Front coil compressor tool tip....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,010
Likes: 3
From: Moon Twp. PA USA
Originally Posted by gkull
I've never used a spring compressor on my 79 vette. Why would you?
You jack up the frame and put it on jack stands. Remove both front tires. Then you use a floor jack under the front A-Arm to hold it in place. Take the shocks out. Take the cotter keys out and nuts off the ball joints. Mine have never rusted so just a few whacks of a hammer and the spindle drops loose. Just lower the jack and lift the spring out.
I have the shorter 550# spring so I don't even pull the calipers off the rotors. If you have a longer front spring you might not have enough length on the brake hoses. So you might need to pull the calipers off and wire them back out of the way. It's a two person job about one hour. You could do it by yourself. Just make sure that the spring is centered and in the holding slot on the end. I also managed to strip out an lower A-Arm shock threaded hole using air tools so be careful.
You jack up the frame and put it on jack stands. Remove both front tires. Then you use a floor jack under the front A-Arm to hold it in place. Take the shocks out. Take the cotter keys out and nuts off the ball joints. Mine have never rusted so just a few whacks of a hammer and the spindle drops loose. Just lower the jack and lift the spring out.
I have the shorter 550# spring so I don't even pull the calipers off the rotors. If you have a longer front spring you might not have enough length on the brake hoses. So you might need to pull the calipers off and wire them back out of the way. It's a two person job about one hour. You could do it by yourself. Just make sure that the spring is centered and in the holding slot on the end. I also managed to strip out an lower A-Arm shock threaded hole using air tools so be careful.
Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge LA
I too picked up a set of spring compressors similar to the ones pictured earlier (external spring compressors). The box said they could be used for compressing coil springs. Looking at them, I think that the a-arms are going to interfere with the threaded rod once I try to put the spring in. Can someone post a pic of how they set up theirs when putting the spring in? I'm out of town right now, but putting the springs in is the next thing I need to do when I get back into the garage.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Originally Posted by Custum73
I too picked up a set of spring compressors similar to the ones pictured earlier (external spring compressors). The box said they could be used for compressing coil springs. Looking at them, I think that the a-arms are going to interfere with the threaded rod once I try to put the spring in. Can someone post a pic of how they set up theirs when putting the spring in? I'm out of town right now, but putting the springs in is the next thing I need to do when I get back into the garage.
Last edited by GDaina; May 20, 2005 at 01:50 PM.
