Question coil springs

If you're not experienced at spring removal or you don't have experienced help, you're going to need some quality tools to make sure you don't loose body parts.

goldhunter_2 said:

ok coil spring compression don't work well they do they just don't fit in there. I can use a floor jack ,ratchet strap and a person sitting on frame to get them in but the top of the spring isn't over in the dish spot it is actual across the shock opening

There's gotta be a easy trick to get the springs into the correct possession someone tell me what it is please

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I would definately get a good spring compressor rather than the method you outlined. I bought one from northern tools for about $30 that worked great on my '73.

Buster,
ya I tried to avoid the way I did it I bought coil spring compressors but when I compress the springs the can't close the a-arm so the coil compression tool was a bust for me.

1969RAY,
get them out wasn't hard its getting them back in correctly that I am having issue with .......................and as far as experienced help ...heck I just settle for any help:rofl:

this is a ME ,MYSELF, and I type of operation and we don't always agree on how to do stuff either

Hi GH2;

I put mine on with the strap and jack method and on a scale of 1-10 on the pucker factor it was about a 15!!! Defiantitly made you concentrate at the task at hand...but had many beers after..:food-smiley-019:

no room for pucker factor all my 147 lbs is sitting on the frame for any extra weight I can get:rofl:

I tried coil tool first before using your strap method and I can get them on that way but once there on I can't get the top of the coil spring over in the pocket how did you get it to go over there when you did it?

I had all my 260lbs on the frame and it still did not help.. I just checked my photo alblum looking for the way I did it but I guess I was too busy to take any pics...I remember putting in the top of the spring first making sure the end was lined up in the proper location then connected the strap to the jack axle and the other end to the frame and slowly cranking it into place and high enough to attach the spindles. Can't remember if I had to use a hammer to make some fine tuning of the spring location on the bottom...

P.S. The strap was atached to the frame, and jack axle and the jack was placed under the bottom A-arm

just spoke with my son who helped with this install.. we had 3 people to do this, one on the the strap, one on the jack, one standing on the frame, and he belives we adjusted the spring aligment with a big hammer and an old 1/2 drive 10" extension. As we were jacking it up.:doh:

well a hammer is one of my two most favorite tools so I will try that tomorrow

I bought a coil spring compressor at the same time I bought my new springs for my '71. If I recall the compressor cost about $35 and it made the installation REAL easy as the compressor can compress the spring into a "curve" so it pops right in with no effort.

Prior to my buying the spring compressor I had "pre-compressed" my springs by squashing them with the weight of my old Ferguson tractor but after one of them came shooting out and almost breaking my arm one day I decided to invest in a compressor just for the safety reasons alone.

You can buy spring compressors from most any auto parts dealer or over the internet from numerous sources...................

I have spring compressors tools I did see there is a internal compressor I mite order one of those if the hammer doesn't work

well little hammer didn't work but the 16lber and little frustration and the top popped right in there :ban:

goldhunter_2 said:

I have spring compressors tools I did see there is a internal compressor I mite order one of those if the hammer doesn't work

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the internal type with the hooks which are different lehghts is the one that worked for me. I had previously tried two other types that did NOT work. BTW this tool has been usefull for other jobs like compressing the sway bar to the floor jack in order to get end links installed!

ya I had gotten the external compressors that didn't work was getting ready to order some internals but have them in place now, both front shocks and sway bar installed

goldhunter_2 said:

ya I had gotten the external compressors that didn't work was getting ready to order some internals but have them in place now, both front shocks and sway bar installed

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Yeah, the internal spring compressors with the unequal hooks work perfectly. Using one of those you can pre-bend the springs perfectly...................

Alright GoldHunter!!

Glad you can now move on to your next project!!:woowoo: