Rebuilding 77 and engine is out, any problems replacing front springs while engine is out of car.

 

I would use an internal spring compressor. Shouldn't be an issue.

 

Good luck getting it in that tiny shock absorber mounting hole. I did mine the caveman way. Jack up the car, support the bottom control arm with a jack. Undo the lower spindle nut and let the control arm down with the jack once you get everything undone. Put it back in the same way. Just my 2 cents.

 

I did mine the same way. Just make sure you use a safety chain.
Should be a very quick job but do it safely.

 

With no motor you won't have enough weight to compress the spring enough with a floor jack to get the ball joint studs through the knuckle. I would say the above info is correct, and you need an internal spring compressor to get the ball joints installed and secure. Then, remove the compressor and install the shock. Make sure you get the feet of the springs seated correctly in the spring pockets at the top or it'll pop out and you won't get the shock through.

 

I installed 550 coils with rad, engine and trans out of car. Used floor jack method and didnt have a problem. The 550 coils are about an inch shorter than stock thou, Durango Boy may be right about swapping in stock coils. Good luck

 

I just took the springs out of a chassis without the engine and trans installed. Loosen the upper ball joint nut and back it out 1/4" or so and use a pickle fork to pop the upper joint free. Put a jack under the lower control arm, giving it a couple of inches of slack. Put a chain around the upper and lower control arms with a few inches of slack for safety.

I used a pipe extension on the ratchet to make sure I was away from the spring while loosening the upper ball joint nut, but when the nut comes off the assembly just drops a few inches (with a bang) and the spring stays in the pocket. You can then lower the jack to take the remaining tension off the spring. I had to use a pry bar to pop the spring out of the lower control arm.

Disclaimer: This method worked for me but there is some danger involved with any coil spring removal. This advice is worth what you paid for it.



Rick B.

 

Try this. Easy, quick, safe, simple. You'll need:

1) Coil spring compressor (many parts counters have 'free' rentals)
2) A 2x4 about 6" long and drill a 3/4" hole in the middle (I use a hole saw).
3) A couple of big washers,..big enough for the rod of your srping compressor.

Remove the shocks (obviously). Put the hook assy up in the coil spring from below. There are two assy's,..one with threads for the rod,..one without. Insert the 'threaded' hook assy up into the coil spring. Then put the 'unthreaded hook assy' on the rod, (hooks out...you know why later), followed by the big washers, then the 2x4. Insert the top of the rod through the lower A-arm thru the shock hole, and thread it thru the hook assy that awaits in the coil spring. Hook the spring on the second or third coil from the top and compress the spring.

Works like a charm.

 

I removed my springs with the engine removed and body off. Instead of a 2x4 or large washers, I used an old pulley. Here are a couple of pics.

 

I R&Rd my front springs with the engine out.

Go to my website to see pictures.

I used a piece of all thread through the top shock mount down through the lower A-Arm with a round plate on the bottom and nuts on the top.

Tighten the nuts on top to take up slack and then you can slowly lower the A-arm. The all thread will keep the spring from flying out.

To install new spring, just tithen the nuts on the all thread to pull the A-arm back up.

 

With the engine out be real carefull releasing the spring. Use a chain or a tie down like I did. Lower the a arm slowly and there should be no problems. As for installing the springs with no engine, I did it w/ no engine, trans or rad and I just made a couple of friends stand in the engine bay to weigh the car down so I could get the ball joint through the spindle. Connect the lower one first and just keep raising the jack up till the upper ball joint goes far enough into the spindle to get the threads started.
I just got done installing my new Moroso 213 lb trick springs after cutting almost 2 coils off and I didn't need a spring compressor. It was a little tricky to find the sweet spot as to where the spring would catch on both the upper and lower pocket at the same time. The second side only took me an hour to remove and install. If you decide to get a spring compressor make sure you get the right one that will work on our cars, I went to a place and got a set of compressors and they weren't the kind that goes through the center of the spring. Instead they were externally mounted and then I ran into problems with them hitting the upper and lower control arms once I got it close enough to start jacking up the arm. A real PITA!!! At least I don't have to worry about that anymore with these new springs, now I can have them both in and out in less than an hour and half.

 

Gr8Wht,..a old pulley instead of a 2x4,..clever!