Rookie rebuilder here, and still going at it. Installed completely rebuilt upper and lower A-arm assemblies today, quite pleased. Upon trying to install coils, was disappointed to find the spring compressor I rented from Autozone was not going to work. This is a body off, so I have no weight to utilize, to compress spring. I plan to 1: Position spring in frame pocket and lower A-arm with coil end just beyond lowest drain hole in A-arm pocket and spring catching the inner ridge of frame pocket to keep it in line as it compresses. 2: Wrap a piece of looped wire rope around frame and through spring for safety. 3:Put threaded rod through shock tower and on either side of upper and lower A-arms and run through a piece of 2X4 set against both arms, backed up with a steel plate on each end, and then thread down a nut on a couple of greased washers to compress the coil spring. The springs are VB&P
460's, so they are not as long as OEM's. 4: Install spindle. Am I missing anything here? Any advice is greatly appreciated, as I have never done this before.
Thanks

 

what i did is set the spring in the upper pocket, raise the lower arm (with the spindle connected at the lower ball joint) with a jack to keep it in place and then install the spindle into the upper ball joint

 

Should have no problem.

The threading of the all thread rod will easily compress the coil spring.

Just be sure to only use hand tools. No impact/air tools. You don't want to have any reason for the all thread rod to fail.

The hardest part of this job is getting the coil properly between the arms and the all thread rod installed.

 

Hi Chris,
I do not think that will work with the body off, no weight there to compress the spring.

 

...

 

Why won't the Autozone compressor work? I had no problem with this tool, but had to use it differently than recommended.

Remove the threaded arm from the shaft and run it through a slab of pre-drilled steel or 2x4.

Insert the shaft/block through the lower control arm from below so the block is retained by the control arm; reattach the threaded arm of the compressor on the free end of the shaft.

Place the spring over the arm of the compressor and into the groove of the lower control arm

Snug the compressor arm as high as you can go on the spring, parallel with the car (ie in line with front to rear). Add any chains or safety straps as you see fit.

Slowly start compressing and the arm will tend toward the inboard side of the car giving a slight inward lean to the spring as you increase the compression. If the compressor arm is not parallel with the car the spring will lean in the wrong direction and not be able to enter the frame pocket. You'll have to start over.

As you compress, lift the outboard end of the lower trailing arm with a bottle jack to slowly direct the top of the spring into the upper frame pocket.

Once the top of the compressed spring can enter the pocket you may need to tap on the exposed ends of the compressor arm while lifting with the bottle jack to help it fit through the opening. Just be careful and smart.

Keep compressing the spring and raising the lower control arm until you can connect the lower steering knuckle to the lower balljoint. Snug everything up and slowly reverse the compressor making sure your alignment of the spring/pocket stays true.

Breathe easy. Slow, careful work and it's a cakewalk. Worked for me.

Best of luck,
Steve