Does anyone know if there is a trick to freplacing the rear springs on a Cabrio? According to the manual, you simply remove the lower damper mounting, lower the trailing arm until the coil spring is released from its lower seat on the trailing arm and the upper seat on the subframe. Unfortunately, with the trailing arm at its lowest point, the spring is not released from either upper or lower seat. There is only space to fit a spring compressor to one side of the spring, which causes it to bend in the wrong direction to be helpful. After much trial and tribulation, I have managed to change one, but I have yet to start the second. Rusty springs was an advisory at the last MOT and no, I don't wish to lower it.

not a problem i have ever had before... but the first thing i would try is workout why the trailing arms won't go down further, check they are not caught up on something and if not then use some more force to push them down, or try workout a way of using a scissor/bottle jack to push it further down. I suspect it will just be stiff and should go further down than it is.

Many thanks for that advice, I will give it a try. I did have my wife pushing down on the hub, but she is only a lightweight. It may be that the second trailing arm does drop further of its own accord. The job is set for Thursday, weather permitting.

hand brake cable or brake pipe stops it?

This could be a stupid question, but have you released both lower damper bolts?

You may have to raise both rear corners to let the trailing arm go lower. The rear antiroll bar stops the trailing arm going lower if one of the wheel is still on the ground.

Well a combination of the tips given above assisted greatly. With both wheels off the ground and a bottle jack between the trailing arm and the subframe, I was able to withdraw the spring with a little assistance from a coil spring compressor. In true Haynes style, refitting was a reversal of the procedure.
When I bought the springs, I was advised by the motor factor that the springs for the Cabrio are not the same as for other Puntos, so perhaps that is why they are a little more difficult to change.