No. You take out the whole assembly all bolted up, then take it apart.

Stan

 

So I dont do this......

As seen in this thread.....

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f75/sg-rear-shocks-transition-sls-non-sls-99623/

??

 

As Stan says !

Pointless struggling to compress the spring in situ', when you can do it far easier when removed and on the bench !

He was probably thinking it would relieve pressure off the bottom damper mount (therefore easier to remove bolt!)

 

Well aye im no looking to completely compress the spring just seeing if its good practice to do it to make it easier to remove. Last time it took me like an hour each side using a prybar and G.S. to line up the 2 mounting bolts at the bottom.

I was going to buy some silverline jobs from machine mart, sounds reputable enough.

 

Be very wary of spring compressors. I've heard a tale of cheap ones failing and causing a spring to exit via the ceiling, only just missing the startled mechanic's head!

There are a lot of stupidly cheap tools made from whatever monkey metal could be rammed into the melt pot about (goes for other tools too, but spring compressors are some of the most dangerous), so buy a decent set from a real world shop.

 

I don't think it's worth the trouble compressing springs with the struts still in the car. You should be able to remove the whole assembly easily (you've already done it, so you know what to do). I'm not even sure why anyone would use spring compressors as pictures above, unless the spring just needed to be moved around/realigned in the perches.

If you don't have enough room to remove the assembly, you can disconnect the endlinks and push down on the wheel hub to lower it and make more room. When re-installing it back, I like to get the tophat studs into their holes first, loosely secure them with the nuts (don't tighten all the way), then use a bottle jack under the hub to raise/lower it to get the strut bolt holes aligned. After doing it a few dozen times (lol) I have it down pretty good.

Stan