Spring Coil Compression

[userpete1037]

Hello people, I own a 95 Chevy 1500 truck and and i want to replace the springs. i'm under the truck and i see the upper and lower control arms and i'm wondering how in the hell am i going to take this apart without compressing the spring first. My question is there some special type of spring compresser that I need? The reason I ask is because i have an 89 Camry and i can take the whole strut out before i take the spring off. Please advise.

[bigcoconut]

I changed the bushings on my 91, when I had it. I had to rent a spring compressor from AutoZone. You remove the shock through the lower control A-frame. The spring compressor is simply an all-thread rod with two sets of swing out arms threaded on it. Stick the compressor up the hole in the lower control arm. Move the arms of the Compressor out to the spring wires and tighten the nut at the end of the threaded rod. You tighten the nut enough to unload the lower ball joint.

If you have air tools, use them. I used my socket wrench and it was a PITA (Pain In The A$$).

You will have to disconnect the lower ball joint to let the lower control arm drop down to get the spring out once it is compressed. Then you un-compress the old spring and compress the new spring (another reason for air tools) to install it. I don't remember if you have to "time" the spring to a certain orientation. If the spring seat in the lower control arm is flat all the way around, probably not. However, if it has a depression somewhere around its circumference you need to place the end of the spring wire into that space. Maybe someone else would have better info on this one.

[userpete1037]

Ahhh, i was wondering how that spring would get compressed and now i see thanks to your reponse Big. I well appreciate it.

[bobss396]

Just make sure that your coil spring will come out by undoing the lower ball joint. I did a Chevy Caprice and found that the lower arm wouldn't pivot enough to get the spring out, I had to take it apart from where the arm attached to the chassis. Read up on it first and you'll know what to do.

Moog used to make these "C" clips that you would slip over the spring coils while it was still in the car. They spanned maybe 4-5 coils and allowed the spring to bow and you didn't need a compressor to take them out. But if you can't find them, the spring compressor is safe to use, just slower.

Bob

[userpete1037]

Thanks Bob for that insight. I will make sure i check everything out before causing a disaster.