Coil Spring compressor advice

[dr]

I'm converting my 70 skylark to disk brakes and need to compress the front coil springs. I purchased the following spring compressor from summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPS-40250/
The problem is the threaded rod runs into the top of the shock tower as I tighten up the nut. I guess I could stack washers below the nut or cut some of the threaded rod off.
Any advice? I did a search function and saw various techniques but none I am sure of…
I’m in uncharted waters here.

[flynbuick]

Borrow one from Auto Zone.

[buick64203]

You really dont need a compressor. Here is how I do it-

Support the car by the frame on jack stands. Remove the end link for the sway bar and the shock absorber. Place the floor jack under the lower control arm and position the handle towars the front of the car. Pop the lower ball joint from the spindle with a pickle fork (ball joint separator). SLOWLY let the jack down until spring relaxes. Again, make sure you are by the front bumper when you let the jack down. Do not stand in front of the spring at any time! Theres a tremendous amount of potential energy on those springs. If it hits you, it could be fatal. Once the jack is all the way down and the spring has no tension on it, take a 4 foot pry bar and pop the spring out of the lower seat.....done. For installation, insert the new spring in the upper mount. Take note of the orientation of the lower springs pigtail. Take your 4 foot pry bar and insert it in the first few coils toward the bottom of the spring. Pry down carefully making an arc in the spring until it pops into its seat. Once seated you may still be able to rotate the spring a little to orientate it properly. The lower pigtail has to be in between the two small holes in the lower control arm. Jack up the floor jack until you can thread the ball joint castle nut on to the ball joint.

Like any other job on your car, you need to keep you wits about you. If you dont, you'll get hurt, spring compressor or not. Be careful

[buick64203]

Wait a sec....are you removing the springs or just the spindles? If just the spindles, why do you need to compress the springs?

[raresun]

Jason is right on the money. I just did this about 3 weeks ago, the only thing I would add is set your jack stands as high as possible so the lower control arm can swing all the down SLOWLY letting the tension off the springs. I was able to remove the springs by hand. I also dropped the tie rods so I could move the spindles independently.

[JOE RIV 1]

So what's the best way to install on a frame off with out scratching the hell out of the arms and spring?

[copperheadgs1]

Try taking springs out of a bare frame with no engine in the car. That is where the fun begins. The Auto zone compressor worked for us. It goes down thru the shock hole and grabs the spring and pulls up. Another nicer one is the old GM type sold By Ricks Camaro tha goes all the way down and mounts under the control arm.

[462 Chevelle]

when i did the front suspension on my chevelle there was no motor in the car and my car flew about 2 foot up in the air.. had to have my dad, sister, and a few customers from the shop sit on my front end to get the spindle on.

[copperheadgs1]

Lonnie, That is funny but scary. I knew that would a happen as when you try and compress the spring with the jack under the control arm the front of the car lifts off the stands. I had visions of the frame bouncing off the ceiling when the spring released. That is why we used the compressor.

[2791 lark custo]

Go the autozone rout. I used it, it's free and worked great:beers2:

[dr]

JasonI'm just removing the spindles, I'm converting to disc brakes from drum. I also plan to change the bll joints.
I'm just following the directions outlined in the brake kit. It does not call for removal of the spring just compresion of the spring.

[BADDABUICK]

for safety i have used a trailer tie strap around upper and lower to compress and put ball joints back in i had to do this when i didn,t have front fenders on the car it was a little light in the front end.

[r0ckstarr]

JasonI'm just removing the spindles, I'm converting to disc brakes from drum. I also plan to change the bll joints.
I'm just following the directions outlined in the brake kit. It does not call for removal of the spring just compresion of the spring.

Then, I would do it the way Jason said, but instead of lowering the jack with the control arm on it all of the way down, just lower it enough to get the spindle clear of the ball joints. A couple inches should work.

As far as the ball joints go, do you have a ball joint press?

[dr]

I think I got a plan. I will update in a day or two

[dr]

Ok one side done!!
Much easier than I thought. I lowered the control arm on a short jack stand and all is good. Beating the spindle free of the ball joint was interesting.

[71GS455N25]

I am changing rearend gears on a two GS 10 bolt 8.5s to a 3.42 gear. One had a 3.08 with 255 BFG tires and the other had a 2.56 with 275 BFG tires. What new speedo gears will I need to replace them with? They are both running about 12 mph over on the speedos!

Any input is appriciated!

[gstewart]

when the engine was oiut of the car, u require a sring compressor.
i did change the springs later in my gs, and again used the compressor.

[dr]

For what I'm doing a spring compressor is not needed. It is much easier than i thought.

[Freakazoid]

So what's the best way to install on a frame off with out scratching the hell out of the arms and spring?

X2, Same here. Im about to install the complete front end. I have the engine and trans on the frame. I would guess there is no other way except using a spring compressor. Can small pices of rubber inner tube be placed on the areas of the coil spring where the compressor hooks grab to keep the springs from getting scratched up ?

[STG1Buick]

I bought a compressor that OTC/SPX makes for the dealer service kits. I had used one as a mechanic and liked it. Remove the shock.There are two plates with flats on them that fit the inside of the spring slipping them in between coils. You want to space them as close to the top and bottom of the spring as you can. Then, through the bottom shock mount, insert a long threaded rod that fits through a hole in the center of the plates. Push the end just above the top plate and insert a pin through the rod end and it sets into a receiver on the plate. Then, a threaded piece screws onto the bottom of the rod. Run it up until it contacts the lower plate. The threaded piece had a hex on it the you wrench on the compress the spring. You can compress it quite a bit, to the point you can easily remove and install a spring without scratches. Cost is just over $200 and I got it through the dealer I was at. I use it quite a bit on the Drag Week car. If you have a dealer contact, check with them. I was at a Ford dealership and it was a standard tool for Town Car, Crown Vic and Grand Marquis. There are two sets of plates included and the flat that rests on the spring is wide so it will work on a large variety of springs.

David :beer

[JZRIV]

X2, Same here. Im about to install the complete front end. I have the engine and trans on the frame. I would guess there is no other way except using a spring compressor. Can small pices of rubber inner tube be placed on the areas of the coil spring where the compressor hooks grab to keep the springs from getting scratched up ?

There is another way although it may be a bit unorthodox though its simple and effective. I used a cut to length 4x4 to span the gap between the top of the frame rail and the ceiling in the garage. I located the frame rail directly under a ceiling joist so the 4x4 post could be placed right on the joist. Had a helper steady the 4x4 while I used the jack under the control arm to raise it while compressing the spring. Before anyone says this method is unsafe, anything can be unsafe if common sense isn't applied.

[OhioGS400]

X2, Same here. Im about to install the complete front end. I have the engine and trans on the frame. I would guess there is no other way except using a spring compressor. Can small pices of rubber inner tube be placed on the areas of the coil spring where the compressor hooks grab to keep the springs from getting scratched up ?
Richard- I had to do the same thing- installing new springs in my bare frame.
Use a good quality spring compressor- I borrowed a Snap-On model. You could use small pieces of rubber to protect the spring. I didn't use the rubber- I just went back after the fact and touched up the paint. Use a safety strap thru the spring and around the frame.

[Freakazoid]

There is another way although it may be a bit unorthodox though its simple and effective. I used a cut to length 4x4 to span the gap between the top of the frame rail and the ceiling in the garage. I located the frame rail directly under a ceiling joist so the 4x4 post could be placed right on the joist. Had a helper steady the 4x4 while I used the jack under the control arm to raise it while compressing the spring. Before anyone says this method is unsafe, anything can be unsafe if common sense isn't applied.

Not too bad an idea, With proper bracing of the 4x4 it would work.



Richard- I had to do the same thing- installing new springs in my bare frame.
Use a good quality spring compressor- I borrowed a Snap-On model. You could use small pieces of rubber to protect the spring. I didn't use the rubber- I just went back after the fact and touched up the paint. Use a safety strap thru the spring and around the frame.

Thanks Randy, Ill probably wont sweat it then.