Is it just me or does anyone else think getting the front A-arms/springs/strut back in is next to impossible?

... I finally got the driver's side in tonight, I've probably spent a couple hours screwing with different things trying to get it up high enough, but made no progress. Finally accomplished it by my own method, not the Hayne's method (raising it up flat) because it just kept raising the car up. My method was putting the bolts through the A-arm, slip the spring up in there, get a jack under the very lip where the ball joint is and raise it slowly while tapping the spring in with a rubber mallet until it finally kicked into the perch.

Anyhow, hopefully it goes quicker and safely for the passenger side.

 

go buy yourself a spring compressor that goes up into the spring and not on the sides on them like a strut compressor. That spring compressor will than fall right out the shock mounting hole in the A arm once the spring is seated. There are so many people that struggle becuase they don't have the proper equipment. My springs take about 5 minutes to install with that spring compressor.

 

Didn't think there was such a thing, I'll look into it. Thanks

 

This is not the heavy duty one or one I'd trust but it looks like this.

 

Sounds about right for a spring install. I did it by compressing the spring to the A-arm using that tool, threading the ball joint nut just enough to hold it safe (so the A-arm is hanging by the strut), then using a combination of jacking the inner side of the A-arm and compressing the spring with the tool so I could get the pivot bolts in. Grease on the bushings helps. It's scary, dangerous, and a pain in the ***, but thats how it is with thirdgen springs.

Major safety tip: Put two hose clamps on the spring just downstream of each of the upper spring compressor jaws. I did some testing on this by compressing the spring slightly WITHOUT the hose clamps and hitting it horizontally with a hammer. Every time the spring compressor let go. I put the hose clamps on there and I was able to wail on the whole assembly, spring compressed and everything, without the compressor letting go. Makes you feel a lot better when you're under there with the whole thing compressed right in your face. Make sure you install the clamps pointing so when you're done you can stick a socket w/ extensions up the middle of the spring and remove the clamps.