l2vette

I am planning to start a complete front end rebuild/restoration. Does anyone have any tips on removing the stock coil springs and any other tips?? Thanks in advance!
:cheers:

Pedro'74

I asked this some time ago, and got some great tips. Check it out:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=453838

:cheers:
-Pedro

Twin_Turbo

Really easy, use a chain to secure the spring to the upper arm, then put a jack under the lower one and jack up the car a bit so the tension is off the spindle. Then unbolt the upper nut (not the lower, much harder to remove since it's under the arm) and lower the jack, CAREFULLY as the spring will try to jump out all of a sudden. This is why you have to make sure it's secrued properly with a chain.

GDaina

:confused: :confused: :confused: Why not use a coil spring compressor? After all, that's what they they were made for...take the shock out, slide the coil compressor inside the coil, position the arms, compress the coil, remove either the upper or lower A arms. Been using a coil compressor ever since I was a teen, working on my 57 Chev.

NHvette

I found that the internal coil spring compressor was not locally available.
I didn't want to wait - so I used the floorjack and a big mother rope instead
of a chain. Piece of cake - but I was going to use a compressor if I had one.
Oh - I also left the shock in place when I popped the ball joints - just in case.
:seeya


[Modified by NHvette, 10:01 PM 10/2/2003]

78Vette-SA

I did it the easy way. Can do both front springs in about an hour or so. But, be safe and do it right. I can be reckless when there is no one around.
http://home.hvc.rr.com/joesvette/coilsprings.htm

MotorHead

Be carefull with those internal coil spring compressors, because of the angle of the spring the arms can start spinning and let go, happened twice on me on two different occasions, luckily both times the spring was still inside the a arms.
Kinda scared to do it again now :eek:

GDaina

That is strange....you have to have the compressor in a vertical position. Not hard at all, just move the arms up or down the coils. When vertical, it's set to compress.

Twin_Turbo

Because coil spring compressors are made by shade tree manufacturers in china and are pretty dangerous tools if you ask me, I've used the jack and chain method for years without any accidents or any chance at one.

If you have done it once it's so rediculously simple it's even faster than the coil spring compressor

GDaina

Awww c'mon now, Chinese tools aren't all that bad, and neither are their cranks, rods, and other hi-po parts. In fact I had the opportunity to use the shade tree manufacturer's coil compressor when I rebuilt a friend's 66 BB. Nothing wrong with it, worked flawlessly like it should.

We all have our own way of doing certain things....and certainly I'm not going to criticize your method, anymore than you should criticize the use of a proper tool to do the job.

Nah...I'll stick to my tried and true method...one I'm used to doing. I only improvise when my back is at the wall and the options are exhausted.

Twin_Turbo

I'm not trying to criticize anyone but I know from experience that these tools are low quality and dangerous, I had one come apart and the spring almost took out my ribs