removing springs

[BigAls87Z28]

I'm trying to take out the springs in the 87. The spring compressor won't work because there is too little space. Any other ideas? I was going to just slowly let out the jack out from under the a arm but I kno the danger.

[LTb1ow]

Tie down?

[BigAls87Z28]

My idea is that with the spring compressed in the car I put the spring comp as tight as I can then release the jack and it schoulnt come flying out.

[LTb1ow]

Why not just use the floor jack to slowly lower the A arm until you can remove said spring?

[//<86TA>\\]

what kind of compressor are you using? I've been able to use a spring compressor on my front springs.

You can put a chain through the spring so it wont fly out, then lower the arm with the jack and pop the spring out with a bar of some kind.

[BigAls87Z28]

I'm afraid it will come flying out. My jack isn't the greatest...friggin craftsman.

[LTb1ow]

Tie the ****er down, have some poor soul loosen jack. Voila.

[ZeroCool8891]

Ive just lowered the jack, and pop out the spring with a crow bar done it over 100 times been fine ever since, its not as bad as people make it out to be.

[BigAls87Z28]

Its the center compressor one. I'm gonna give my plan a try. If I'm not back in a hour....call 911!

[BonzoHansen]

what kind of compressor are you using? I've been able to use a spring compressor on my front springs.

You can put a chain through the spring so it wont fly out, then lower the arm with the jack and pop the spring out with a bar of some kind.

this. chain.

[Jam]

lol if you're short of tools use exhaust clamps and every time you compress the springs tighter, tighten the clamps accordingly. kind of dumb but it's an idea.

[//<86TA>\\]

lol if you're short of tools use exhaust clamps and every time you compress the springs tighter, tighten the clamps accordingly. kind of dumb but it's an idea.

kinda sounds like a Darwin award waiting to happen

[BonzoHansen]

kinda sounds like a Darwin award waiting to happen

yeah, a boat load of stupid. but I am beginning to expect that around here.

[bubba428]

I've done it a few times, let the jack out as fast as you want theres not enough pressure to cause it to fly out, but enough to make it catch the lip on the conrol arm and stay in place...

[BigAls87Z28]

Thank you Bubba. I followed you...why, I dont know.
I tightend down the spring compressor down as much as I could, but didnt compress jack.
I let the jack out slowly, and the control arm just came down nice and easy. Grabbed my pry bar and pulled it out.
To put it back in, I just put the spring into the hole, put the lower spring into the notch, then jacked the control arm up from the ball joint.
Threw the spindle and new strut back in, and tada!
I have other problems now....

[BonzoHansen]

are you just changing arms & spindles? why pull the spring?

[BigAls87Z28]

Im doing it all.
Eibach lowering springs, Bilstein struts, and new C4 HD brakes with spindles.

[LTb1ow]

Oh snapppp.

You know. All that weight, is going to make 13s harder and harder... ;)

[sweetbmxrider]

do you even have room to talk? :lol:

c4's? pfff!

[LTb1ow]

Nah, I saw em the other day, they look nice.

[sweetbmxrider]

nah i bet they do. but if you are stickin 17's on there, i think, go c5!

[bubba428]

Thank you Bubba. I followed you...why, I dont know.
I tightend down the spring compressor down as much as I could, but didnt compress jack.
I let the jack out slowly, and the control arm just came down nice and easy. Grabbed my pry bar and pulled it out.
To put it back in, I just put the spring into the hole, put the lower spring into the notch, then jacked the control arm up from the ball joint.
Threw the spindle and new strut back in, and tada!
I have other problems now....

cool, glad that worked out for ya...i usually don't even use the compressor. most people don't realize how far the arms open and how tall the seats are.

[BigAls87Z28]

Yeah, I just hear a lot of horror stories that springs would just blow out.
This does give me a better feel about putting springs into the 72 when its time as well.
Pics I posted up on facebook.

[bubba428]

thats more so coil overs, and people using the compressors wrong and them slipping out of place. the way you did it is safer.

[BonzoHansen]

bubba said exactly what phil said, except phil added the safety chain because he's smarter. :lol: that's how you pull out coil springs, compressor is for install, if necessary

[crainholio]

I'm afraid it will come flying out. My jack isn't the greatest...friggin craftsman.

My granddad explained that compressed springs are more dangerous than live rattlesnakes. Rattlers give you warning...springs don't.

Chain the spring to the a-arm if you're not using a spring compressor.

I use an interior spring compressor, had to cut the big threaded rod down ~2" because it interfered with the strut tower.

I feed it up through the hole in the center of the A-arm, latch the arms onto the spring coils, and then tighten it with an impact gun to compress the spring.

When it's compressed, I drop the nut off the strut and gently lower the A-arm. Spring drops out easily this way.

[cdacda13]

I was about to ask this question. Currently going though the same thing.

[BigAls87Z28]

I was about to ask this question. Currently going though the same thing.

Jack the car from the ball joint
Remove strut
Remove spindle
slowly let the jack down. The spring does not come flying out as I had thought.

[cdacda13]

Thanks. Hopefully this will all be done tomorrow.

[BonzoHansen]

Jack the car from the ball joint
Remove strut
Remove spindle
slowly let the jack down. The spring does not come flying out as I had thought.

put a chain around the spring & LCA. Don't be dumb.

[Teds89IROC]

Ah missed this. I did the same exact thing but also chained the spring to the k-member for safety. Luckily with the short pro-kit springs I didn't need a compressor for the install.

[cdacda13]

Ran into a slight problem. The bolts that connect the strut to the steering knuckle won't budge. I got the nuts off, but the bolts won't even spin.
Things complicating the matter: I have to save the strut and the bolts because I'm not replacing them yet. So I can't cut or hammer them.
Anyone got ideas? PB blaster and torch have been used so far.

[BonzoHansen]

Air gun should walk them right out.

[cdacda13]

Air gun should walk them right out.

Tried it and nothing moved. Pressure was turned all the way up.

[//<86TA>\\]

is the suspension still loaded?

if the impact gun doesn't turn the bolt out, your pretty much beat. Soak it in PD blaster and hope for the best.

maybe put the nut on a bit, so the bolt threads are not sticking out, and give it a good couple whacks with a 2lb hammer, see if you can break it loose.

scratch that, the nuts are behind the dust shield, probably not the easiest things to hit with a hammer

[//<86TA>\\]

Tried it and nothing moved. Pressure was turned all the way up.


how did you get the nuts off? just with a wrench on the nut? the bolt never spun?

[cdacda13]

A breaker bar and a huge pipe. The bolt never spun when removing the nuts. Suspension is not loaded and dust shield is removed.

[//<86TA>\\]

wow, those nuts are lock nuts, if you got them off without the bolts spinning at all thats pretty amazing. Not sure what to say except use a larger hammer

[cdacda13]

Yeah, those suckers are in there good.

Quick picture for reference. Nuts are just put on there so I don't lose them.

[//<86TA>\\]

have you tried putting the nuts on, just enough that the bolts threads are not sicking out, and beating on them with a BFH to see if you can break them loose?

[cdacda13]

Sorta. I put the nuts on, then put a piece of wood over that as to not damage the nuts. I know the wood absorbs most of the force but I don't want to mangle the bolts or nuts.

[//<86TA>\\]

if you have one, you can use a brass drift pin or some other softer metal against the bolt/nut and hit that with a hammer, it will absorb less than wood.

Can you afford to wait a little while for new bolts and nuts to arive? Spohn sells new ones.

[BigAls87Z28]

Had the same problem with mine, only on one bolt.
I soaked it in PB plaster, left it over night, came back to it the next day.
I left the nut on the tip of the bolt, took a big block of wood. and hammerd away. Therefor you dont damage the threads on the nut or bolt.
Coupe of knocks later, came right out. The one bolt was pretty heavily coverd in rust build up in the strut.
PB Plaster FTW...again.
Screw chains....

[Teds89IROC]

that's crazy those are on so tight, I guess I was lucky with mine

[cdacda13]

Got it, well, the driver side anyways. The whole a-arm is now off the frame.
Thanks for the help guys.