Topic: coil spring removal

[hada76]

found this hope its not a repost

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JCPG7qWuho&feature=related

[Grand73Am]

Haven't seen that one before. It should help somebody to understand what is involved.
The location for measuring the car height was a good tip I picked up from it.

I would disagree with his comment about not using an impact wrench. I've used my 1/2" drive impact wrench to speed up the job for over 25 years with no problem. Frankly, I'd hate to have to wrench it manually  .

[b_hill_86]

Good video. I'll be pulling my springs this winter hopefully in an effort to lower an inch or so and rebuild the front suspension components while i'm there. At the cost of sounding like a noob (cause I am lol) I've been holding off on asking this till now. When measuring the ride height of a vehicle, it seems sort of ... inefficient to measure from a given point on the car to the ground considering tire size will always change that height even if the geometry of the suspension is correct (factory). Is there any reason that I'm missing that you couldn't measure, for example, from the highest point on the outter wheel well to the top or center of the wheel hub? To me, that seems like it would be the best example of where the car is sitting in relation to it's factory ride height since changing the tire size raises or lowers the center of the hub the same as the rest of the car.

Actually, as I posted this, I forgot a changed my avatar to the pic that's there now. You can see the car sits up too high as it is. It may look like I'm stuffing the gas and taking off from a wicked burnout!!! In reality, I'm standing still lol.

[Grand73Am]

The factory height measurement would be done using factory diameter wheels, so that measurement should be consistent that way, for factory specs.

When you go changing tire size, and springs,  then you're right, the factory height at those locations  no longer applies, other than you can use it as a baseline to see how much you dropped.

[b_hill_86]

The factory height measurement would be done using factory diameter wheels, so that measurement should be consistent that way, for factory specs.

When you go changing tire size, and springs,  then you're right, the factory height at those locations  no longer applies, other than you can use it as a baseline to see how much you dropped.

Yea, you're right. I guess when I thought of factory ride height i was only thinking in relation to the suspension, not the total vehicle height which the tires would obviously change. The reason I asked is cause I have 235-60-15's on my Rally II's which are mounted right now. Like I mentioned, my car sits way too high and I wanted to correct it soon but I have a set of 7in snowflakes and 8in snowflakes that I will be getting tires for (one or both) once I refinish them. Those will probably have tires closer to factory size (height) but it's gonna be a while before I get the rims done and can afford tires. I wanted a non-tire-reliant ride height to compare to mine so I could lower it now even though the tires on the Rally's are a bit smaller than factory.

Sorry for the hijack hada.

[72blackbird]

A decent "DIY" video, but I agree with Steve F.- experienced mechanics use impact guns and compressed air tools everyday, and without them the job would take forever. Using an impact gun is actually safer to release the compression on a coil spring, as it does the job quicker and minimizes the time handling a compressed spring.

As far as the tool being used, I prefer the coil spring compressor that has a flat, forged steel plate as it's easier and safer to install and compresses the spring in a more linear manner.

http://www.amazon.com/OEM-27035-Coil-Spring-Compressor/product-reviews/B003A18KCQ/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Geno

[NOT A TA]

IF, I use a spring compressor (prefer not to unless necessary) I usually use the plate type Geno mentioned. Air gun is the quicker safer way to use it IMO.

Early (possibly all) 2nd gens were set up to be nose up from the factory so they would look like they were taking off while standing still. We "fixed" that with air shocks back in the 70's ! ahahaha

[Grand73Am]

Never seen a compressor with round discs like that. I guess there must still be room for the discs to slide out from the spring once installed?
Mine is like the one that Geno posted a link to.

[72blackbird]

Nice spring compressor John!

You don't see old-school tools like that too often- John has been wrenching for 30+ years so he only reveals his Jedi weapons to students worthy of the knowledge.

[NOT A TA]

Nice spring compressor John!

You don't see old-school tools like that too often- John has been wrenching for 30+ years so he only reveals his Jedi weapons to students worthy of the knowledge.

AHAHAHA I wish it was only 30 years! Think I did my first disc brake upgrade in 1969 LOL. Yes the spring compressor discs can be rotated in the spring after the threaded rod and locking flanges are removed. Rotate the top one down to the middle and slide out. Opposite with the bottom plate.

I use that spring compressor mostly just for Donks now, not regular cars like our birds. Ever wonder how those funny looking cars get so high? TALL springs! Sometimes combined with body lift kits. Pic shows the tallest B body spring someone could fit in a G body next to a new G body lift spring.  The new spring can barely be fit in even with the spring compressed with the tool almost to the point of coil bind.

 Please spare us the donk hate posts. It's just a job, and like we tell people "it's your car so whatever makes you happy". Ya, they ride like the Flintstonemobile, handle horrible, and have the turning radius of an ocean freighter. Lately the trend is to make them pretty fast in a straight line so beware those donks, bubbles, and box Chevys you may think just have a loud exhaust on a stock 350 driveline. I've built some that will easily embarrass a mildly built TA especially if they have the regular size wheels on them instead of the supersize wheels they use for cruising. The built ones are running 454-500+ cubes with T-400's, shift kits, tranny coolers, high stall convertors and built posi rears running 4.10s.

[Wallington]

Video removed?