Front spring removal - need help

Then you can't see what your working on because of the fat friends in the way .

Reminds me of Rodney Dangerfield ; " If you want to look thinner , hang out with fatter people ."

 

I replaced the front end on a 1964 Skylark convertible with everything removed but the body.

Using hand tools and the rented spring compressor.

Using a jack was out of the question to compress the springs, as the car would come off the jack stands if I tried.

I prefer to have the engine and transmission in, but since I was doing so much more, replacing all wiring, brake and fuel lines, rear end and such, I figured it would be easy enough.

 

You laugh but I used a bunch of neighborhood kids to sit on the rear of my car frame to simulate weight to torque rear suspension.

 

You should definitely consider making a video of this!

 

IF you have an air compressor & an air hammer NOTHING has to be removed. Put a jack under the bushing that's being replaced & remove the bolt. Lower the jack until the bushing will clear the frame. Everything will clear just enough. Using a FLAT/LARGE area chisel put a little pressure against the end of the bushing & with the air hammer vibrate the bushing out. Don't hammer on the bushing it will distort. Vibrate on the arm/area that the bushing resides in. Works like a charm. Install the same way using some anti-seize. Just make sure you start it square/straight & vibrant it back in.
Should be able to R&R in 20 minutes for each bushing. Works on the uppers also.

 

Here's a blog post I did years ago when I replaced front springs. Several videos on how I did it. Not that hard, and they did not fly around the garage when set free. It was quite undramatic actually.
I did put a chain down though the spring and control arm just in case. Ive done it again since with the same results. NO special tools required.
http://72buickgs.blogspot.com/2012/03/finally-replaced-front-springs-nothing.html

 

Getting the springs in wasn't even on my radar yet! If anyone has a video of that, I'd love to see it.

Now I am thinking I should buy new springs since the ones in there are original 1972 and I don't want to have to do it again... Any advice on buying new ones?

Tom- fascinating idea with the air hammer, but getting them out with the spring still in place seems sketchy/dangerous. No?

 

One bourbon, one scotch and one beer....

Close eyes, rebel yell, and let the air wrench fly on full reverse at 180 PSI!!!!


YAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!


then pick all the parts up off the floor, look for blood and if result is null, life is good....

 

It CAN'T come out as NOTHING else is dis-connected.

 

Front springs in my 455 came from Autozone p/n FCS5536S
Very pleased with them

Putting them back in is not difficult. Put it up into the pocket making sure its centered over the tabs.
Put the bottm into the pocket in the lower control arm. I had to pry it in with a 2ft pry bar as I jacked up the lower arm.
Make sure the end of the spring is over the hole in the pocket and jack it up enough to get the upper and lower ball joints bolted on and you're golden

 

Thanks Curtis. Blog is helpful too.

Anyone have any issues with parts from RockAuto.com? Seems like they have a lot of choices as far as brands. AC, Moog, Mevotech etc., but I haven't even ordered from them.

 

Help!
Ball joints all disconnected. Lower A-arm lowered just about to the ground, but seems as low as it will go. Spring is still stuck in there, seemingly under some tension. I cant push A-arm any farther down. Advice?

 

I remember putting my springs in my frame. Restoration. No motor in. Just frame. When I got them in and done. A/C springs . Right one bigger than left. I realized that I used the tool wrong. Had my face in those springs for couple days.
I almost threw up. I got weezie. Just realized my face could have got ripped off!
I was very lucky. Went to church that week.

 

I put my springs in with just the bare frame. Frame was on the trailer and I blocked it up with 4x4's. Took out the trailer straps and strapped the frame down. Put the springs in and clocked them. At that point just took a floor jack and jacked up the lower control arm until I could put a nut on the ball joint.

 

Pry bar worked like a champ.

Is the simplest move to take the A-arms to a machine shop and let them press the ball joints out and in for me?

 

Ordering some parts from RockAuto, and its asking what the OEM part number is. Looks like the only one that might matter is the springs. Do we have a resource for that? Really need the car to sit right when it's all back together. You guys have any issue with that?

 

If you don't have a ball joint press the machine shop is best . What about the Control arm bushings while you have them out ?? It will ride like a brand new car .

 

I am doing: Upper/Lower Control Arm Bushings, Upper/Lower Ball Joint, shocks, springs, stabilizer links/bushings, sway bar bushings. Might as well put in new wheel bearings while in there too.

How do I know if I need to replace Control Arm itself?

Anything else I should do while its all off?