I have the same problem. The correct spring compressor can be bought for, are you sitting down, $500.00...That's enough to buy alot of pry bars...the right tool is OTC model 7045B
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Ford sells the same one for more $$$
I modified a generic internal spring compressor by cutting the screw (it was to long when compressed) and cut the hooks so they could be slid out of the spring when at installed heigth. But its a pain and still a little dangerous as you can't compress the spring enough to install it without a jack...
I compress it enough to seat it, then use a jack to raise the control arm enough to get the strut bolts in...
Life is a bitch sometimes...
If you find a cheeper source let me know...
Serge
does anybody know if there is an aftermarket spring compressor that will
> work with a '90 mustang LX 5.0?
>
> I spent this weekend helping a friend install a new suspension which lowers
> the ride by about 1". The rear was no problem. just support the rear with a
> floor jack and pull the shock bolts and lower the jack. Pull out the
> original springs and put in the new ones. Then jack it back up and install
> the new shocks. piece of cake. Haven't checked the angle of the drive yet
> but it looks good.
>
> The front end was another story. put a jack under the control arm, pulled
> the strut bolts and tie rod. lowered the control arm (like I had done on
> several old fords) Spring did not drop out like I expected. There wasn't a
> lot of tension on the spring at that point so I pried it out. (kids don't do
> this at home) The replacement spring was shorter than the stock one but it
> would not seat properly with the control arm as low as it would go. Not
> finding any stock spring compressor that would do the job, I seated the
> spring into the top mount and pried the bottom into the control arm seat and
> held it there as a friend raised the control arm with a floor jack.
> Installed the new strut and hardware...
>
> All back together now and the owner is pleased with the result. My life
> would have been so much easier though with a spring compressor that would
> have worked on this car.
> Oppie
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