I'm struggling, big time, trying to get the front coil springs in. It's a big block car and I have a spring compressor that goes through the middle of the spring. I can't seem to get the spring compressed enough to get the spindle to the top a-arm. I've got about 3" to go. The compressor seems useless and looks like it wouldn't come out after the spring was in place. Even with the big block I'm lifting the whole car with the jack. Doesn't seem to be enough weight. Any better techniques out there??

 

Can you just insert the spring up into the frame tower and bring the lower a-arm up to the bottom, them just jack it up to compress the spring. I have some springs that lower mine a bit and can do this operation without a spring compressor. This may not be possible with stock springs.

 

The only way I've ever done front springs is with the spindle hanging off the top a-arm and the lower ball joint detached from the spindle.

That isn't going to fix your problem of not being able to compress the spring, but I think it makes the whole process more manageable.

Got any pics of what you're doing? Are you extending the compressor fully before hooking it onto the coils?

 

Throw away the spring compressor. Use a floor jack. With a BB car especially!

 

1. Place the top hooks of the compressor as high on the coil as u can without them being in the frame rail one the spring is installed
2. Place the bottom fork or equitant part of the compressor kit as low as u can with out the fork binding against the bottom a-arm once installed.
3. compress the spring
4. Install the top inside (car side) edge coil of the spring in the correct position in the seat. The spring will not be straight with the bottom a-arm, that's ok.
5. Position the inside edge of the bottom coil as close to the back of the bottom seat as possible. It will not line up but do the best you can.
6. Next jack up the bottom a-arm as close to the spindle as u can to get the most leverage.
7. While jacking it up keep pressure on the spring to prevent the top coil from coming out of the seat.
8. Jack it up enough so that the spring can still be moved (using a rubber mallet) and high enough to compress the spring.
9. Hit the spring with a mallet wile slowing jacking up the spring to find the point described in step 8. Removal of the bump stop may be necessary.
10. The spring should then pop into place, if not you need to move the hooks or fork up or down, or reposition the starting placement of the top and bottom coil prior to jacking/hitting.
11. If the bottom coil moves into place but the top pops outward (away from the car), slightly lower the a-arm and tap the spring while jacking it back up

 

only way to do it

 

Even with the spring compressed it isn't going to seat in the top recess. You have to put a pry bar up into the upper spring pocket and 'encourage' the spring to move over into the seating area. You'll probably find that the lower control arm raises up at least an inch when you do this. I tried to figure out how to get the spring into the top recess for about an hour until I realized you can pry from underneath - one of those DOH! moments.

Rick B.

 

Got the whole thing back together today. Looks dam good if I don't say so myself. I did use the spring compressor in the end. I realised that you need to make sure the compressor main screw lines up with the top shock hole, and extends through, so the spring would seat in the top. The screw was hitting the shock mount. All worked out in the end. Thanks for all the replys.