you need a spring compressor. Some parts stores will rent them, I know autozone will if you have them up there. otherwise check your local tool rental places or go buy one.

 

Same thing happened to me ...Have a couple of friends come over and have them climb in the engine compartment and stand on your crossmember while you jack the lower a-arm up.

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You can sleep in your car,but you cant drive your house.
Tony. H . 406 powered , Mohave Gold , 72'Malibu

 

It could be very dangerous with friends being used as weight to compress a spring. Rent the right tool - a spring compressor or buy it for less than $20.00 at Harborfreight.com

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Redrum (or Mike)
68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

 

Yep! It ain't gonna work with the engine and tranny out. You need a spring compressor.

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Tom Parsons

 

I love this site, thanks for your help.
I rented a spring compressor the one that goes inside the spring. I just don't see how to make it work. If I put it on the spring, then the clamps of the compressor will touch the lower arm. Also the bolt is so long that if I compress the spring enough, it would hit the top of the upper arm and would not work.
Maybe I am just using it wrong. Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

Don't put the arms on the outer most coil of the spring. You won't be able to get the compressor out again (as you have found). Also don't tighten it to where the bolt hits the top of the spring. The bolt will hit the top of the shock tower when you try and install it. The spring should be compressed enough to get it in there.

 

Sorry I am trying to figure this out. Are you saying to put the control arms together, compress teh spring externally and then put it between the arms and then decompress it?
Thanks

 

Connect the clamps of the compressor about 2 coils from each end & then compress the spring until it is short enough to install. Connect spindle & tighten both upper & lower ball joints. I found it easier to remove the compressor bolt & then work the upper clamp out by itself. Rotate the clamp down until it is located in the middle of spring. This will give you more room to work.

Mike Sibbitt
66 396 SS

 

Also, the long bolt that sticks out the bottom of the springs compressor (for compressing the spring) should stick down through the shock absorber hole in the lower control arm, then once the spring is in you just pull it out through that hole.

Man, I can't even imagine trying to do this job without a spring compressor!!! NOT SAFE!


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Chris Dagenais
Saskatchewan
'71 Malibu with a home built 454!
"Hard work MAY pay of in the long run, but laziness pays off NOW"
My Page

 

I stacked 40 lb bags of water softener salt on the front crossmember to replace engine weight when I reassembled the front suspension.

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von '69 300 Dlx SS TC #15 ACES #1575
My '69 SS

 

I can't guarantee the safety of this, but if you have a solid ceiling or support brace, you can wedge a long 4 X 4 between the top of the frame and a ceiling support to keep the frame from rising. I worked for me, but I was a bit nervous during the procedure.

 

Gandalf80,
I just do not see how this will work (maybe I am just tired by being up half the night trying to figure out the darn thing.) If the bolt sticks through the bottom, then there is no way for me to reach the nut to tighten it (the shock hole in the frame is to small to put anything through there.)
Also, the compressor "clamps" do not fit through the lower arm shock hole. So once the spring is in place, how do you take these guys out of the middle of the spring. They will not fit through the hole between 2 coisl, not through the lower arm hole, nowhere to go on the top!
I am confused.
Thanks.

 

An alternative. I've done this several times in the past with no major incidents. Wrap a "heavy" chain under the bottom of the floor jack, which you are using to push up under the lower A-arm, then around the the top of the upper A-arm. Connect the chain with a strong bolt. As the jack pushes up on the lower arm, the upper arm will be drawn down and you just connect up the ball joint. Position the chain so that the upper ball joint holds the chain on top of the upper A-arm. I've done this at least a dozen times over the years with no problems. Make sure you have a strong chain and go slow.

Rod

 

Yanniz
Tried to find a picture to help. No luck. The compressor rod nut goes down so you can remove the rod after the spring is in there. After the spring is installed, completly remove the rod through the hole in the lower arm. You then can fish the hooks out the lower arm hole. Wish I could find a picture.

 

The spring just does not compress enough to get it in there without the whole car getting raised. I give up!
I will have to change the resto plan. Should probably go ahead and get the engine now, put it in there and then deal with the suspension. This will put the whole project back for a while, but what can you do I guess.
Thanks for all your input, I appreciate it. I will keep you posted on the progress (or not!)

 

yannis,

Is this the type of spring compressor you are using??? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/taf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38531



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JR
70 396SS El Camino #'s Matching.
69 396SS Chevelle, project car
96 H-D Ultra Classic Electra Glide
72 Chevy C20 Flatbed
I live to own toyz...

JR's 70 SS El Camino..>
JR's HOG & DOG
So Cal Meet and Greet at Fudd's

 

John's on the right track here. You will not be able to fit the compressor thru the lower shock absorber opening as a whole unit. You have to put them in separately. It's a little tricky, first insert the the hooks with the threaded center first as high up into the coil as possible. Next insert the lower hooks with no threads into the opening. Now insert the long threaded rod, with the hex head side down, thru the first set of hooks and push it up to the threaded hooks. Be careful and slow here because you'll knock the threaded hooks off of the spring. Try to hold the threaded hooks in place if you can and slowly get the threads started until they are snug. As you do this, make sure the lower hooks grab one of the lower coils as well. Now go ahead take your wrench or ratchet and compress the spring. When you install your new spring, you'll compress it prior to install. You'll install it with the compressor on it, make sure the hex head side is down so you can de-compress the spring after you've hooked up your ball joints. To remove the compressor just reverse the above procedure.

 

JR, that is what I am using. I compresed the spring quite a bit, but is still not compresed enough to get the ball joints together. Needs another 3 inches or so. By the time I use the jack to get the spring to compress more once it is in there, the whole car starts going up.
Thanks

 

Yanniz. I made my own spring compressor and searched for a picture that shows where it hooked up http://www.si.hhs.nl/~rob/images/scanned/118_da_fd_spr.jpg
When using the jack, perhaps you could support the upper side of the frame to the ceiling with some wooden beams. Be sure to lock some together so as to avoid slipping. Hope this helps.
Rob

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www.si.hhs.nl/~rob

 

What has worked for me is, take a long threaded rod,just big enough to fit through the top shock hole. Put your spring in and run the rod all the way through the lower shock hole.With a few spacers on the lower hole. Put on a couple of big nuts and tighten away. Works well and is really easy if you use a inpack.Make sure you use a washer under the nut on top so the nut don't cut into your a arm when it's being tighten up.

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CFR.

 

yanniz, I know your pain on this as it took me a while to figure it out too. The one you rented has too long a center bolt. I had the exact problem you have with the one I rented. I went to a local Harborfreight store and bought my own. I then cut the inner bolt shorter and it now works like a charm. Your posts don't show where you live........ if nearby you can borrow mine.

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Redrum (or Mike)
68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

 

Thanks Mike. I am in Lynnwood area, about 10 miles north of Seattle.
Talked to a friend of mine last night, he will borrow a compressor and will come over on Monday to give it a shot.
Talk to you later.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by yanniz:
JR, that is what I am using. I compresed the spring quite a bit, but is still not compresed enough to get the ball joints together. Needs another 3 inches or so. By the time I use the jack to get the spring to compress more once it is in there, the whole car starts going up.
Thanks<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yanniz,

I replaced the springs in my 69 SS and did not have as much trouble as you are... Yes they are a pain in the a$$ to install,,, but the style of compressor will work and I didn't have to cut anything to fit them in...
When compressing the spring make sure it is compressed flat,,, not at an arch... Notice on the tool is a short and a long hook,,, by installing the tool with the hooks opposite of each other and about two coils from the top and bottom it should compress enough for you to install... Good luck...



------------------
JR
70 396SS El Camino #'s Matching.
69 396SS Chevelle, project car
96 H-D Ultra Classic Electra Glide
72 Chevy C20 Flatbed
I live to own toyz...

JR's 70 SS El Camino..>
JR's HOG & DOG
So Cal Meet and Greet at Fudd's

 

Hi,
I used the ol' brace the frame against the ceiling of the garage trick and it worked great for me. Use a spreader to pick up a couple of ceiling joists or you'll punch the 2x4 or 4x4 right through the drywall. I'm out in Maltby so if you're still having problems I can stop by after work on Tuesday. G'luck

Cam

 

I had the same problem when doing my '68 Camaro. I also had the engine out of the car. I compressed the spring about as much as I felt good about put it into the pocket, but the spindle and control arms still would not reach each other. I finally got smart and drove my 3/4 ton pickup just over the frame of my Camaro. I had the frame of the truck in perfect alignment with the Camaro frame. This provided enough weight to use the jack for the rest of the job.

I also put a chain around the spring and the lower control arm in case the spring compressor failed. Be careful, there is a lot of stored energy there!

Good Luck!
Kel