Front shocks + springs

[Mercmarquis]

Will I need a spring compressor to take the front springs out? Also What all is involved in doing the front springs? Should I do anything else while I have all of that apart?

[mrltd]

No spring compressor required. I usually take the control arm bolts out from the frame. Just be sure to have the arm supported wtih a jack.

[Archangel]

Hmm, and if the jack slips off, and the springs you're installing are like 750lbs/in... :drug:

[DuceAnAHalf]

when i swaped my stock springs out and replaced them with cut Pi springs, i seperated the spindle fromt the ball joint with a jack under it lowered the jack from in front of the car. once it was all the way down i was able to squeeze the spring rotate it and get it out. the PI springs sat in the upper bucket popped into the lower arm getting the spindle reattached was a pain since there was no motor in the car, i had to have three people sit on the car in order to compress the spring.

it was not that bad to do, just when you lower the jack during removal stand in front of the car. Also if you unbolt the top of the shock and leave the lower bolts in, the spring will not be able to fly out very easilly. just drop the arm until the spring is no longer compresses, remove the shock and then pull the spring out.

[Mercmarquis]

No spring compressor required. I usually take the control arm bolts out from the frame.

Where the control arm mounts to the frame?

[Mercmarquis]

Will I need a pickle fork to separate the balljoint? I'm not to clear on this.

[mrltd]

Hmm, and if the jack slips off, and the springs you're installing are like 750lbs/in... :drug:

I've done it that way for years, on many car. No issues. Besides, it's pretty damn tough to get a spring compressor in the front end.


Yes, the frame mounting points. It would help to have a pickle fork, though there are other ways of doing it using the spring to your advantage.

[Mercmarquis]

I'm not sure how you do that MrLTD. Lets see, You unbolt the lower control arm from the frame, then seperate the ball joint and completely remove the lower control arm and spring? Is that right? The way I'm picturing it is when you unbolt the lower C arm fromthe frame, the spindle and balljoint wont let it go down to get the spring out. Then you would have seperate the balljoint and have nothing fixing the movement of the spring. Sounds a little quirky to me.

I'm familiar with duce's way, also would I need to replace the ball joints?

What is the easiest and fastest way to do it without buying a bunch of tools?

[DuceAnAHalf]

leave the ball joint attached and just unblot the frame side of the arm. the arm will swing down allowing you to remove the spring. the ball joint does not come off so it does not have to be replaced, unless it is worn out.

[mrltd]

What Duece said. I was only giving the info for the ball joint removal because it was asked for.

[Mercmarquis]

Ok thanks for clarifiying!, I thought the arm wouldnt swing down far enough with the spindle and everything still attached.

[mrltd]

You will have to take the swaybar endlinks off.

[Mercmarquis]

Thanks!