I have my motor out and I'm going to rebuild my front end.
What is the easiest and safest way to remove the front springs?
Use a spring compressor or some other method?
Thanks

 

A good walkthrough was posted yesterday. Here's the link: http://24.28.237.140/Corvette/Front_...20-%20Main.htm

good luck
-terry

 

Spring compressor is the safest way to go!!! Don't let that spring fool you. It is under a lot of pressure. If it gets loose from you, there is a good chance someone will make a trip to the hospital. I also put a jack under the lower control arm to compress it some, then use the spring compressor. After diconnecting the spindle, I slowly lower the jack and out pops the spring still in the compressor.

:smash:

 

Yep, use a compressor! I just made one a few weeks ago with $10 in parts from Home Depot. Worked great. Look up the home-made spring compressor threads in the Factory Correct forum. All you need is a two foot threaded rod, a metal plate, and a few nuts.

 

I think you HAVE to use a compresser with the engine removed.

 

Heres what I did.
My motor was out also.
Chain the spring to the upper a arm and frame so it wont move. Make sure the chain is tight.
I placed a jack just below the lower a arm so it barely touches it.
When the ball joint lets go the lower arm will jit the jack
Get a big friggin hammer and a pickle fork and bash the heck out of one of the ball joints.
THe ball joint pops out and the lower a arm hits the jack.
Lower the jack slowly.
Spring comes out slowly.
Easy.
ps When I did mine I was very conscious of the damage a flying spring can cause and did not stand in front of the wheel well opening when I was using the hammer.

 

Do a search in the "Factory Correct Resto" forum for Maryland Style Spring Compressor. There are pix posted, but since the forum is "down", they probably won't load. Keep trying. The internal spring compressors are a PIA to use. Be careful messing with springs. LOTS of potential energy. I just got done reinstalling the entire front end under my 69 without problems. Go slowly and carefully. Chuck

 

Yea, what he said!! Thanks for that info. Chuck. I built one last week and it worked great!

-Joe

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=210506

The concept is very simple, using an allthread, a couple nuts, a couple washers and a plate of steel with a hole in it. Weld one nut onto the end of the allthread, hereafter referred to as the bottom. Make a hole large enough to easily pass the allthread through.

Put the plate between the coils, as show in picture on a/n thread. Pass the allthread through the hole for the shock absorber in the lower a-arm, up the middle of the coil, through the hole in the plate and finally, through the hole in the shock tower. Put a washer over the allthread at the top of the shock tower (to protect paint) and thread on a nut. You may need a wrench at the bottom to keep it from turning. You'll definitely need one at the top!



As the nut draws up the allthread, the plate compresses the coil into the shock tower in a controlled manner. Once the pressure is off of the lower a-arm, you're free to remove the ball joints. Then you can release the pressure and remove the spring. Slow but safe.


[Modified by Mac, 7:25 PM 1/29/2002]

 

From very bitter experience, CHAIN the damn spring to the lower A arm leg....with a 3/8 bolt thru the chain ends.....or a LEAST a 1/2 inch dia rope like for a boat.....that damn spring can bounce off walls and kill.....


GENE

 

Thanks to everyone for their help with the spring removal!!

 

Short & sweet tip...

Big Block with A/C springs sent me to the hospital.... even with a spring compressor.

Small Block springs are much easier.

Just in case you have a B'B '74.