Just curious, do I REALLY have to remove the spring?

It LOOKS like I can just neutralize the tension on the bolts with a jack under the control arm and a jack under the frame.
(With spring compressors ON the spring just to be safe)

Wouldn't this work?

 

yes you have to remove the spring.

If you have the tool that pushes on the a-arm evenly and in the proper place and you have the car chained to the ground in some way yes. thats how the dealer and pro mechanics do it but does not work so well if you dont have the special tool.

I Prefer to run a chain around the a-arm and through the spring (leave a bit of slack). then i pop the ball joint and let the arm sag as low as it will go. the spring didnt come out on its own for me i had too get a long bar and pry on the bottom a bit, then it popped out.

Getting it back in was a **** tho.

 

Yeah it's the getting it back in that seems to suck the most.

Although I do have the spring compressor (the two piece kind, one for each side of the spring) and an impact to crank on it so that should help me compress it smaller to make installation easier right?