Removing front coils (Is this a recipe for pain?)

[Welby]

I want to remove my front coils and want to know if this is a fairly safe way of going about it; I was going to rest the car on jackstands and place a floor jack under the lower A-arm, then remove the bolts on either side of the arm and slowly lower the jack, letting the arm droop down enough to get the coils out. Is this safe? It seems like there's not really anywhere that the coil can go as it releases pressure and I shouldn't have any problems. Yes? No?

Also, if I do this, as I jack the arm back up after replacing the coil, is it going to be next to impossible to get the bolt holes lined back up to put everything back together?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

 

[chrisgarrett]

You will need a coil spring compressor to remove them safely and to install the new ones.

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPag...umber=3450&Description=Coil+Spring+Compressor

 

[Welby]

I have external spring compressors, but I'm not sure if I can utilize them at all in the front..

 

[HvyMtlV6]

I've done this procedure by jacking the car up and leaving it on stands and just let it hang, placing the floor jack underneath the lower control arm, take eveything off(rotors, spindles, shocks, etc...) you get the picture As a precaution, you might want to anchor or put a strap on the spring to your frame and slowly lower the control arm down, might not have much spring left in them if they are the original springs, when I did mines and I did the same procedure, all I did was tap on the springs to get them out of the cup the spring sits in and it just fell right out good luck hope that helps

 

[Hot Air 85]

Auto Zone

Use auto zones free tool rental for a coil spring compressor, and its still a PITA

 

[Welby]

I'd like to be able to do this without compressors, because quite honestly, they freak me out. The one's I have are cast metal and when they've been under pressure, I'd just wait for them to explode at any second. Not a good sensation.

 

[MIB]

I would use a spring compressor to store some of the springs energy while you lower the arm down. The spring compressor doesn't have to be screwed all the way in just enough to compress it maybe an 1" or so. We all know what happens if the spring jumps out

 

[Lee Thompson]

Do as all a favor and

Go to NAPA and buy a GOOD internal spring compressor. Once you get it set or where you want to start putting pressure on it, screw a minature radiator clamp on the up side of the coil next to the hook. I have changes more than 1 set and this is the way to give yourself some peace of mind that it has a much less chance of slipping. This is not nearly as simple as it sounds. Sometimes getting the new one back in the bottom perch is diffilcult. I use a pickle fork and brake the lower ball joint leaving the bolts in place. Best of luck.

 

[gunslinger]

Spring compressor...NOT!

You don't need a spring compressor. It'll most likely get in your way. I've done springs they way you are describing and it is a real PITA to get the control arms and bolt holes lined back up.

Here's how to do the job:
Jack up the car and support it with jackstands on the frame.
Take wheels and tires off.
Unbolt the shocks and remove them.
Unbolt the sway bar links.
Unbolt the outer tie rod ends.
Loosen (BUT DON'T REMOVE) the nut on the lower ball joint.
Use a pickle fork (if you plan on replacing the lower ball joints), or just smack the steering knuckle with a heavy hammer (on the vertical face where the ball joint goes through). This will pop the joint loose from the knuckle.
Place a floor jack under the lower control arm perpendicular to the control arm.
Jack it up until you see the castle nut on the ball joint separate a bit from the knuckle.
Remove the nut and slowly lower the floor jack.
You may find it helpful to loosen the two control arm bolts a bit to make the control arm a bit easier to swing down.
At this point, the spring will be a little stuck on its lower perch.
Using a long pry bar, gently pry it out.

Reverse procedure to install.

Don't be scared! This is a six cylinder car. The springs aren't that strong.
Ive done tons of coil springs in my 18 years as an auto tech, on everything from 63 409 Impalas to 3/4 ton trucks, and this is the best way I've found to do them.

Hope this helps.

 

[Welby]

Well, like always, I just dove in and starting ripping it apart. It wasn't too bad, I put my jack where the red X is (see pic) to support everything, then removed the two bolts. I left the shock connected to act as a catcher if the coil decided to go wiggy on me as I lowered the jack, but it was fine. After the coil was completed decompressed, I disconnected the shock and removed it, then just knocked out the coil.



I can already tell I'm gonna have fits getting the bolt holes lined up again when I reassemble it. Oh well, I've haven't had a good automotive test of patience in a while now, I'm about due.
I know people advise against it, but I'm going to cut a coil out of the stock springs and put it back together. The car sat way high in the back originally, it looked like I had a lift on it (See pic 1), so I put in junkyard F-body springs in the back. This brought the back down nicely (See pic 2), but now it's actually a tiny bit lower in the back than the front (Not cool). I just blew my $$$ wad on an alky kit, so I've got to fix this on the free. I'm not overly concerned with it affecting the ride as the car is already a rattle trap on the lousy PA roads. If it's unbearable, I'll look into different coils, but if it's not too bad, the ghetto chop coils are staying in . I'll post pics and give my opinion on it when I'm done... I'm just concerned that cutting a whole coil out will lower it too much. I'm only looking for 1-1.5" or so. Anybody with actual experience in doing this, please chime in .

1.

2.

 

[MIB]

Car sat high in the rear. I don't like the "Duke Boys" look either. Your car looks great! What a difference those springs made.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Yep...

Go to NAPA and buy a GOOD internal spring compressor. Once you get it set or where you want to start putting pressure on it, screw a minature radiator clamp on the up side of the coil next to the hook. I have changes more than 1 set and this is the way to give yourself some peace of mind that it has a much less chance of slipping. This is not nearly as simple as it sounds. Sometimes getting the new one back in the bottom perch is diffilcult. I use a pickle fork and brake the lower ball joint leaving the bolts in place. Best of luck.

Lee is dead on. By far easier to do with the ball joint idea.. BTDT, MANY times.:biggrin:

Cutting the coils will change the spring rate. You won't like the ride. Want to lower the car? Change the springs out for some shorter, or use dropped spindles.

 

[vader87]

Gotta do mine also! I dread it!

 

[Welby]

Cutting the coils will change the spring rate. You won't like the ride. Want to lower the car? Change the springs out for some shorter, or use dropped spindles.

To be honest, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. The F-body springs I put in the back are noticably stiffer than the ones that were in it, so now I have a car that's stiff in the back, and too soft in the front. If cutting the front springs raises the rate a bit, it would probably help to balance things back out, IMO

But like I said, if it's horrible, I'll look into buying something else for in there

 

[DCVING 6]

Put the old springs back in the rear and run a 28" tire, it'll look great.

 

[turbofish38]

You don't need a spring compressor. It'll most likely get in your way. I've done springs they way you are describing and it is a real PITA to get the control arms and bolt holes lined back up.

Here's how to do the job:
Jack up the car and support it with jackstands on the frame.
Take wheels and tires off.
Unbolt the shocks and remove them.
Unbolt the sway bar links.
Unbolt the outer tie rod ends.
Loosen (BUT DON'T REMOVE) the nut on the lower ball joint.
Use a pickle fork (if you plan on replacing the lower ball joints), or just smack the steering knuckle with a heavy hammer (on the vertical face where the ball joint goes through). This will pop the joint loose from the knuckle.
Place a floor jack under the lower control arm perpendicular to the control arm.
Jack it up until you see the castle nut on the ball joint separate a bit from the knuckle.
Remove the nut and slowly lower the floor jack.
You may find it helpful to loosen the two control arm bolts a bit to make the control arm a bit easier to swing down.
At this point, the spring will be a little stuck on its lower perch.
Using a long pry bar, gently pry it out.

Reverse procedure to install.

Don't be scared! This is a six cylinder car. The springs aren't that strong.
Ive done tons of coil springs in my 18 years as an auto tech, on everything from 63 409 Impalas to 3/4 ton trucks, and this is the best way I've found to do them.

Hope this helps.

I've always done it this way too. As a matter of fact look in the FSM. No mention of spring compressors in there either. This method will work on any spring short of one those mile long Moroso drag springs. When the arm is fully all the way down the spring will still have a little bit of tension on it. Just pop it out with a pry bar. If you find you need a little more weight to compress the spring on the reinstall than just invite your fatest freind over to sit on the front bumper. Slick as snot on a doorknob once you get past the fear of losing a body part.

 

[gunslinger]

If you find you need a little more weight to compress the spring on the reinstall than just invite your fatest freind over to sit on the front bumper. Slick as snot on a doorknob once you get past the fear of losing a body part.

Here's a neat trick for ya' if you run into this problem:

Run a chain under the floor jack, and attatch the ends to the cross shaft on the upper contol arm. As you jack it up, the frame has nowhere to go, and the spring compresses easily. I do it this way when I put coils in bare frames. Works great!

 

[Welby]

Well I got the drivers side cut and everything put back together. Talk about a major PITA getting the holes to line back up (Just as I knew it would be). Took a good 2.5 hours tonight to get the one side done altogether, lol. I wouldn't recommend doing it my way, unless you're a glutten for punishment like me. I'm gonna do the passenger side tomorrow.

 

[fitz3820]

Can one put the stock springs back in without using a compressor? Minw seemed way too long to do that so I ended up using the autozone compressor. What am I missing?

 

[Welby]

The way I did it, no compressor is needed at all. To be honest with you, after doing it a few times, it's a piece of cake to get them in and out now. The first time was a real bear though.....