Is it dangerous to....

For some reason, I keep seeing ol' Wyle E Coyote and a box with Acme on the side.

 

OK dang it my crab claws have a problem getting the compressor inside the spring and all the way up. There are you happy? Just kidding. I have a buddy with more flexible fingers coming over to help Saturday.... and the saga continues.
Shane T.

 

Put a chain under the floor jack and over the upper A arm. Leave some slack in the chain so the jack has room to lower enough to release the spring.
Thats how I did it.

 

Ugh...I'm with you there. It's a pain in the ass getting those compressor's fingers walked up into the top of the spring. You get it alllll there, and then a finger slides off the coil. It is a pain in the ass. But, usually only a pain in the ass that takes about 20 minutes to deal with. After that, the spring is compressing nicely, and you're safe and sound.

If the wall is right there, you don't have much room to work. To me, that sounds like you don't have much room to avoid a moving spring.

Again, I'm a pussy...I don't like being hurt when it can be avoided. I'll spend a lot of extra effort making sure I don't need Advil.
-Brad

 

Man there is some pretty wild advice here. To think someone that has no experience with this job wow. I've been doing the spring thing for over 30 years and seen some crazy shit. Like springs flying out the shop window and so forth. Myself I'm a compressor man and I don't care because I have learned that there is a proper tool for every job!! In the pic is a spring out of a big block car sucked down far enough to pull it out with ease>>>>.

 

Good advice all above. Done it with both the jack trick and with rented spring compressors (slower method). Just take it slow, think things thru, and no brews while working. I do not like the sound of the spring squirting out from the lower A arm. Stay away from the wheel well when jacking and lowering the car.

 

Project update: With the two jack method and no compressor the spring cam out without any drama.

 

now you know two ways to skin that cat

 

How's it going Squirrel. Haven't seen/heard from you here in a while.

 

Oh, it's going alright. I been goofing off, because I can.

 

Gotta agree here. I learned the 'proper tool' etiquette in the Navy when we tried to 'short cut' a blade removal off a helicopter and ended up dropping it 15 feet, almost hitting ME and ruining a $375,000 retention and then the enjoyment of the ensuing JAG investigation. I'm not a hair-splitter and I love to cut corners, but when there is possibility for severe injury, using the right tool is kool.

 

If I am not reusing the spring, I always just cut them into a few pieces with a torch. I put them in with a compressor usually.

 

I'm glad the guy who gave me my springs didn't cut them up.