As the title suggests, I want to remove the upper control arm without using a cone compressor. I'm hoping that I can take the control arm off, remove the aluminium trumpet, replace it with a hilo wound all the way in, and put the control arm back in place.

But I've just had a look at the arm, and even when it's all the way down, it seems pretty tight, like it's already under pressure.

Can it be done? Or is there another way around? Or will I need the tool?

Thanks.

your rubber cones must be in good condition! have you taken the little rebound pad out?

you can smash the trumpet to bits, or you can lever the pin out - but you'll probably damage the thread

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I don't think I've removed the rebound pad - is that like a bump stop except at the bottom?

Yes, the cones seem to be pretty good. I was thinking of jacking up under the control arm if there was a bit of pressure, but there's no access - and since I don't know exactly how much pressure there is, probably not a good idea.

Smashing the trumpet is fine by me - are they really that easy to break though?

I think I did it once by slicing across it with an angle grinder, then attacking it with a cold chisel

It would be easier to make yourself a cone compressor - you'll probably need it when you put it back together

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

OK, so it's done. The hardest bit was getting the cones off the trumpets, they had collected a bit of water over the years. I put it back together by winding the hilo all the way back in - there wasn't much gap, but there was enough.

The gap from removing the rebound pad was enough to get it loose - but there wasn't much of a pad there! It was more like a piece of metal with a squashed blob of sikaflex on it.

Thanks for you help!