[lmf01]

I am trading out stock control arms for Summit tubular control arms in a 1967 Firebird. By the way if anyone is looking into control arms so far these have fit the bill good looking wields, fit is perfect, all the hardware needed etc. etc. However I am having problems getting the spring, I am using the shock and spring set up for now, compressed enough to get it in without getting the top of the sprint compressing tool jammed in the top of the spring seat in the car. Obviously I don’t have the spring compressor on the very top of the spring but one maybe 2 rungs down. The engine and trans is out for rebuild so I don’t have enough weight to pull ye olde jack the bottom of the control arm up to help compress the spring. Even with my wife and her brother standing in the engine bay. If I pull the spring compressor down the spring half way where I could get it out once the spring seats I cant get enough compression on the spring. If I use the whole length of the compression tool I can get the spring to compress enough but I cant get the top of the compression tool out.

I hope I have explained this well enough, I usually post pics but I didn’t take any yet and I am at work.

Any tricks anyone can share?

[HWYSTR455]

Use a bigger wife?

Is the hole for the shock in the frame large enough to get the threaded end of the compressor through? Then just use one end and compress the spring against the upper frame pocket.

These I'm guessing are factory height springs? If you get the jack under the very outter lip of the lower control arm, it gives you the most leverage. You still kind of have to 'pop' the spring in there as you jack it, but shouldn't give you too much trouble.

Otherwise, there's no real trick, you just have to work it. I know if it's close to the top (compressor) the 'tang' that wraps around the coil can be touching the frame when released. You can pry it and move the spring away from the frame some and get it out. You can also hammer the 'tang' around and down, lower on the spring to get it out.
.

[BVR421]

floor jack to lift under bottom A arm
with no motor wieght to hold it down, use a piece of 1/4" chain from under jack to over frame to prevent lifting
no compressor necessary

I havent done this a lot but enough to know it works

[mechanickeith]

Or use the correct spring compressor. I have one like this, works great. A little pricy.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...sor-43753.html

[rolling money pits]

Originally Posted by mechanickeith

Or use the correct spring compressor. I have one like this, works great. A little pricy.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...sor-43753.html

well.....technically, thats not the correct spring compressor, since that one is designed for strut suspensions in which you have, more or less, unlimited access to the outside of the spring.

all that aside, how in the world are you able to use that on these cars, and still have room to bolt the spindle to the ball joints??

[Doug]

Imf01,

You asked about tricks. One "trick" I have used is to use a piece of 1/2 inch all-thread rod about 28 inches long with double nuts on each end.

For a job like changing ball joints you remove the shock. Find a piece of strong flat metal wide enough that won't go up through the hole in the lower control arm where the bottom of the shock mounts. Drill a 1/2 inch hole in the metal piece and insert the thread rod down thru the shock stem mounting hole in the upper control arm down through the spring thru the lower control arm and thru the flat metal piece. Put two nuts on the lower end of the rod. Put a couple of flat washers on the top of the rod with a couple of nuts and tighten them down against the top of the upper control arm. By tightening the nuts on one or both ends of the rod you can control the motion of your control arm as well as keeping the coil spring fouled in where it can't jump out on you. The length of rod needed will vary with what car you are working on and use of this method can be limited by the suspension design and clearances such as inner fender liner locations etc. The diameter of the thread rod is limited by the size of the shock stem mount hole size in the upper control arm. Remember that the coil spring is pretty tall and the lower control arm has to travel down quite a bit to "release" the coil spring so make sure the length of the all-thread rod is ample.

[andyleonard]

Originally Posted by BVR421

floor jack to lift under bottom A arm
with no motor wieght to hold it down, use a piece of 1/4" chain from under jack to over frame to prevent lifting
no compressor necessary

I havent done this a lot but enough to know it works

We do this all the time. Loop the chain over/through the top A arm and through the front axle of the jack and bolt it together. Jack up the spring, pop open the top balljoint and let the jack down. Remove spring. To install, reverse procedure. Please use a tiedown to secure the spring to the suspension just in case. Some of the springs are 17" tall and will bow coming out and you really don't want one getting away.

[mechanickeith]

Originally Posted by rolling money pits

well.....technically, thats not the correct spring compressor, since that one is designed for strut suspensions in which you have, more or less, unlimited access to the outside of the spring.

all that aside, how in the world are you able to use that on these cars, and still have room to bolt the spindle to the ball joints??

Turn the spindle hard to one side & put the spring in on the other. Have done it many times with no big issues.