ok, I'm taking the front suspension apart on the 54, my spring compression tool made in china does not fit this vintage American iron, so I put a chain around the lower a-arm and through the spring, bolted it down and proceeded to remove the upper control arm, spinal and ball joints. the spring is still chained to the lower arm. How the hell do I get the spring out, without taking my head or arm off? without going and buying a new set of compression tools
I've done it in the past by using a jack (on the spindle) to load the springs, install the chain or spring compressor with the spring already compressed, and then once secure, lower the jack and unload the spring. You should then be able to remove the spring. If you can't with the arm in place, at least now you can drop the arm without it exploding, just make sure the spring is loose and truly not under load. I've even seen dudes cut the springs with a torch to unload them with the arms still attached, ***uming of course they weren't planning on reusing them. I wouldn't recommend it, but if you do it this way use a torch rather that a cutting wheel so you aren't touching the spring when it pops.
EOG's got it pretty much right. Put your jack under the lower control arm and jack the car up. Put sturdy wood blocks under the frame (not jack stands...unless you've got a death wish). Lower the car so the weight is on the blocks. You can now use the jack to compress the spring against the car's weight and take the chain off. BE SURE THE JACK IS PLACED SO IT WON'T SLIP AND RELEASE THE SPRING BEFORE YOU'RE READY! Once the chain is off, you can lower the jack SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY to allow the lower control arm to come down, releasing the spring. If the spring isn't fully unloaded when the jack is all the way down, you didn't block the car up high enough. Jack it back up, put in more blocks and try it again. Hope this helps. Be careful!
You can use a spring compressor , a jack under the ball joint and undo the lower ball joint and let the jack down very slowly ! My favorite is a torch ! I just cut a couple coils out and the danger of the springs popping out is gone . Very safe to do that was or use a spring compressor if you have never removed a spring before ! The jack to remove a spring works good too but make sure you know what you are doing ! Which ever way you do it remember to remove the shock first and be very careful ! A loose spring really hurts ! Jim
Thanks guys... Yes Jim, I couldn't get my spring compressor into the spring. It was designed more for newer cars. It's a bit to big to get into the old ford springs. I was hoping not to go buy another one but I might, just to have it. I'll try using the jack under the control arm, I just don't trust my luck!! I have nightmares of springs shooting across the garage and sending me to the hospital....
If you really don't know what you're doing, and/or don't have the proper tools, have it done by a spring shop or someone cabable of doing it. This job is dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly. You can kill yourself, no ****, if that spring gets away from you under compression. Talk to somebody in a spring shop. They deal with coils every day and still have a great caution present when doing the job.
That's probably the way I will go, I hate buying a new set of compressors but better safe than sorry I guess. I've taken springs off many times before, but always on newer vehicles. My compressors are to big to fit past the control and a-arms and I tried to go from the inside, through the lower shock hole, but the compressor is to larger to fit in that way either I was just hoping that there was an easier way (and not to dangerous) of getting them off without the added expense. Well, this weekends project I guess!!! I'll post pics of the ****** Nub if things go wrong
well im not trying to make it sound simple. it is very dangerous. when i swaped mine out. i took a chain and chained the spring to the frame and i dont mean a cheap little dog chain. then i put a jack under my lower ball joint. took my lower ball joint nut loose . with about 3 threads still on it. then poped the lower ball joint loose using a big hammer. then removed the nut totaly. let down on the jack real easy till the spring fell out. it will unload . you will have to take your sway bar links off the lower control arm. the new springs are shorter and go back in alot easier. you will also need to remove the shocks in one of your first steps.
If you order the springs from Advanced Auto , they will lend you the tools to do the job for free . Do you know anyone with a torch . Just heat the springs up till they are red and they will collapse , if not cut them out . The best spring compressor for those springs are the ones from MAC tools . They use a round disc on either end then a threaded rod with a nut on the top and you just thread the rod into the bottom disc . Then just crank away and it will collapse them safely . That is the best spring compressor I have used yet . Snap on has the same one but they are very costly ! those ****py ones with the hooks **** ! Jim
Do it like it was mentioned before. Get the car up high enough so the lower a-arm can go all the way down. Put the jack under the a-arm but do not put any weight on it. Undo the nut holding the ball joint to the a-arm but leave it on just the width of the nut. Then loosen the ball joint from the spindle. Now crank up the jack under the a-arm untill all the weight is on the spring so you can take the chain off. Take the chain and wrap it around a coil and to the frame so if it pops it doesn't go anywhere. Take the nut off the ball joint and slowly lower the a-arm untill all the pressure is off. Down this quite a few times and it pretty much goof proof. You don't need a spring compressor.
Caution: Don't take the nut off the lower ball joint until you are sure the ball joint has separated from the spindle. This usually takes a good whack or three with a big hammer, as has been said. The nut is what makes the difference between the ***embly coming apart slow...or fast! You'll be wanting slow. Trust me on this.
OK some people need to explain things so the person that has no idea on what they are doing doesn't end up in the hospital when a damn front spring crushes his chest or shatters his face when that damn spring come flying out ! Yes the jack way will work if you are very experienced doing it and have seen it done before BUT when you have no idea on the best way to remove a front spring that is under a hell of a lot of pressure and hasn't ever seen it done before , it's really best on all parties NOT to try and tell them how to do it that way ! I am not trying to piss people off and if I did I am sorry but I have seen more than one person get hurt really bad doing it just like you explained ! That is a dangerous job and to do it without a spring compressor is really very unsafe to the point that if it comes flying out at you while you are standing there , it will break both your legs no questions asked ! Honestly if you have no idea and have never done it before , then either pay someone to do it for you or take a torch and heat the springs up till they get red and loose their tension or just torch them with a cutting torch until the spring is in pieces and safe to remove . Look I am sorry but I just see something really bad happening here so I had to say my peace on this one . It's just not worth it if something goes wrong just to save some money ! Jim
you are right im not good at explainig thing good , im not pissed off i apreciate the clarification. i do this for a living and it comes second nature to me . but thats also why i said tie a big chain to the spring and frame. i had a freinds dad loose his nuts because a spring came out into them . it is very dangerous. most parts stores even oreillys has the loan a tool program, use it on this.
I understand your point CLEARLY Jim, and you are very much correct. I'm ok with the responses posted here since I have removed springs before (using compressors) and I understand the pressure they are under, which is why I asked the question, since my compressors would not clear the perch area. The Good news is, I got the springs off, using the Jack-Chain-box way that was posted. No injuries other than a few busted knuckles from all the rust-weld bolts. As for others that may be looking at this post, who have never done this kind of job before and thinking of doing it..... Jim, your point is very important. Thanks to all who put in their 2 cents to help me out, I greatly appreciate it, now to tackle the removal of the steering box.... There is something I know NOTHING about.... guess that will be a new post
'Quote"Yes the jack way will work if you are very experienced doing it and have seen it done before BUT when you have no idea on the best way to remove a front spring that is under a hell of a lot of pressure and hasn't ever seen it done before , it's really best on all parties NOT to try and tell them how to do it that way ! I am not trying to piss people off and if I did I am sorry but I have seen more than one person get hurt really bad doing it just like you explained !"Quote' I disagree. The first time I did it I used the "jack way" after reading about it. No problems at all. All you have to do is take adequate safety measures (and common sense). I have since done it a number of timesand am always careful I follow the sequence that I read about.
not saying anybody here presently doesnt have any common sense, but there will always be that "one guy". please dont be that "one guy". i changed mine out as well (first timer), but i went and got a freind who retired from doing this kind of work to come over and supervise my first time. went off without a hitch, but it was nice having someone there to help out.
I have changed many springs in a few different ways and they all work if done very carefully ! I prefer a torch when I have one to use ! I have done many with a jack stand under the frame and a good floor jack BUT I will NEVER let that jack down unless I am in the front of the car ! That way if something goes wrong the spring goes out the side of the car where I am not at ! Just remember , no matter how many springs you do remove , there is always going to be that one damn spring that gets away for some reason and hits someone ! They do really hurt , especially if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time . Then all of a sudden a spring starts bouncing out the side of the car and you are about 10 feet away working on another car ! By this time it's too late to get the hell out of the way fast enough ! It really does hurts ! Just be safe with those damn springs ! Glad it worked out good for you ! Jim
Those of you who have changed over to the shorter springs (aerostar or other) Did you keep the same shocks? or change out to some other type?
i changed mine to a gas shock. i think i used them off a 78 monte carlo style car. just removed the original bottom mount plate drilled new holes and turned the new shocks the proper way. bolted them in.
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