(Removing Coil Springs)
(refreshed occasionally)
Needs:
Floor Jack
2-3 feet of chain with a linch pin ( to thread through the coil spring and under jack to prevent spring from accidentally flying around)
Mechanics wire
Wood shims ( preferably 2X8 squares)
Use extreme caution and care when placing jackstands and supports under the car. You are your best friend in this area
This section applies to cars with V8 engines. Six cylinder cars have lighter springs, but also much lighter engines.
The spring is retained between the lower control arm and the frame rail.
/////// From SDC Forum
I'm no professional, but this is how I have done it.
I have an old (huge) floor jack that I got from my Dad. I jack up the front of the car and put jack stands under the frame just behind the A frames.
Re-assemble in the reverse order-
Here's another alternative:...the shop manual way
Removing front coil springs-
Read this thoroughly first!
2-4 jack stands
There are multiple ways to do this.
I then lowered the car onto them, My next move was to remove the front wheels. Then I placed the jack under the wide part of the A frame where it bolts to the frame. My next move was to wrap a chain under the jack and over the car frame and then run the jack up to the mounting bar and jack the car back up until the chain is tight. I then remove the four bolts (lower, inner arm pin, Ed.) and lower the jack.
The A frame opens up and when the jack is lowered all the way, I can get the old spring out.
I use a pair of coil spring compressors to squish the new spring, put it in place and jack the A frame back up. Just before I get all the way up, I use two punches to align the bolt holes and jack it tight. Then I put one bolt in each side, pull the punches, install the other two bolts and tighten up all four. I then go to the other side and repeat. (You might want to compress the old springs before removal as well).After all is back in place, drive it for a week & then go to the alignment shop. (Duane Miller, Eldridge, Iowa).////////
This is the second method
Parts that you'll be disassembling are; the lower spindle support, mounted on the lower outer trunnion, the wheel spindle, through which the kingpin rotates, the upper trunnion, attached to the upper loop in the kingpin
NOTES:
Keep an eye on your brake lines as you progress. The length of this hose may be different depending on manufacturer. It may run out of travel and stretch, or.....
There are aluminum spacers on Avanti II's, used to raise the height of the front end, which may fall out and startle you, plus rubber isolators to prevent squeaks, which should be replaced
I have always done it just like it is shown in the Shop Manual. The hardest
part is getting the holes aligned for the bolts. I use one of those tapered
pins with the hook shaped end to align the holes or some very long bolts to
pull it up to the inner frame.
If you do it as in the Shop Manual, you have the leverage afforded by the
length of the control arm. Otherwise you are trying to compress the spring
with the jack almost directly under the spring. The other advantage of doing
it like the Shop Manual shows is that if the spring lets go it is going to
come out toward the car and not toward you. Just make sure your jack pad has
some raised areas that will fit against the inner control arm shaft and get
the car high enough that when you let down on the control arm you have
enough clearance to get it all out.
Paul Villforth
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The latest chatter on the SDC Forum (Nov 2013)