Here's a cheap and easy way to remove coil springs. I've seen this method somewhere here before but I made it a little cheaper and stronger. I used a 20" piece of 5/8" fine all-thread rod instead of 1/2" coarse thread. I also used a coupler instead of a plain nut. The coupler spreads the load out way more so the threads don't gall. The other pieces are just a heavy washer and chunk of scrap steel. Total cost: $25. Just make sure to grease the all-thread real good with heavy grease like assembly lube. I made this one extra long in case I need it in the future for another application. If I was going to use this tool repeatedly, I would opt for Acme thread instead of plain thread.

To use this tool, drop the rod with couple attached through the shock mount hole in the top of the frame near the UCA and down into the spring. Place the base plate as far down the spring coils as it will fit. Tighten the upper and lower nuts against the base plate. You'll need to reach in between the coils with a couple of end wrenches to do this. If they are not tightened the rod will spin when you screw the coupler down. You may have to tap the base plate into position after you do this. Make sure the UCA spindle nut is loose. Start cranking her down until the spring begins to raise out of its' pocket in the LCA. Now place a jack under the LCA and take the pressure off the spindle and detach it at the UCA. Now just lower the whole thing until it is loose and remove the spring. There should be little or no pressure at this point. This can also probably be done with the base plate under the LCA, but I didn't try it that way. I wasn't sure if there would be enough slack in the spring to get the tool out easily.

One other plus: with this system there's no way the spring is coming flying out at you. It's trapped in the frame hole.

The tool assembled as you would use it.

Installed and ready to go.

How the base plate should look after tightening the nuts.

Same thing, different angle.

Spring compressed, ready to drop LCA.

 

Wow. I just did this with the autoparts store tool but upside down from this. (Foot on the bottom side of the spring and adjusting nut out the bottom).

Your way seems way smarter being able to do it from the top instead of from the bottom upside down...


Adam

 

yes, that beats the 100$ compressors out there that do not really work.

 

Roger that. At 70 years old, I'm takin' the most comfortable route every time. I don't enjoy laying on my back on the cold concrete!

 

Great idea - and safe as well. Thanks for sharing!

 

I have a pair of hooks on the bottom from a Harbor Freight tool (that sucked) but added a piece of all thread ready, a stack of flat greasy washers and a pinned hex nut at the top. Works great.

Always chain the spring to the frame first.

 

I set a hydraulic jack under the lower A-arm. I then wrapped a chain around the top of the upper A-arm and underneath my hydraulic jack and secured it with a bolt and nut. Then I jacked the lower A-arm up to compress the spring and removed the ball joint and slowly lowered the jack to safely decompress the spring. Works like a charm.

 

This tool and description is on the Wilcox website.

It works great. I used it a few years back.

The right side was hard to do in the car. The ac compressor was in the way but I got it.

Thanks for the write up and photos C3TPI.

 

Yes be careful. A backup plan "B" like a safety chain is a great idea. The springs have about 1200 lbs of load on them.
I have seen the "unfortunate" side effects at a shop where one "got loose" and went half-way thru a concrete block wall.
They were lucky no one was killed!
I can't image what it would do to a fender if impacted!!

My father in law was not so lucky. Broke both his legs in hundreds of places. Six surgeries and 2-3 year recovery. Back before "safety equipment".

 

I've used a very similar home made tool but placed the bottom block under the lower control arm. Once the spring was compressed enough to release the pressure I released the ball joint and undid the LCA mounting bolts, dropped the spring and control arm together. I re-installed the two pieces together, as well. Good luck-be careful!
Peter

 

Wouldn't this tool work as well? Its on the Rick's Camaros web site for a hefty $135.99, but doesn't show up on the Eckler's Corvette sister site. About 5 years ago, I removed my coil springs on my previous car (a '73) just using a jack, but when I do it again on my '72 this summer, I plan on being less adventurous . Anybody think of a reason why this wouldn't work on a C3?

 

I can't, but the tool at the top of this thread is $25 and the AutoParts Store rental tool has a "foot" with some nice ridges to help hold the tool from slipping out side-to-side and it's free.

Even if the tool above works I don't understand the $111 of benefit vs the OP's tool.


Adam

 

Oh but it has a machined aluminum block. That makes it soo much better! LOL

 

I'd much prefer the OP's tool as well, but I might not be as lucky finding that scrap piece of steel. C3TPI - thanks for the write up on this!

 

Well, if you could find a big enough washer it would be prettier and then you could sell them for a mere $100 instead of $139.99!

 

i'm normally not one to bring out the ol safety card, but make sure if you build one of these, get a really beefy piece of threaded rod with big ol' teeth, and a really strong retainer nut.
It's pretty scary how many kilojoules of energy a compressed spring can contain. you're basically loading a gun and want to make sure it doesn't accidentally fire while you're near it

 

More like a CANNON......

 

That's exactly why I used 5/8" grade 5 rod and a 3" long nut. Acme thread would be stronger, but it runs $60 for a 5' piece instead of $20 for the fine thread. The threads on the rod and nut showed no signs of wear after use.

 

Where did you source that grade material?

 

I bought it at Fastenal. I believe they said it was grade 5.