Safely removing coils

[JoshStratton]

Would anyone mind telling me how to remove my coils without blowing my head off?

The attached pic is what I am working with currently. The suspension is untouched. I have coil compressors and all the tools I think I would need.

Thanks!

[andrewb70]

Just insert the spring compressor inside the coil spring and tighten against the spring. Then you can safely seperate the ball joints from the spindle and remove the coils.

Andrew

[protour_chevelle]

The cheapy rental tools work like ****. It was sooo sketchy getting my coils out. Thank god my engine was still in because I put a jack under the LCA, jacked it up a bit and broke the ball joint. then slowly lowered the jack.

-Matt

[JoshStratton]

Thanks for the replies, but I am a bit of a dunce. I think what I was looking for was more of a step-by-step. Do I remove the upper control arms first? I have never done this before. I am a complete novice when it comes to suspension work. I dont know if you can see in the pic, but I cannot get the compressor in as it stands. I think the spring somehow comes out first. Is there an assembly in there?

The coil compressors are for MacPhearson Struts, but I think they will work for this as well.

[Steve Chryssos]

No. Leave the inner pivot points installed and install the spring compressor. DO NOT attempt to remove the a-arms with the springs still in place. Honestly, you probably will not need the spring compressor but install it anyway if this is your first time. Another alternative is to secure the spring to the frame with a chain. That way if the spring should pop out under pressure, the safety chain will keep it from bouncing around the garage and impaling you.

1) Put a jack under the lower control arm.
2) Loosen the lower ball joint castle nut, but leave the LBJ nut in place with a few threads intact as a safety measure.
3) Break the Lower Ball joint loose with a pickle fork or by giving a good smack with a hammer or both.
4) With the jack still inn place, remove the nut.
5) Slowly lower the floor jack. Make sure you position yourself and your homiez away from the springs primary trajectory.
6) If you used a spring compressor, the spring (and compressor) should just fall out. If you did not use a spring compressor, you will probably have to pry the spring out of its pocket--believe it or not. With the lower a-arm all the way down, the spring should be under very little pressure.
7) Remove the spring compressor and/or safety chain.
8) With the spring out of the way, you can then remove the spindle and a-arms.
After you have done this job once, you will see how easy it is. I now bypass the spring compressor and rely only on a floor jack and safety chain.

[hotrod]

The safest approach is to always use the spring compressor. A lot of folks have been killed when the jack got pushed off to the side and then the spring came out of the perch like a missile. Although I've never thought of using the chain............I'll remember that method streetfytr. I just got done removing suspension on a car today. What I did was tighten the spring compressor as much as possible first, Then back off both ball joint nuts on upper and lower arms but leaving four or five threads of ball joint in nuts. Then I popped spindle loose on upper and lower side using pickle fork and 2 lb. sledge....really. Finally I released the lower nut carefully with a long handled 1/2" ratchet and socket being careful not to stand in front of the possible trajectory of the spring. I had nothing to worry about because the spring basically fell out of the upper perch at that point. With one side I was able to remove the spring before I removed the LCA. With the other side I could tell that the spring was loose but it wouldn't come out easily so I removed the two bolts holding the LCA in and dropped it and the spring at the same time. Just my method.

[Kenova]

I've always used the type of compressor that fits inside the spring, where the shock goes. Remove the shock, wiggle the compressor up the centre of the spring, place the claws on the spring, and tighten the compressor up. Seperate the lower ball joint and it will drop out. Once the spring is out, back off on the compressor and Bob's yer uncle.
Ken