I'am trying to get my front Coil springs in. Im got a spring compressor from the auto parts store. Advance auto and auto zone they both have the same tool. the problem is when i compress the spring the threaded rod sticks out the top of the spring and keeps the spring from seating on the frame. (The body is Not on the frame. Or i would just use my floor jack) It seems like the the dam tool is to big for the spring. I've seen some old spring compressors. With jaws on one end and a kinda flat piece on the other. But i can't find one.:( What a pain in the a*^. Any ideas. My next step is to get some threaded rod and try to make my own. Anybody know any tool places i can find and old school spring compressor.:clonk:

When I mess with the front springs I use an internal spring compressor. I set the two claws low on the spring maybe 2 coils from the bottom. this way it does not get jammed in there once the spring seats. As far as I know when working on those GM front coil springs only the internal spring compressor will do the job.

Pick one up from napa, and if I remember right I had to cut an inch, give or take off the threaded rod portion.

I wouldn't recommend trying to make one, these springs are bad news if they pop on you.

Rob

Pick one up from napa, and if I remember right I had to cut an inch, give or take off the threaded rod portion.

I wouldn't recommend trying to make one, these springs are bad news if they pop on you.

Rob

Rob, I was just thinking the same thing. Cut the dam rod, Great minds think alike:D I'am just a couple of minutes behind:clonk: :clonk: Wonder if i can return it afterwards:D

I just looked at where you're from and started laughing, just take it back and see if they notice ithttp://www.chevelles.com/forums/images/icons/icon7.gif I bought mine because I was thinking I would need it a lot, because i would start knocking out these 1969's on a regular basis. :clonk:

Lets see 5 years on this one and no end in sight:clonk:

Rob

I just removed and replaced front coils on my 65 a few days ago. Try hooking your compressor to the center coils, leave out the top two and bottom two. Then compress as far as you can without the threaded rod going out the top. Then put the spring in place and hopefully you can seat the top and bottom coil in the respective pockets. Then put your floor jack under the ball joint and raise the lower A arm until it raises the car. Stop. Be careful and remove your spring compressor. Because you have no engine, you probably can't hook up the ball joints to the spindle because when you raise the lower A arm the whole car goes up. In this case, which I experienced, you must make another coil spring compressor using a long 5\8 threaded rod. Drop it thru the shock absorber hole. It will fit. Put on washer and nut. On the bottom where the shock bolted, use a thick flat metal piece, like a washer, and again put on a nut. then tighten the threaded rod. It will work to compress the A arm and coil spring until you can get the ball joints into the spindles. Basically, the spring compressor tool only gets the spring compressed enough to seat top and bottom into place. Then your homemade tool pulls the A arm into position. You might be able to just use the homemade rod setup from the start, but I couldn't get my springs seated correctly, so I had to go in two stages. Be patient and careful. I usually install a safety chain to the coil spring until my 5\8 rod is thru and threaded.

Be careful doing that with no weight on the front end, I darn near kiiled myself installing mine on a bare chassis and nothing else. Spring shifted at the last second for some reason and tried to launch like a rocket.

Btw, that safety chain is a great idea!

I have used this tool dozens of times. Though it is a pain in the ars, it works just fine. Like what was said before, the jaws need to be in from the top and bottom coils by at least 2 coils to clear the frame and lower control arm so that the tool can be removed. Offset the upper so that the spring will compress with a VERY slight bow. Make sure the bottom of the spring rests in the A-arm correctly against the stop and the threaded rod sticks through the shock hole. You should be able to compress the spring down enough to get the spindle on. The only reason I use a floor jack under the lower control arm is to help hold it up so that I can attach the spindle. I almost always (95%) do this on bare frames with no weight on them and BY MYSELF. The first side usually takes me about 30-45 minutes and the second side about 10 minutes once I figure out the correct angles. It can be done.

One important factor, DO NOT buy the cheap version. Spend the money and get the best one available. Likely around $60-75 otherwise the treaded rod is go for about 1 car only.
Rick

I second the suggestion to buy a good spring compressor. The first one I used, I rented it. Cheap rent but cheap tool. The threaded rod was course thread. I just bought a better one with fine threaded rod. So much easiert to compress the spring using a fine thread rod than course.

Thats why I bought it at napa, little better quality, but you pay for it. The ones you get from the zone are usually beat up a little, probably from an air impact or wrench, of which you're not supposed to do.

Rob

I made mine with some big hardened bolts, pipe that just slides over 'em, and box-section iron cut into "j" hooks welded to the pipe slides. Used them many times, no drama.

oil up the threaded rod. that helps. also with no engine (just did mine that way) you can chain the upper arm to the jack or around the frame and the jack and jack against the chain and it will pull the arm into place.

I have used this tool dozens of times. Though it is a pain in the ars, it works just fine. Like what was said before, the jaws need to be in from the top and bottom coils by at least 2 coils to clear the frame and lower control arm so that the tool can be removed. Offset the upper so that the spring will compress with a VERY slight bow. Make sure the bottom of the spring rests in the A-arm correctly against the stop and the threaded rod sticks through the shock hole. You should be able to compress the spring down enough to get the spindle on. The only reason I use a floor jack under the lower control arm is to help hold it up so that I can attach the spindle. I almost always (95%) do this on bare frames with no weight on them and BY MYSELF. The first side usually takes me about 30-45 minutes and the second side about 10 minutes once I figure out the correct angles. It can be done.

One important factor, DO NOT buy the cheap version. Spend the money and get the best one available. Likely around $60-75 otherwise the treaded rod is go for about 1 car only.
Rick

The one i got from Auto Zone, The rod would Not fit through the shock hole. I'll look at the nappa one. Thanks guys:beers:

hope this is not too late but i found some advice on one of the boards I frequent that was a big help when I replaced my front springs a few months ago. hopefully you are using the compressor that goes inside the spring. what you do is to take out both clamping arms and then drop the spring compressor part with the threads through the hole on top of the chasis where the shock comes through, make sure there is a large washer to keep the compressor from falling through the hole. now attach only the hook with the threads, not the other one that slides freely. slip the spring in place, position the hook and from the top side of the chasis tighten the bolt to compress spring. I keep a jack under the ball joint also to move the "a" arm up till you can attach to the spindle. after the nut is in place then you can release tension on spring. I found this method a lot easier then compressing spring outside of car then trying to slip it in place, also easier then using both sets of hook. I did one side one way and the other side like i mentioned above and i flew through it with this method and also felt safer since I was out of the springs way just in case. just remember no air tools and lube the compressor with grease.

hope i made that easy to understand, if not email me and i will find that link with the pics

allen
allioop108@aol.com

Clencher, were talkin real car springs, not go cart coils.http://www.chevelles.com/forums/images/icons/icon7.gif

Rob

Allen,
I have also done it this way which is great for taking them out but not a good idea on a restored frame once reassembling. I was just recently trying to figure out a way to use this method with some type of attachment that would protect the frame from marring. This method is the best I have seen/used so far.
Rick