i just jacked mine up by the arm, put a jack stand under the bumper suport, loosen the bottom ball joint nut, not all the way off. unbolt the shock and take it out. next hit the side of the nuckle at the bottom, not the joint, and the arm should come loose from the nuckle, then lower the jack after you take the nut off the ball joint. Also it does make it easier to unbolt the strut bar, after you lower the jack all the way down the spring will barley be in there, now stand on the lower arm and the spring should just fall out. then i did it in backwards order when i put my new springs in.