How did you remove your front coils?

[chevybuilder18]

ok well im sorta low on cash, and it really sucks i dont got the money to take my front springs out with a spring compressor. has anyone done anything different to take the front coils out?

[bk2life]

put jack under control arm, unscrew/seperate ball joint, let jack down remove coil from control arm. the control arm will go all the way down almost 90 degrees allowing easy removal of the coil.

plenty of how-tos on google..

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by bk2life

put jack under control arm, unscrew/seperate ball joint, let jack down remove coil from control arm. the control arm will go all the way down almost 90 degrees allowing easy removal of the coil.

plenty of how-tos on google..

THANKS! that relieves me

[cory d]

i havent done it with the ball joint. i just undo the u-bolts that hole the lower control arm and lowerit with a jack, with full length srpins its a good idea to chain them to the lower control arm. there is allot of energy there, if something slips some one can get seriously injured

[bigwheel15]

Yep definitely run a chain through the coil an the control arm, it only takes a slip for a coil to become a missile.
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[88Jimmy4x4]

Originally Posted by bk2life

put jack under control arm, unscrew/seperate ball joint, let jack down remove coil from control arm. the control arm will go all the way down almost 90 degrees allowing easy removal of the coil.

plenty of how-tos on google..

Originally Posted by bigwheel15

Yep definitely run a chain through the coil an the control arm, it only takes a slip for a coil to become a missile.
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I agree with all of the above

[andrewmp6]

I have done a few with the floor jack even with the spring chained in i still jump when it pops free.

[88Jimmy4x4]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

I have done a few with the floor jack even with the spring chained in i still jump when it pops free.

me too....and I always stand to side when lowering just in case lol

[bigd65]

Bk2life has it right on, no danger in that way if you let t he jack down slowly. Still don't get in front but works perfectly
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[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by bigwheel15

Yep definitely run a chain through the coil an the control arm, it only takes a slip for a coil to become a missile.
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wait which side of the control arm do i un bolt to relieve the spring? undo the ball joint, chain it up and let down slowly? or un bolt lower control arm from frame and have it come straight down?

[Mike Bradbury]

Too much of you being under the truck unbolting the u bolts. Too much chance of something letting go with you under it.

Much safer to be out from under the truck when removing the spring.

Undo the lower control arm ball joint nut but leave a couple of threads screwed onto the nut. Then separate the joint with a fork, or you can buy or make a spreading tool that applies pressure on the nut to pop it free.
Position your jack perpendicular to the side of the truck. This way when your lower control arm starts rotating downward it does not tilt the jack and spit that out at you too. Jack the control arm up to relieve pressure on the nut, but not too much pressure to seat it in the bore again. Unscrew the nut and slowly lower the jack making sure there are no obstructions in the way of the wheels of the jack so it can travel inward as the LCA is traveling down. The spring will reach it's max height and then just fall out of the upper control arm perch. Easy and safe.

[Can't kech me]

can't you rent a spring compressor from autozone for like $20 and when you return it they give you the money bacK?

[THE "10" SILVERADO]

Originally Posted by Can't kech me

can't you rent a spring compressor from autozone for like $20 and when you return it they give you the money bacK?

Orielly's also. And if you know the people there, usually they will let you borrow it for free....at least that's what the guys we go to do.

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by THE "10" SILVERADO

Orielly's also. And if you know the people there, usually they will let you borrow it for free....at least that's what the guys we go to do.

spring compressor here is $100 dollars, wish the guys here would do that also

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

Too much of you being under the truck unbolting the u bolts. Too much chance of something letting go with you under it.

Much safer to be out from under the truck when removing the spring.

Undo the lower control arm ball joint nut but leave a couple of threads screwed onto the nut. Then separate the joint with a fork, or you can buy or make a spreading tool that applies pressure on the nut to pop it free.
Position your jack perpendicular to the side of the truck. This way when your lower control arm starts rotating downward it does not tilt the jack and spit that out at you too. Jack the control arm up to relieve pressure on the nut, but not too much pressure to seat it in the bore again. Unscrew the nut and slowly lower the jack making sure there are no obstructions in the way of the wheels of the jack so it can travel inward as the LCA is traveling down. The spring will reach it's max height and then just fall out of the upper control arm perch. Easy and safe.

Gonna save me an arm and a leg this way.

[Mike Bradbury]

To be honest I never have used a spring compressor because the jack method is so easy that it never made sense to buy one.

[Lost81c10]

This is how I learned to do mine from all the reading I did from this forum; I have not tried removing it by way of removing lower control arm and taking spring out through the back. Impact gun also helps a lot especially in ball joint nut install.
i too have not used a spring compressor.
Fyi, your ball joint dust boot will probably get tore up in the removal process but it’s just the dust boot you can always change your ball joints. I did not replace mine as I am still messing with it. I have removed mine about four times. Once I get the truck where I want it I will replace them.
- Jack truck and remove tires
- I place jack stands under the lower control arm shaft and set truck on them
- Release the jack as I use it for releasing the spring, I only have one so…
- Remove shock from lower control arm
- Remove cotter pin and castle nut from tie rod
- Pop tie rod end from spindle by using a tie rod/ball joint removal tool (fork kind, buy or rent from auto zone or O’reilly) and hammer, this is not too hard a few blows will does it.
- Now spindle rotates free and allows easy access to get behind spindle to loosen/remove lower ball joint pin and castle nut
*** I, same as everybody else, do not remove the nut all the way out at this time only loosen to about half way ***
- Now I place the jack under the lower control arm but don’t apply pressure just set it under (I make sure it’s not placed right under the lube fitting. I just set it right to the side of it.
- The hard part: separate lower ball joint from spindle by way of hammer and fork ball joint removal tool.
- You will know when the spindle has separated from the ball joint as it will pop as the nut catches it again; this is why the nut is not removed all the way, so it can catch the spindle as it separates.
- Now, to ease pressure from the spindle and lower ball joint, I lift the jack from right under the control arm just until it starts to lift the truck
- I now remove nut from ball joint completely (it will be tight again as the spindle separated)
- Slowly, as in slow motion, start to lower jack. The lower control arm will come with it until all tension is released from the spring
If spring does not fall out on its own, I just push the lower control arm down and work the spring out.
Others might know of other ways of doing it but this is the way I know of.

Re install is just reverse
- install spring in place and lift jack to hold it in the proper place (might need to try several times until it sits exactly right. guide the ball joint into spindle as I lift jack
- I install nut on as soon as the joint shaft comes through the spindle hole, just loose not completely tight,. It’s just as a safety precaution.
- I now apply tension on the spring jacking the jack until it just starts to lift truck up
- I now tighten the ball joint nut completely, hopefully the ball joint shaft doesn’t just spin on you as you tighten the nut, and this is why the impact gun can help. It will tighten the nut without allowing the joint to spin
The spindle is free to rotate either way so use that to your advantage as leverage when you need to tighten the nut tight. If tightening the passenger side, do it from the front of the spindle, if doing the driver side, do it from the back of the so the spindle rests against the pump stop bracket instead of trying to hold it with your hands.
- Install cutter pin, I never back out the nut to find the cutter pin hole. Keep track of it as you start to completely tighten the nut
Once the ball joint is tight, I can release the jack and continue installing the rest.
just thought i share what i have learned from the rest of the folks here.

[long80gmc]

you dont have to use a fork to seperate the ball joint, just use a hammer on the spindle area where it goes through, it will create enough shock to release and save your ball joints.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by long80gmc

you dont have to use a fork to seperate the ball joint, just use a hammer on the spindle area where it goes through, it will create enough shock to release and save your ball joints.

And mushroom the tip of the ball joint and never get the nut back on

Put down the hammer, it's the calibrated dodge tool and keys leave it for the dodge guys
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[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

And mushroom the tip of the ball joint and never get the nut back on

Put down the hammer, it's the calibrated dodge tool and keys leave it for the dodge guys
Posted via Mobile Device

well you make a sturdy point but what if i take the nut all the way to the top of the ball joint stud and tap it down?

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by long80gmc

you dont have to use a fork to seperate the ball joint, just use a hammer on the spindle area where it goes through, it will create enough shock to release and save your ball joints.

I might add to this that using a chunk of wood will save the stud.

[bk2life]

Originally Posted by long80gmc

you dont have to use a fork to seperate the ball joint, just use a hammer on the spindle area where it goes through, it will create enough shock to release and save your ball joints.

he didnt say hit the stud/the nut or mushroom the threads. he said "on the spindle area" like next to the balljoint to shock the spindle and it will loosen the ball joint. im sure you all have done this.

[Lost81c10]

Originally Posted by long80gmc

you dont have to use a fork to seperate the ball joint, just use a hammer on the spindle area where it goes through, it will create enough shock to release and save your ball joints.

i did not try that, but will have to. specially once i install new ball joints.

whish i would have known this i would still have my dust boots. thanks.

[gchemist]

Mike's way.

http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/chas...ion/eibach.htm

[long80gmc]

Originally Posted by bk2life

he didnt say hit the stud/the nut or mushroom the threads. he said "on the spindle area" like next to the balljoint to shock the spindle and it will loosen the ball joint. im sure you all have done this.

exactly! sorry if i wasent clear, do not hit the ball joint it self. hit the spindle. the shock from the impact will break it free...after a few hits