This weekend i broke my front right coil spring on my 1970 El Camino, I was already planning on putting new coils on all four corners, I know i will need a spring compressor, but is there any other special tools i will need? or any important things to note before i start?
and also will big block springs fit into mine with a 350 small block? because i would prefer heavier springs

The BB springs will fit and lift your front end up high with SB engine.
Use the spring compresser with the 4 hooks that goes inside the spring. . I myself like it better than the 2 hook one with the fork that goes in between the spring.
Decide if you need new ball joints, you'll be right there or any other things like bushings etc.
Make sure you install the new springs at the right indexing per manual.
You may need a fork to break the ball joint loose. I didn't need it for one side but the other side I did.
Have a chain available to wrap around the spring for safty, to keep it from flying threw a wall if it slips. .
Other wise no other special tools, just jack stand, and jack and your sockets..

you don't need a spring compressor- just use spring pressure to pop the balljoints loose, and use your floor jack to lower the control arm until the spring pops out. install is the same, only backwards.

I removed the coil springs from my 70 -307 turbo 350 tranny. I installed a 454 and a 700R4 tranny. The wagon has a PERFECT RIDE HEIGHT.
( AFTER trying 3-THREE sets of big block springs in and out a real PITA !!!!! ) My buddy builds Chevellles for a living and he said the springs he uses for B.B. conversons are --- 350 S.B.- T-350 Trans. with factory A/C.
This is what is in my 70 SS 454 Sta. Wgn. Click on the blue under my wagon and check out the ride heigth.
I am a very happy camper. The B.B. coils you get, For the most part are very GENERIC and are a fitz-all. Unless you can find the CORRECT Part number. The average part store will sell you a fitz-all. Thats my story and i,am sticken to it..........
Bob

With your car frame on jack stands you can use the floor jack to support the lower control arm. You can choose the upper or lower ball joint to be split. Back that castle nut off about a 1/4 inch and use the ball joint splitter to break it free. You can then use the floor jack to slowly lower the control arm and remove the spring. I do mine using the weight of the car and didn't need the spring compressor. Put a chain on if it makes you feel better.
Same thing on the rear, get the jack stands under the frame. Raise the Diff with the floor jack, disconnect the lower shock bolts and lower the diff. The springs should fall out. Just reverse the procedure to install. Again no spring compressor needed.

The front springs have a tremendous amount of force in them. I used a spring compressor, chain, floor jack and jack stands when I removed my coil springs. Why chance a spring flying out and taking you out.

When I replace weak or springs that I will not use again, I just torch them until they collapse, it may be crude, but its safe. {fronts}

The front springs have a tremendous amount of force in them. I used a spring compressor, chain, floor jack and jack stands when I removed my coil springs. Why chance a spring flying out and taking you out.
does anyone here have a first hand account of a spring flying out like everyone says they do? you know- seen and experienced it yourself..
i haven't done a lot of them, but everyone i've done had to be pried out once the lower control arm was all the way down. they get hung up in the spring pocket in the arm and just kind of fall out when you take a pry bar to them.

I did the small block springs in my old camaro with out a compresser using the method that has been mentioned above. One thing thats missing though I notice, is you better have a couple big friends around to help get the springs back in. in my camaro it took two big guys on the fender to weight the new springs down enough to get the ball joint nut started. When I put in the big block springs a few years later, I was damn glad to have a compresser.

thanks a lot eevryone, does anyone happen to know like a part number for small block springs then that will fit my 70 el camino?
nevermind, i have the new ones ordered

I saw pics of a guy that caught a spring....NOT GOOD,,,I have always chained them but listen to what you hear on here.

does anyone here have a first hand account of a spring flying out like everyone says they do? you know- seen and experienced it yourself..
i haven't done a lot of them, but everyone i've done had to be pried out once the lower control arm was all the way down. they get hung up in the spring pocket in the arm and just kind of fall out when you take a pry bar to them.

I have, had a jack under the lower arm broke the ball joint loose and the damn thing shot out missed me and headed about 20 feet away!

that would wake you up for sure, i have never tried anything liek this before, but i would rather chain it up and not need it, rather than take my chances ( I havent had the best luck with this car so far, so maybe a spring under huge compression isnt a good place to trya nd test my luck ha ha)

that would wake you up for sure, i have never tried anything liek this before, but i would rather chain it up and not need it, rather than take my chances ( I havent had the best luck with this car so far, so maybe a spring under huge compression isnt a good place to trya nd test my luck ha ha)

Its cheap insurance, this is coming from a guy who has done at least 7-8 spring changes on the front of an A body the "dangerous" way with no problems. But this last time I did it and that damn coil came flying out like a bullet, it was the last time I will do one without a chain.

Novaderrik is right. You dont need a compressor to remove a spring. Raise the car up on stands and slide a floor jack under the lower control arm but not to the point where your jacking anything up. Simply loosening the lower ball joint nut and either using your hammer with or without a pickle fork will do just fine. You are in no danger of getting hurt as the nut contains the spring still. Once the ball joint comes loose, you can remove the nut and use the floor jack to lower down the assembly without any danger at all. Done that hundreds of times, its part of what I do for a living.

oh ok, because i've got spring compressors now, and i dont actually have enough room to get them on (the threaded bar is too long ot fit into the control arms and hook onto the spring)

The shock absorber runs down through the middle of the spring. How can the spring get past the shock absorber and fly out?

first front end build me and my dad did. two novices without a clue. I used a bottle jack (all we had) under the lower control arm. Unbolted the 2 bolts the lower a arm pivots on. (didnt know any better). busted the lower ball joint and lowered the whole a arm without killing ourselves. Putting it back together, we kind of balanced the lower a arm on the bottle jack, sandwiched the spring and slowly raised the a arm. Of course the thing is about 1/2 compressed then slips off the jack, spring shoot straight down. hits the a arm and bounces off to the side of the car. Fortunately no injuries, I think about that time my dad gave up and went in to have a beer, Stupid me keeps at it. and finally gets it together without injury or damage to the walls or car! jim

I agree with the comment that you don't need a spring compressor to remove the spring. Just a wide open space when the spring comes flying out but I could not install new front springs without the compressor. Even compressed I still had to force the spring. If you have it apart, replace the ball joints.

try putting the threaded rod of the spring compressor through the hole in the upper A-arm that the shock mounts through. Thats how I have had to do it on my second gen camaro and my chevelle. the rod just fit through that hole, make sure to line it up before you start to tighten the compressor. And use lots of grease on the rod too, there is a lot of friction in there when you are turning it, and I have heard of the threads letting go.

Just took mine apart tonight with the car on jack stands and a floor jack under the A arm. As long as your using a floor jack you will not need a spring compressor or a chain. The key is having a suitable floor jack that will not let the A arm slip out. The danger comes from the jack slipping away like in the bottle jack story a few replies above. When you put it together make sure to line up the spring correctly in the A arm pocket.

Hey, thanks a lot for the advise everyone, the job si now succesfully done, we ended up using my neighbours lift and it made things so much easier, all in all it took around 4 hours to do, with the help of my neighbour,

we split the lower ball joint and then dropped the control arm with it supported, everythign worked well, and no problems, or rocket springs,
thanks again everyone