[jamaca85]

does anyone have an easy way of replacing the front coil springs on a 1970 firebird. any site or instruction video link would be helpful. thanks

[connman]

no eazy way that I know of U will need a spring compressor for a coil spring not for struts!!!! must go inside of the spring. remove the upper shock nut , jack the car up and put jack stands under the frame where the wheel hangs loose. remove the shocks and the front tires. remove the sway bar ends.
remove the caliper and hang it so it is out of the way but wont fall as that may hurt the rubber brake hose, take the cotter keys out of the outside tie rod ends and the lower ball joints remove the nuts on the tie rod ends and remove the outer tie rod ends from the control arm and then loosen the nuts on the lower ball joints but leave plenty of threads on the nuts as it will keep from hurting u when the ball joint releases from the control arm. Put a floor jack under the control arm and bring it up to about an inch from the bottom of the control arm as far out as possible They make a special tool that works some time to remove tie rod ends from the control arm and also the ball joints there is also a pickle fork looks like a tuning fork in music class that will work but I find out that it will usually damage the grease seal. what I use instead is a big 40 or 48 ounce ball teen hammer and I turn the wheel to where I can hit the control arm square on the spot where the tapered end of the ball joint fits.[works for tie rod ends too] It takes several wacks and a few words but it will pop down if u have a little spring tension pushing down on the control arm. remove the jack and install the spring compressor and tighten till the spring will come out . take the nut off the ball joint and the spring will come out reverse to replace the spring . there is an index in the lower control arm that the spring end sits in and dont for get the sound suppressor rubbers some performance springs dont need a compressor to install so if the new spring is shorter than the stock spring dont be alarmed just recheck part # THE SPRING IS UNDER GREAT PRESSURE SO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUT ON THE BALLJOINT HAS SEVERAL TURNS LEFT ON ITOR IT CAN HURT OR KILL YOU

[jamaca85]

thanks

[67 Lamnas]

Forget the spring compressor.....they are absolutely not necessary, and make the job either nearly impossible, more dangerous, or take 3 times as long. Provided you have some skill, some common sense, and reasonable amount of mechanical aptitude and a few basic tools they just aren't difficult or dangerous to do. Just have some respect for the stored energy, and keep your eyes and your mind "on task". I've never used a spring compressor to change the 64-87 GM front springs and I've done dozens of them.

Broken springs or a car that has its engine out are a different story.

[462ta]

just did this today on my 72 formula what a PITA, took a lot of swings to get the lower A arm to drop but spring just popped out after lowering it down with jack, there is no way that spring was going in without a compressor, i cut 3/4 of coil off, comprssed spring but it took two of us to pry it into place in the A arm, after that put it back together and it only dropped less than an inch, wanted 2 in but no way am i doing that again.

[Loffen]

I allways use a spring compressor for Mercedes (goes internal) and have never had any problems.
Just one coil spring bracket as far up on the spring and the other bracket under the lower arm, when compressed I take out the arm and the spring as a unit and release the compressor.

So if 67 Lamnas think this is dangerous he has done it the wrong way, what is dangerous is taking the spring out without a compressor espescally when you loosen the knuckle and use a jack to lower the arm, then you for sure has no control over the spring.
And yes I have done it the wrong way several times in my teens when I did not know better..

[Doug]

A method I have used to "compress" a spring is to use a piece of all-thread rod installed inside the coil spring. I use a 3/8" diameter rod about 22" overall length. Using a drilled piece of metal large big enough to span the shock opening on the bottom control arm, double nut the bottom of the rod and insert it up through the coil spring and up through the upper shock mount hole in the upper control arm and double nut the top end of the rod. (The required length of the rod depends on individual situations.)

If the rod is inserted when the load is on the spring, several inches of the top of the rod will be exposed. By tightening the top end nuts down to a snug fit, the load can be taken off the spring and loosening the top end nuts will allow the lower control arm to move down enough so that all load is off the spring. The threaded rod is removed and the spring can be removed. A reverse of this procedure is used to install the spring. I spot weld the nuts on the lower end of the rod to keep them from coming off allowing the top end nuts to be loosened or tightened by holding the lower end nuts. This also allows use of an air wrench on the lower end nuts to speed up the operation.

Attached are some pics showing the use of threaded rods on my 63 Tempest springs. As you can see, the top and bottom of the spring (and rod) are both outside of the fender liner. Some cars may have the tops inside of the fenderwell making for the need to have someone assist in "wrenching". I have used this technique on various types of cars.

[Old Goat 67]

Lamnus is right guys. A good floor jack, couple of jack stands, AND a chain is the easiest and safest way to do them. All those spring compessors and threaded rods is an accident waiting to happen.

Jim and I have done many of them without incident. Every time I see someone doing them with compressors and threaded rods, I get the heck out of there. Quick. Don't like the sight of blood.

Charles

[Loffen]

And a chain, well atleast a chain.

Really if you do not like to see blood use a compressor, I have seen to much broken fingers, missing tooths and so on, a friend of mine still has a "Tatoo" on his right shoulder after a -64 chevelle spring, just pure luck that he was not killed, that was 15 years ago...

It does not take much before a jack or jack stand slips, a chain will help, but if I see some one trying to take out a front spring without a compressor I will stop him

But sure if you buy the cheapest compressor you can get on the bay you are asking for trouble, the same trouble you will get if you do not know your tools and how to use them

[dlarkins]

Originally Posted by Loffen

I allways use a spring compressor for Mercedes (goes internal) and have never had any problems.
Just one coil spring bracket as far up on the spring and the other bracket under the lower arm, when compressed I take out the arm and the spring as a unit and release the compressor.

So if 67 Lamnas think this is dangerous he has done it the wrong way, what is dangerous is taking the spring out without a compressor espescally when you loosen the knuckle and use a jack to lower the arm, then you for sure has no control over the spring.
And yes I have done it the wrong way several times in my teens when I did not know better..

I don't think it's dangerous if uninstalled or installed properly IMHO

[Loffen]

With zip ties ??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&fe...&v=bqiaca7bK2g

[dlarkins]

That's unbelievable.....

[67 Lamnas]

Rube Goldberg comes to mind....

[vidguy]

That's one of the goofier things I've seen... Seems like a lot of work to be lazy.

[b-man]

This might help you:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...21&postcount=3