replacing coil springs

Read the instructions on your spring compressor and follow them.

Thanks........but no thanks.....the compressor instructions are vague at best. And came with no illustrations to boot........

Then I would get another spring compressor that had readable instructions you could understand. I tried the crappy ones once and was lucky enough to watch the spring leave my garage and out the drive. Lucky for me it didn't come my way. Stay safe, you cost to much to patch.

EarthDaddy wrote:

Is it an internal, or external spring compressor?

As best I can recall...

External compressors are usually in 2 assemblies that are each essentially a threaded rod with 2 short steel hooks/clamps that are attached (one assembly goes on each side of the spring) to the spring coils near the top and bottom of the spring with the threaded rod outside the spring. First position a floor jack under the outer end of the lower A-arm. The spring compressor rods are then tightened alternately and equally to compress the spring enough to take the pressure completely off the A-arms and so that the spring top is out of the spring pocket; position a floor jack under the end of the lower A-arm and then the lower ball joint stud can be unbolted. Once the lower A-arm is free, lower it and the spring to the floor and remove the spring, still in the compressor, and remove the spring and loosen the compressor to unload the spring.

Internal compressors have 2 sets/pairs of longer hinged steel L-shaped finger clamps/hooks (one set has a threaded hole for the threaded rod, the other has a pass-through hole for the rod)... the whole assembly, with clamp fingers collapsed, is fed up through the shock mount hole in the lower A-arm and a pair of fingers placed to hook over a coil near the top of the spring, and the other pair on hook under a coil near the bottom of the spring. The top and bottom pairs of hooks should be parallel in relation to each other, ie, a top hook directly above a bottom hook on each side of the spring. The nut at the bottom end of the threaded rod is turned to compress the spring enough to take the pressure completely off the A-arms, and the top of the spring below the spring socket, so that the lower ball joint stud can be unbolted. Lower the A-arm, relieve the spring, etc, as above.

An alternative method is to modify an internal spring compressor for this job. Here's how I remember it: buy a longer (6 inches or so longer) hardened-steel threaded rod with the same threads as the compressor, along with three grade 8 nuts matching that thread. Disassemble the spring compressor, you will use only the threaded set of fingers. Hook the clamp fingers under a lower spring coil, lightly grease the threads of the rod and feed it down through the upper shock mount hole and thread it through (and an inch or two past) the center of the clamp, then put several greased washers (with the right size hole for the rod) on the rod from the top to seat on the shock mount, then thread the three nuts on the rod. Tighten the top two nuts very tightly together to "lock" them to the rod, leaving some space between them and the third nut (it wouldn't hurt to lock 2 nuts at the bottom end of the rod for extra safety). Using two wrenches, hold the locked nuts with one wrench while turning the bottom nut against the washers with the other wrench to first snug up the clamp fingers (check, double check to be sure they're securely positioned on the coil) and continue turning to compress the spring up towards the upper spring socket until the spring pressure is completely off the lower A-arm (then unbolt the lower ball joint, etc, as above). Unscrew the rod with your wrenches to free the spring from the modified compressor (probably safest), or leave it hang there in compression until you are ready to reassemble after replacing the ball joints.

Before you even think about removing/compressing the springs, note their position carefully and mark the uppermost coil and the coil socket (and mark the coil as being the left or right side spring) so that you can put them back in exactly the same relative position, because the end of the top coil is oriented in a precise position clock-wise in it's socket to avoid problems like squeaking noises, car leaning a bit to one side, spring rubbing on a shock absorber, etc.

The front end of the car should be raised, jackstands solidly supporting the frame, with the front wheels removed, rear wheels chocked.

Take your time and be very, very, very careful... if a spring goes SPRONG!!! it can take a leg or a hand or a head with it before knocking the car off it's jackstands and bashing a hole through the garage roof.

If you are doing front end work, I am assuming that you are removing the a-arms for new bushings or removing the ball joints. Based on that, here is the safest and most sure way to compress the spring.

1. Remove the shock. Mark the spring as to location as the spring perch is not flat.
2. Insert a long threaded rod, 3 ft x 1/2 in or 3 ft x 5/8 in dia in the shock mount on top and drop through the shock mount on bottom. This will be determined by what you can fit in the shock mount hole on top.
3. Install a couple of very large washers on top and a nut or two. (Second nut is a safety backup.) Grease or oil the rod where you place the nuts and grease the washers. There should be about 10 inches of rod above the frame.
4. This is the weird part. I use a 3 inch pipe flange to cover the bottom shock hole. Use what you want to cover the large hole. Then place a couple of large washers and two nuts on the rod. Snug them against the flange and lower a-arm so that there are a couple of inches of rod showing.
5. Tighten the nuts on top against the frame until the lower a-arm begins to lift.
6. Remove the bolts on the lower a-arm pivot bar (2 front, 1 rear).
7. Loosen the nuts on top slowly to lower the a-arm.
8. The spring will be loose in about 2 inches of travel. Loosen the nuts until the spring wants to fall out. Once loose, you can safety remove the threaded rod from the shock holes and pull the spring out.

To install the spring, reverse the procedure.

Using this, you do not have to fear the spring flying out, a compressor slipping off (they do occasionally), and you don't have to try to fish chains around the spring for safety.

WOW!! Thanks Wayne for your attention to this!! Excellent help.

For sure this sounds like a project that one needs to pay close attention to. I really appreciate all the text you typed to this matter.

Wow again!

Ever thought of writing a book?

WayneC wrote:

The help keeps getting better and better! Thanks Tom. I like your approach. Worked for you?.....should work for me........and SAFE!!

Even thinking about the explosive potential of a spring scares me enough to put this project on hold for months.......BUT NOW......I'm going to do it!!

Just the design of a spring compressor is enough to comment on....I think......someone needs to go back to the drawing board.

Thanks again!

Tom > If you are doing front end work, I am assuming that you are removing the

Take to spring shop and have shop do it. The shop I went to isn't real happy about doing one of those since there isn't much room. They band then compressed then cut the band after it is together.