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Old 06-22-2015, 10:45 PM
Lynn Lynn is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

I was expecting someone to say floor jack. I guess I am the only one who exclusively uses a floor jack under the lower control arm to compress / decompress a spring. I realize if you have a first gen Nova or first few gens of Mustang, this won't work. But on the other GM cars with the coil sitting in the lower A arm, I just use a floor jack. Then I don't have to worry about how to get the darn spring compressor out through the shock hole.
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Old 06-23-2015, 12:12 AM
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m22mike m22mike is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

Lynn
How's that work out for you when there is no engine in the car... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

I use the same one Verne show's a picture off, I glued thin neoprene rubber strips to the jaws to help from slipping.

Mike
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Old 06-23-2015, 01:10 AM
Verne_Frantz Verne_Frantz is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m22mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lynn
How's that work out for you when there is no engine in the car... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

I use the same one Verne show's a picture off, I glued thin neoprene rubber strips to the jaws to help from slipping.

Mike </div></div>

Even with the compressor, I still used a floor jack because of no engine in the car. I have a complete photo step by step of how I did it, but the files are too big I guess and won't post. I ran straps under the floor jack and attached to the frame so when the jack lifted the lower control arm, it couldn't lift the frame. IT was tedious to set up but in the long run everything was a breeze to put back together. I wish I could post the photos.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
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Old 06-23-2015, 12:31 PM
earntaz earntaz is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Verne_Frantz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m22mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lynn
How's that work out for you when there is no engine in the car... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

I use the same one Verne show's a picture off, I glued thin neoprene rubber strips to the jaws to help from slipping.

Mike </div></div>

Even with the compressor, I still used a floor jack because of no engine in the car. I have a complete photo step by step of how I did it, but the files are too big I guess and won't post. I ran straps under the floor jack and attached to the frame so when the jack lifted the lower control arm, it couldn't lift the frame. IT was tedious to set up but in the long run everything was a breeze to put back together. I wish I could post the photos.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] </div></div>

Verne -- I've used then same method and it works well ... just be cautious! TAZ
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Old 06-23-2015, 03:36 AM
Lynn Lynn is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m22mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lynn
How's that work out for you when there is no engine in the car... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

I use the same one Verne show's a picture off, I glued thin neoprene rubber strips to the jaws to help from slipping.

Mike </div></div>

Not worth a darn Mike. Therein lies the problem with my method. When I put the springs in my car, I had a few family members standing on the sub frame.
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Old 06-23-2015, 01:29 PM
Billohio Billohio is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

Lynn we need pictures!!
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Old 06-23-2015, 01:46 PM
Verne_Frantz Verne_Frantz is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???


I tried reducing the size but it still won't post for some reason. Same size as many others that did work.

One other trick is to always attach the spindle to the lower ball joint first, then as the control arm is lifted, guide the upper ball joint down into the spindle. It's kind of a balancing act but if you hang the spindle on the upper joint first, you'll have to raise the lower A arm much further to get the ball joint above the spindle in order to drop it in the hole.

Yes Lynn, once they started having seat belt buzzers, door ajar buzzers, headlights on buzzers, key in ignition buzzers, etc I kinda lost interest.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
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Old 06-23-2015, 10:39 PM
Lynn Lynn is offline
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Default Re: Front coil spring compressor???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Billohio</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lynn we need pictures!! </div></div>

Sorry. I make it a point to NOT document my stupidity.

Wouldn't let my kids bring out the vieo camera when I had Sherri pulling a tree over with the tractor while I took a chain saw to the base either. We only had a couple feet of clearance to work with making sure to miss the roof. I figure the video just increased the chances of something horrible happening. BTW, it missed the roof.
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