3rd Gen Front Spring Question

There is probably an obvious solution to this, but I haven't figured it out yet :confused:

The front coil springs on a 3rd gen are about half hidden up inside the front clip housing. There isn't room enough to get a good bite with spring compressors, so I had to work them down 1 coil at a time ... in other words, I would position the compressor between the highest coil I could reach and under the bottom A-arm, crank that down as far as it would go, then position the other compressor on the other side the same way, crank that down as far as it would go, reposition the 1st compressor up another coil then crank that down, and so on, and so on and so on...:( It took FOREVER and even then, with the coils stacked as tight as I could get them on the bottom A-arm, there was still enough tension on the spring to pop the lower A-arm off pretty hard when I took the bolts out. There was just not enough room to grab 2 coils, nor enough room to compress all the tension out of the spring.

I hope that made sense!

Now...my question is...how do I get the springs and the lower A-arms back on? If I use the compressors to compact the spring there isn't room to put it back up into the front clip. I have thought about cranking the springs down then trying to tie them while compressed, but my better sense warns me to be sure my affairs are in order before trying it!

I am open to any and all suggestions about how to get these springs safely back into place.

I posted this same thread in the suspension area, too.

Thanks,

Dave

http://community.webshots.com/album/73612206MzqoSe

go ahead and edit/delete that other thread if ya don't mind, save the Moderators from doing it... duplicate post ya know ;)

here's a link from the Web-Link library, Danno did his front end mods and documented it... it shows him removing his coils, maybe it'll help ya ;)

i hope i helped and yer stayin' cool in this nasty heat we're havin' ;)

be Good !!! :D


Johnny :D

Are you using a Internal Spring Compressor?

Too late!!!! The other thread has already been nuked!;)

On the 3rd gen springs, you have to use an internal spring compressor. It sounds like the compressor you are using compresses the spring from the outside, a clamshell style. With a coil spring compressor, the top hooks will reach way up inside the coil, and you should be able to get the coil compressed in one shot.

You remove the shock and put this in the center of the spring, and get the hooks to hook on the coil as far apart as you can.

http://mactools.com/ProductImages/cc622b_d.jpg

Randy (worked real well when I used one!);)

Oh man.....sorry about the duplicate posting:o Won't do that again!!

Internal compressors are what I need!! Now I just need to find them! LOL The Pics are nice, but with everything out of the front end (mostly the engine) you can't use a floor jack. It just lifts the whole thing up!

Thanks for the advice!

Dave

no biggie Dave on the posting... hope ya get hooked up ;) :D

Be COOL !!! :D

The picture I posted is from Mac tools. $77.99 You might be able to rent one from a rental store. We have Rent-all-center stores here. Some chain parts stores also rent tools. It is actually called a coil spring compressor.

Randy (hope I helped!):)

Make sure you get a quality tool, no chinese junk! When that spring is compressed it's like a BOMB....that photo is like one I just bought at the local NAPA store..good quality, maybe $60..be careful it is easy to get hurt and do the tightening by hand....NO IMPACT GUN!


wilma

Tom is correct buy a good one. I bought one of those made in china internal spring compressors and used it once and broke it. I had to modify it to finish the job! Just my 2 cents.

Jason

I have an internal spring compressor but noted it wouldn't fit in between the coils of my new springs (stiffer), so I just used the ol' jack method. No worries if you run a safety chain through it. (see the link Johnny provided);)


Dan

Here is another way to do it from CDJr:

The easiest and safest way Ive found is to use a 3' long piece of 5/8" threaded steel rod and a couple of 1' pieces of 4x4 with a hole drilled in the middle. You use one 4x4 on top and one on the bottom and run the rod through the middle of the spring and use a few washers and nuts on each end to tighten or loosen the spring tension. That way, you see, you can fully unload the spring when removing it without the spring possibly flying out and causing bodily harm.

I was just about to post that, Tom...you mustve been readin my mind lol. Like Danno, I couldnt get my internal compressor up inside the spring either. And my clamshell type was useless as well.

I've installed new springs on (2) 3rd gen Novas and (1) 1st gen Camaro. Used the internal spring compressor, a floor jack and my 275 pound brother. Worked pretty good. :D

Here are a few pics from the other day using this method showing how its done AND the hazardous aspect of it. :eek:
http://home.sport.rr.com/cdjrracing/COIL2.jpg
This rod has removed and installed several sets of springs and has reached the end of its usable life at this point lol. This is why a chain should be used (which I neglected to do :o )
http://home.sport.rr.com/cdjrracing/COIL.jpghttp://home.sport.rr.com/cdjrracing/COIL3.jpg

I've had the front of my 69 apart several times over the years and never used a compressor- I place a floor jack under the control arm, unbolt one end of the spindle, and slowly let the jack down until the spring falls out. My stock springs were pretty worn out when I did it the first time; and my Moroso Drag springs are pretty weak too, so that probably explains the lack of flying springs.
I know a guy doing a strut replacement on the back of a 240Z that had the whole spring/shock/strut unit go thru the fender when it slipped from the compressor--a pretty expensive repair was needed!!

My friend with the '67 uses the jack method but with the engine and tranny out my baby is too light. Thanks for the warning about cheap compressors; I saw a bunch on eBay that are probably grenades. When that spring is compressed it really creeps me out! I'll check with our local rental joints or use the all-thread solution.

Thanks again for the advice,

Dave

This might be redneck engineering, but I tore apart a subframe, with no engine and actually removed from the car, using the jack method. I wrapped and bolted a chain over the top of the frame and under the bottom of the jack in a manner that it could not slip off either one. Worked quite well.

(I guess I should leave out the part about the subframe being in the back of my pickup at the time:eek: )

...I have thought about cranking the springs down then trying to tie them while compressed, but my better sense warns me to be sure my affairs are in order before trying it!


You could have a Suspension Shop compress and band the springs. Then cut the bands after installation.

That's an interesting idea, Steve. I didn't know they could do that. That may be the easiest way of all.

Dave

I had a heck of time with my coil springs. My car uses a stiffer than normal spring as part of the Yenko package. I ordered the "special" springs from Eaton. Well, in order to get enough room to attach the control arms to the spindle, I had to remove the upper arm rubber stops and there is not enough clearance to re-install them. When the time comes, I feel I might have to tear the thing apart again but that's on hold for right now; I hate the thought of using that spring compressor again. By the way, My rubber stops mount with a stud and nut - not like most of them I've seen that are all rubber and are force fit into the hole on the upper control arm.

Just finished painting my control arms Eastwood Chasis Black ... and yes, they look a whole lot better. While cleaning them up I noticed again what poor quality control GM had in 1971; sloppy welds with a lot of porosity. I ground them off the make it look better and saw lots of voids. No wonder the Japanese were kicking our b---s back then!!

My upper arm stops are the push-in kind...through the 9/16 hole. They aren't anywhere close to the old spindles, but now you got me worried about the new ones for the disk brakes. The lower stops are bolt-in.

Dave

Auto Zone has a decent spring compressor you can borrow for free.

When removing the coils, if you loosen the nuts on the ball joints almost to the end, then seperate the spindles from ball joints. By having the nuts still threaded 3-4 turns on the ball joints they will keep everything together. This will let your spring expand another inch or so giving you more room to work. You have to take the internal spring compressor apart and fish the pieces either through the shock hole in the lower a-arm or between the coils. You can use use a couple of old style tire iron's to pry the coils apart to fish the pieces through between the coils.