front coil spring removal

[Rick4076]

I am replacing the front coil springs on my 70 C10. I understand about loosening the castle nut and smacking the ball joint with a hammer to loosen it but do I need to remove the shock, sway bar and the disc brake caliper and rotor?

[randy500]

You do need to remove the shock and the sway bar on both sides.
It can be done with the caliper still mounted, removing it and tying it up is better an gives you more room to work.

I would loosen up the castle nut on the ball joint a few turns, then hit the spindle on the side with a large hammer, 3 pounder or so, should shock the tie rod right loose. Especially if you plan on re-using the ball joint. If your changing the ball joint just hit the end of the tie rod or hit it with an air chisel to get it loose or use a pickle fork, a cheap one from harbor freight is fine.

[VetteVet]

Randy forgot to mention that the coil springs are under extreme pressure and must be compressed before removal or they can fly out at the speed of HURT!
Once you remove the shock and then the ball joint there is nothing holding the spring in place. If you have your jack under the lower coil mount and the frame on a jackstand you can release the lower ball joint and let the jack down slowly as the coil expands. Then you can safely remove it.

When reinstalling the new one it should be compressed before installing and then placed in the lower control arm. This keeps it from bending and flying out while jacking the lower arm to install the lower ball joint/.

Google the you tube and you'll find several instruction videos on the procedure.

[Vtec2V8]

Originally Posted by Rick4076

I am replacing the front coil springs on my 70 C10. I understand about loosening the castle nut and smacking the ball joint with a hammer to loosen it but do I need to remove the shock, sway bar and the disc brake caliper and rotor?

I just did a front spring drop on my 69 (drum brakes). I placed a floor jack under the drum to keep the whole assembly supported, i removed the shock and tie rod. Once those were out of the way, i used the floor jack to put upward force on the lower ball joint, then i start to smack it with a dead blow (metal one, not a plastic dead blow)once it popped free, i moved the floor jack to under the spring before i pulled the lower ball joint all the way off, that way you can control how fast the LCA falls once you remove the lower ball joint. HTH

[Vtec2V8]

Originally Posted by VetteVet

Randy forgot to mention that the coil springs are under extreme pressure and must be compressed before removal or they can fly out at the speed of HURT!
Once you remove the shock and then the ball joint there is nothing holding the spring in place. If you have your jack under the lower coil mount and the frame on a jackstand you can release the lower ball joint and let the jack down slowly as the coil expands. Then you can safely remove it.

When reinstalling the new one it should be compressed before installing and then placed in the lower control arm. This keeps it from bending and flying out while jacking the lower arm to install the lower ball joint/.

Google the you tube and you'll find several instruction videos on the procedure.

Beat me by a minute!!!!

[hewittca]

Alternatively, you could remove the two mounting U-bolts on the lower control arm and get the spring out that way. That's how I did mine. All the same safety precautions apply as mentioned above. Use spring compressors and a jack under the arm to help support it once you get those U-bolts off. Then you don't have to mess with tierods, balljoints, or brakes.

[LostMy65]

https://youtu.be/IMYWFWqUZ9c

[weq92f]

.
FWIW
When I've disassembled my 67/68 front ends one stock height and one with lowered spindles and lowering springs, i supported the lca with floor jack and after getting everything ready ( as above minus the compressors ), just slowly lowered the lca until the spring was fully extended and ready to just fall out.

Upon reassembly the same method, without compressors, was used to install the spring. Just manually hold it up there while slowly jacking up the lca to hold it in place and compress it fully to then attach the lower ball joint.

Hth,

-klb

[davepl]

I'll go a step further - springs don't just HURT if they come out, they can kill you. When I did mine I had the spring compressor and two chains and I was still nervous as hell. In fact, when I did my next restoration, I paid someone to do the front springs as part of some other work, because I just hate spring compressors.

If you've got the weight of the truck, as I believe you do, it's a much easier ballgame.

[weq92f]

Sorry, yes, having the full weight of the front clip, engine, tranny etc while doing this with a floor jack under the lca is a must, otherwise use spring compressors.

-klb

[County]

Use a safety chain or cargo strap around spring. For real.

[jbarron]

What Hewittca said.

[rod1701]

I put the frame on jack stands. Shock off. Jack under coil tower and unbolted lower A-arm and gently lowered the jack. Spring fell out. I didn’t like that the lowering springs I bought didn’t give the correct take so toons them off a couple more times trimming them until desired result.

This was for a 70 Suburban power drums up front. Only took a few hours and still tracked true when I drove it.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by rod1701

I put the frame on jack stands. Shock off. Jack under coil tower and unbolted lower A-arm and gently lowered the jack. Spring fell out. I didn’t like that the lowering springs I bought didn’t give the correct take so toons them off a couple more times trimming them until desired result.

This was for a 70 Suburban power drums up front. Only took a few hours and still tracked true when I drove it.

On these trucks the spring compression thing is a spook! Once the lower A-arm is lowered past the shock (which is removed) the will just fall out with no alarming pop. The movement of the A-arm is more than the unsprung spring height in my case.

Done it on a C-20, would assume most the others are the same. ASSUME your out of the way when you do this! Its a stored energy issue.

[rod1701]

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

On these trucks the spring compression thing is a spook! Once the lower A-arm is lowered past the shock (which is removed) the will just fall out with no alarming pop. The movement of the A-arm is more than the unsprung spring height in my case.

Done it on a C-20, would assume most the others are the same. ASSUME your out of the way when you do this! Its a stored energy issue.

Absolutely no issue with spring tension but did try to keep the jack between me and the spring and lower slowly. Just make sure it’s seated In the pocket when reinstalling. Probably have to cut or remove bump stops depending g on how low you go. I think that truck was 3/4 or closer to 4/4 after additional trimming. Also lowered shocks came with my kit.

[Happy_dan]

I just to have to add my agreement to being very careful. Springs are under a lot of pressure. When I did them on my car, I used spring compressors but also safety chains to catch them just in case. In only takes once to really ruin your day and maybe life.