# Front coil springs vs. spring compressor-HELP!!!



## LouCabra (Jul 20, 2015)

I'm jumping out of my last thread to get help on compressing the springs. I finally found a spring compressor that would fit into the shock hole in the bottom of the lower control arm. However, no matter what I do I can't get the bottom compressor arms into the spring. I can get one arm under a coil, but the other side of the arm is too long to get into the other side of the spring. Has anyone had this problem? I fiddled with the infernal thing for four hours and it just doesn't seem physically possible to wrap all the arms around the springs.

Please help!!!


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

You don't need to get the arms on the whole spring just the center section is enough.


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

This is the kind I use. Borrow it from AutoZone. Check my restoration thread and I have photos showing how to use it. Works great.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MIm52O4YfL3AIVA9lkCh3-qQZBEAQYBCABEgKIc_D_BwE


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

See post #59 
https://www.gtoforum.com/f83/restoring-my-1968-convertible-voodoo-ii-127321/index6.html
Be safe. Hope this helps.


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## LouCabra (Jul 20, 2015)

Goat Roper: The problem is I can't get the both of the lower compressor arms into the spring anywhere.

Shake: I rented the same thing from Auto Zone, but I couldn't get the square block, that holds the arms, through the lower shock hole. 

I was able to get the top arms (end with the threaded block) of the the new, smaller compressor (looks like the one in the OPGI catalog, with the sloped shoulders instead of square block from everywhere else) on each side of the spring, but I couldn't get but one of the arms through the spring on the bottom part (no threaded block). I tried to compress with just one of the lower arms engaged on the spring, but the the whole compressor was cocked in the space so that the end of the screw shaft would't go through the upper shock mounting hole, making the shaft "bottom out" under the upper control arm.

I also tried sticking the compressor shaft down through the upper arm shock hole and catching the threaded part of the compressor arms, but could only get one arm of attached to one side of the spring. I was able to compress the spring and drop lower control arm down, but not enough to free the spring. Then, I thought about the problem I would have if I compressed he spring even more, to free the lower control arm. How would I release the spring from the upper control arm without shooting the spring when I loosened the compressor.:banghead:

As I laid awake all night thinking about the problem, I came up with this: Perhaps the reason I can't get both lower compressor arms attached to the spring is because of after 50 years of compression the spring had sagged so much that I can't get the arm in. I'm going to try using a crow-bar to open the distance a little between two coils to get the arm in-between. I have to take the upper and lower control arms out because the ball joints are trashed from beating the heck out of them to get them loose. Took a pile fork and a 30 lbs sledge hammer for them to finally break loose! This has been beating me for two days now. The videos make it look so simple!


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## Dukes67 (Jun 19, 2018)

Just rebuilt the front suspension on my 67', used this "https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7768038" worked great, folds in through the hole. Buy or rent from NAPA.


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

I had the same problem with my '55. The square block fit through the hole in one control arm but not the other. I used an angle grinder to enlarge the hole so it would fit. Removed just a little bit of material.

The block easily fit the control arms of my 68 so I presume not all control arms had the exact same size holes. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I've always done mine without using a compressor. Get the car on a lift, let the lower arm hang, clock the spring into the frame pocket correctly, and with a floor jack under the lower ball joint, slowly raise the jack to raise the arm to bring the lower ball joint stud into the knuckle. You can also just put a good jackstand or solid block of wood under the lower control arm and lower the car on the rack, doing the same thing (compressing the spring). DO NOT stand in-line with the spring when doing this. I haven't had to use a spring compressor in years on an A-body.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Use GeeTees method, so much easier letting the hydraulics do the work for you. Safety first, stay back and out of the line of fire. Also works in reverse for removal, i wrap a cable and lock to the spring and frame just in case they want to "jump" out.

Remember as a teen helping a friends dad work on his 64' Biscayne and he shot one right through the garage wall sheathing. Gave me a healthy dose of respect for compressed steel.


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## LATECH (Jul 18, 2018)

geeteeohguy said:


> I've always done mine without using a compressor. Get the car on a lift, let the lower arm hang, clock the spring into the frame pocket correctly, and with a floor jack under the lower ball joint, slowly raise the jack to raise the arm to bring the lower ball joint stud into the knuckle. You can also just put a good jackstand or solid block of wood under the lower control arm and lower the car on the rack, doing the same thing (compressing the spring). DO NOT stand in-line with the spring when doing this. I haven't had to use a spring compressor in years on an A-body.




THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

X2rd


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## tjs72goat (Jul 20, 2017)

On my 55 I used a 5/8-11 threaded rod through the center with a plate I made for top and bottom and cranked it down until I got it where I needed. I also put a chain on spring in case it wanted to take a leap!


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## tjs72goat (Jul 20, 2017)

On my 55 I used a 5/8-11 threaded rod through the center with plates on both ends and cranked the nuts down until I got it where I needed. I did attach a chain to the spring in case it wanted to take a leap!


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## LouCabra (Jul 20, 2015)

Success! Thanks for all the ideas guys. What I ended up doing was putting each of the three components of the spring compressor in separately. Barely threaded the top arms on to the shaft and stuck the arms in place then removed the shaft. Stuck the bottom arms in through the bottom and hooked them on the spring. Then stuck the shaft through the lower arm block and threaded through the upped arm block, being carful not to knock any of the arms off the spring. Then screwed the shaft up through the upper shock mount hole (this took some patience moving the arms around so the shaft would aim through the hole) then compressed the spring until it was loose enough to fall out when I lowered the control arm. I’ll do a more extensive write up with photos later so the next moron like me won’t have the same problems. 

Its interesting all the different ways people have used and suggested to remove the springs. Apparently there’s no one way to do it. Strange engineering!

Thanks again everyone. Now on to removing the uppers. Hope their bolts aren’t as rusted at the lowers were!


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## LouCabra (Jul 20, 2015)

By the way. I still fully believe spring compressors were forged in the fires of hell by Satan himself!


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## Bub (Oct 11, 2020)

I wish i would have read this before my own 4 hour experiment, and buying another type of compressor that didnt work. Whats funny is i ended up doing exactly like you ended up doing it.(all parts put in separately). At least we got there lol


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## VETKLLR (Nov 16, 2011)

Would GeeTeeOhGuys method work if all you have is a bare frame back from powder coat? In other words, there is no added weight to assist in compressing the spring.


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## pontrc (Mar 18, 2020)

VETKLLR said:


> Would GeeTeeOhGuys method work if all you have is a bare frame back from powder coat? In other words, there is no added weight to assist in compressing the spring.


Ii had to put the 400 back in temporarily to make it compressed


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