hi everyone, going to do a front end rebuild and install disc brakes. just looking for ways to remove the coil springs safely. thanks for you help and suggestions. ruben
I place the car on jack stands. Place a jack under the lower control arm with pressure(weight of the car), take the spindle loose, lower the jack. I’ll stand to the side as I release the jack. There are spring compressors if you feel it’s necessary. A friend of mine has a bridge in his mouth because didn’t stand to the side while installing and got smacked in the mouth.
I run a rope thru them after I remove the shock. My son has a tool that goes between the 2 ball joints and it screws to spread them out of the a-arms. We only loosen the ball joint nuts not remove them then let the lower A-arm with a floor jack.
When using the floor jack method, make sure the car is high enough for the lower control arm to arc or swing out with the jack to allow the spring to be removed.
Be careful and stand aside. When reinstalling sometimes you can use a ratchet strap to get the lower arm up if needed
Good idea to put a rope through the spring after removing the shock. That will help keep it from flying out.
Is that a picture of him that you're using for your new avatar image? It looks like he's showing off his new "grille".
Nope. Ive been lucky so far That guy is also missing a finger or two. and he’s a heck of a painter. I’m mad him at this moment. He just hauled home a 50 merc coupe with little rust.
I've never used a compressor on who knows how many front springs I have had out in my life. To me they are more danger than good but you have to use a compressor if you don't have the engine in the car for weight to put it back together. My method has always been to remove the shock, take the tie rod loose, support the ch***is low enough so that you can use the floor jack to lower the A arm. For years I used a hoist to raise or lower the car. with the Jack under the A arm to support it pop the ball joints loose and move the spindle out of the way figure out how to hang it up out of the way if the brakes are still hooked up. If you have a log chain to run through the coil or run a rope through it and loosely tie it off as 57 Heap suggested that keeps it from bouncing around the shop and putting a dent in something you don't want a dent in. Let the floor jack down until it isn't supporting the A arm and use a long pry bar (a truck shop tire iron works perfect but I used a long crowbar for years) stick the end under the coil an pop it out of the lower A arm. Do what ever you are going to do to the A arm. When you go back in you need two crow bars, really long pry bars or truck tire tire irons (the ones that are over 3 ft long) Stick your spring in the upper spring pocket lining up the end of the coil with the matching recess in the pocket. With your floor jack as far out on the A arm as you can get and not interfere with the spindle going back on push the bottom of the spring up into the lower A arm Take one of your bars that has the best flat side on the back of the curve of the end and put it between the A arm and the coil. Take the other bar and stick it in the spring two or three cooils up. This is where you need your hands to know what the other one is doing. plus a good helper on the floor jack handle really helps. Lift up slightly on the bar that is under the spring while pushing down and in with the bar that is through the coil.. The idea is to slide the coil across the bottom bar into the pocket until it is in the pocket to where your helper can start raising the jack. it should pop right in. It might not be a bad idea to loop that rope though the coil going in until you get a handle on it. Then if you slip it won't take off on you.
Know that when the coils are installed they form an "ARC", they don't rest straight up & down. You can leave the spindle on the upper ball joint by placing a block of wood the proper size in between the frame & the upper control arm. I have a KD compressor & when installed in the spring properly it holds the spring in it's installed "Arc". I hold the spring with a pair of Vise Grips & as mentioned before, always to the side & restrain with a good rope! I once installed a pair of Rear Impala springs in the front of my '57- That was an ADVENTURE!
All good info. Just be careful-as many have said stand away -I always run a small chain thru the spring as well.
No one mentioned backing off bushing bolts so lower a-frame will swing down easily and not tear up bushings as well. In the reverse after work is complete do not tighten bolts until car is back on the ground. Only then tighten bushing bolts.
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