I borrowed coil spring compressors from the local body shop. I jacked the car up, pulled the front wheel, and there is NO way the compressors he gave me are going to work. I've heard of people chaining the springs down, but this doesn't sound very smart. The compressors he let me borrow have two hooks on the bottom, and a hook on the top. The two pieces are linked together by a long bolt. Is there a different type? BTW I'm new here and this site is sweet. :rockon:

 

I don't even use a spring compressor to replace mine. I just put jacks under the a-arm/control arm. This way is easy if your replacement springs are a little shorter. Careful though because the spring is under lots of pressure.

http://www.fl-thirdgen.org/frontspringswap.html

Autozone loans spring compressors, around here they have the type with two hooks on top and a forked plate that is inserted on the bottom.

 

I did what BlueBYU did. Put the jack up under the A-arm and lowered it all very slowly. VERY SLOWLY...

 

I think the chaining part is meant to just hold them in if they should pop while trying to remove them as stated above. You just need to somehow chain them to the frame so that while you are lowering the a-arm if they should pop loose, they won't come flying out at your head or other vital organs.

I highly recommend somehow trying to strap them in so that they can't shoot out at you, the fender, or innocent bystanders or critters if you decide not to use a spring compressor. You don't hear many stories around here about springs that have gone a flyin' but when they do, concussions or vehicular damage is often mentioned. Just be careful.

Glad to have you on board too!!!

K

 

so will the method in the link work for installing same height springs? v-6 to v-8 swap

 

I've done it with z28 springs, but I had a hellofa hard time. The problem is getting the spring into the a-arms pocket, I had to first jack the spring up, then swing the a-arm up, then put a jack under the a-arm and jack it up the rest of the way. Finding a suitable spring compressor would be a better way.

 

how do you jack up just the spring???

 

I just tied a chain around the spring and hooked looped it around the middle section of the A-Arm between the mounting spots on the cross-member. Then I slowly lowered the jack and just let the spring pop out. If you have a heavy duty chain around it there is no way it is going to come off and hit anything.

You don’t need to remove the spindle or strut if you are reusing them, just take off the nut that holds the strut on with a jack under the A-Arm.

To put my new springs in I had to use an inbound spring compressor that I got as a loner tool at autozone. Here’s a pic of it http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tar...essor+%231.jpg

 

lol...I jacked the spring up through the hole in the a-arm, has to be one of those small bottle-like jacks or the jack probably won't fit through...the a-arm has to be slightly raised to get the right angle with the jack and spring and everything. then when the spring was jacked high enough I punched the spring off of the jack with a hammer and it sprung into the pocket...took a couple tries...not a recommended way

 

The spring compressor like 89 Iroc showed and the pipe nipple would make it an easy job.

Oh yeah and make sure you install the spring properly, the bottom end coil should go between the two drainage holes and make sure you don't put the spring in upside down either.

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/taramille...tos.yahoo.com/

 

those will do it, thanks a lot guys.