[ws6speedpaul]

I am replacing all the front end steering and suspension wearable components on my 1974 Trans-Am.

What is the best way to safely remove the coils, including any tools and tips that y'all may have?

Thanks in advance for this one!

[SD73]

After struggling with various different models of spring compressors and not being able to do the job satisfactory to me I bought these on the recommendation of a mechanic friend. I need to go in and redo some of what I did with the previous compressors next week so I haven't actually used them yet, but if you can wait I'll give my opinion after the job is completed with this the 3rd set I'll have tried. And when I'm done with it, I can give you a smoking deal on it too if you want to buy a slightly used one. I will say this, the T/A springs are a lot longer and stiffer than almost anything else out there so spending the extra bucks on something better is really worth it if it does indeed help. I can tell you that the standard tool rentals from the parts stores do not work well at all and are pretty risky at best.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GTJ5I8?ref=fed_asin_title

[4dblnkldude]

I can tell you how not to.... if your bushings are worn do not put your foot on the lower ball joint and take a step up.

[67Sprint6]

I also used that OTC tool linked above. And went slowly and carefully and kept things chained up for extra caution.
It's a job I had not done in a long time, and so I tried to go slow and with common sense.

[rolling money pits]

I’ve tried three ways….

The always exciting floor jack under the LCA, not recommended I have to say.

Finger type compressor, with both sets of fingers inserted into the spring with threaded rod inserted thru LCA. Kind of a PITA, one has to work the fingers all the way up the spring. In addition to that fun task, one also has to align the fingers so that spring compresses in a reasonably correct manner.

Same compressor, but using only one set of fingers and the rod inserted thru the frame above spring pocket. Holds spring tight to frame, once LCA is off, simply release tension. Install is reverse.

[78w72]

Ive removed & installed front coils on a 2nd gen probably 15-20 times, easiest way is to use a spring compressor that the rod goes through the top shock hole & threads onto the 2 hooks that go inside the spring & grab on the lower area of the coils. then just compress the spring with a big ratchet or breaker bar, not a impact gun. when its pulled up about half its compression you can drop the lower arm, release the tension & remove the spring. Reverse procedure for install. Much easier than using the floor jack under the arm, especially for the install, be sure to get the spring clocked in the right location, the end of the coil should be in the indent of the arm right at or ~half way over the 2 drain holes.

Also, another option to break free the ball joints if you dont have a pickle fork or dont want to damage the grease boot, is to loosen the top & bottom castle nuts a few turns but still full threads engaged, then use a BFH to whack on the knuckle a few times & the spring pressure will break it free... obviously before compressing the spring.

For security purposes I run a chain through the spring & over the frame with a clevis grab hook on the end, like a logging chain, to catch the spring if it decides to jump out or compressor breaks.

This is the style compressor I prefer, you only use the rod & hooks, not the fork piece.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Spring-Co...d734dd916a066a

[ws6speedpaul]

Thanks for all of your replies, they definitely are going to help me do this job easier and more safely!

[ZeGermanHam]

I used this one on my '66 GTO. My springs are approximately 5" in diameter and it worked great for me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[ws6speedpaul]

Thanks for the link!

This is the same tool that Advance auto had loaned me.

I am going to use a hybrid method of both the spring compression tool, mounted from the top, and a low profile hydraulic jack.

I believe that this will spread out the safety risk and make it easier too.

[srmmmm]

At the wise and mature age of perhaps 20, I replaced the front springs on my 70 Esprit W/AC. The original springs were really shot and bottomed out going over a #2 pencil on the road. Armed with my engineering curriculum, I used a come-a-long winch anchored to the opposite leaf spring perch to pull the LCA all the way down. Wedging the flat tip of a crow bar under the bottom coil popped the spring out without too much effort or recoil for that matter.

Using that method in reverse was a whole different story with the new springs, special service part numbers recommended by my automotive prof, Jim Lyons, later head of the Pontiac turbo development. I had to go to the GM Parts Warehouse in Schwartz Creek, MI to pick them up in person.

I did cable them in to the spring tower so they couldn't fly out and punch a hole in the garage wall. But I must have beat on each one with a sledge hammer for 10 minutes to slide the bottom coil back along the crow bar and get it into the pocket. I later heard a local spring shop would have compressed them and steel banded them for $25, but heck, I saved $25.

Professor Lyons was right though, those springs still hold the front end up well after 120,000 miles.

[HWYSTR455]

My finger-type coil spring compressor rod won't fit thru the shock hole. You guys drill the hole out bigger or the one you used has a smaller rod?

As for separating the ball joints, I jack up the car to get the front wheels off the ground, back the nut off so the nut is just to the top of threads, and give it a swing or 2 with a hammer until it pops. Can do the upper same way too.


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[78w72]

The compressor tool I linked to is the common one parts stores rent like auto zone... the rod fits through all the original shock holes in the frame on all 2nd gen firebirds Ive done this on, early 72 to late 81 & all years in between besides 70 thats Ive never had.

Tried this tool on a friends 73 nova drag car & the rod wouldnt fit the shock hole but more of an issue was the finger hook part wouldnt fit through the shock hole in the lower control arm.... so we did the floor jack way but used a ratchet strap on the spring to compress it a little so it didnt try to fly out, they were the tall moroso "trick springs" we removed for more street friendly springs when he wanted to drive it on the street.

I mentioned the BFG for undoing ball joints, much easier & less damaging to the boot than a pickle fork.

[rolling money pits]

My compressor is an old KD, got it probably 90/91. Acme threads and ball bearing FTW. It fit through my early 2nd gen, 69 and 70 A body frames.

First time using it was on my bird, 350 esprit with AC. Was a son of bitch getting spring compressed enough, had to wind up into spring pocket as far as I could, manipulate this that and the other. I wanna say the end of the rod came out of shock hole. I swear to whatever the spring, once out and released, was damn near 2 feet long.

[HWYSTR455]

Yeah, I was thinking my '70 A-body where it doesn't fit, but maybe the F body it would fit, haven't tried in a while.

With the spring loading the ball joints, you don't have to hit them too hard for it to pop.

I have an OTC front end service kit that had a variety of pullers and a ball joint tool, they are those U shaped ones. Those are good for stubborn ones.

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[Skip Fix]

Originally Posted by 78w72

Ive removed & installed front coils on a 2nd gen probably 15-20 times, easiest way is to use a spring compressor that the rod goes through the top shock hole & threads onto the 2 hooks that go inside the spring & grab on the lower area of the coils. then just compress the spring with a big ratchet or breaker bar, not a impact gun. when its pulled up about half its compression you can drop the lower arm, release the tension & remove the spring. Reverse procedure for install. Much easier than using the floor jack under the arm, especially for the install, be sure to get the spring clocked in the right location, the end of the coil should be in the indent of the arm right at or ~half way over the 2 drain holes.

Also, another option to break free the ball joints if you dont have a pickle fork or dont want to damage the grease boot, is to loosen the top & bottom castle nuts a few turns but still full threads engaged, then use a BFH to whack on the knuckle a few times & the spring pressure will break it free... obviously before compressing the spring.

For security purposes I run a chain through the spring & over the frame with a clevis grab hook on the end, like a logging chain, to catch the spring if it decides to jump out or compressor breaks.

This is the style compressor I prefer, you only use the rod & hooks, not the fork piece.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Spring-Co...d734dd916a066a

This I think I found even the Summit compressor fit through the shock hole and had a good curve to the fingers to grab the spring better.

there is a tool that is basically a giant coupling nut and bolt(Kent Moore?) that is on the factory shop manual that spreads the ball joint studs to pop them out of the spindle. Rarely a stubborn one will need a tap with a hammer or even a pickle fork. Leave the nuts on the ball joints and use the spring to help separate. Works on F bodies and A bodies that have ball joints on the inside of the spindle.You can then use a jack under the LCA and pull the spindle and upper off. use the compressor to get the spring out then LCA .

Not sure other than a pickle fork for ones like an early Impala or C2/C3 Vette where they are both on the underside of the spindle.

[78w72]

The compressor I linked to works great if you set it up right... gotta grab the spring on the lowest coil possible so it doesnt hit the frame as mentioned above. Ive had excellent results doing it that way with that tool.

[HWYSTR455]

I have this OTC ball joint separator, and use it in cases they get stubborn:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/otc-6297

With the spring load on the joints, it doesn't take a lot to pop them, but when they are stubborn, with the AFX spindles, I don't like beating on anything.



.

[rwfisher]

As I planned to replace my control arm bushings also I did this. Car on jacks stands. Ran a length of all thread with washers / nuts in place down thru the upper shock mount down thru the spring and lower control arm. Piece of steel plate with hole in it was fastened with double nuts to all thread at bottom of control arm. Tightened to get tension using nut at top. Removed lower ball joint nut and released ball joint. Removed lower control arm bolts and slowly lowered assembly by rotating top nut. You have to be sure to use a long enough all thread to insure spring pressure can be released, I use 36” section. The reverse is done to reinstall everything using a jack under the control arm to assist in spring compression. The all thread rod running thru the spring helps insure the spring can’t be thrown from frame if something goes awry . This method was passed on to me by an old timer for doing this on vehicle that doesn’t have the weight of an engine to help..

[ws6speedpaul]

Thanks everyone for all the valuable feedback!

I safely removed both coils and control arms yesterday, using just a hydraulic jack.

The spring compression tool ended up being just a distraction, and added no real value in my case.

My SD remained all its life in Tampa Bay, until I moved it up to north Georgia, so everything came apart super easy due to having zero rust/corrosion.

The car has 76K miles on it and all the original steering and suspension components...and even one of the factory spring tags was still attached to the coil!

[Sirrotica]

To install springs on a car without an engine. Simply take a length of chain, run it around the axle of the floor jack, and over the frame rail. This allows you to jack up the front lower A arms using the jack against the chain.

Changing springs isn't hard if you use common sense, even if you don't have a spring compressor it can be accomplished with basic tools. I actually prefer to use a floor jack because it is overkill for what you're doing, and even if it fails the release is measured and slower.

If a screw spring compressor fails all the stored energy is released 100% in a split second. You won't have any chance to get out of the way. I did see one spring compressor fail, fortunately the spring was lying on the ground, and it didn't hit anyone when it shot the length of the shop.

Been there and done it dozens of times as my profession.

If you do use a spring compressor, or a length of all thread, DON'T use an impact wrench on it. It fatigues the threads and rolls them over causing them to fail. I own a strut compressor that was used in a shop by everyone. They used a impact wrench on it and pulled the threads out of the welded nut that the screw went into.

Even with it greased and oiled up it still ruined the threads. The manufacturers put warning labels on most of the ones I've used for a reason. Don't use an impact wrench on them, they will fail spectacularly.

The shop owner bought a new one and sold me the damaged one for $5, I cut the ruined nuts off and welded new nuts on it. It's been working fine for me for decades, but I never use an impact on it, just a ratchet and socket to tighten it.