your leg is out!!! New springs on and reverse the procedure, but locate and fasten the 2 13mm top bolts before locating the fork on the bottom of the shock.
One thing I was surprised about was the condition of the sport springs and top mounts, they were remarkably good, and had I not wanted to go lower would have done me another 100k!!!!