I'm going to replace the front lower control arm bushings on my 64 Starfire; gotta take the arms off the car. I'd have thought you would need a spring compressor to get that spring out. But the shop manual says you suspend the lower arms w/ a jack, loosen (not remove) the lower bushing bolts, pop the lower ball joint studs loose from the knuckle, then slowly lower the lower arm with the jack until the spring comes loose.
Who's done this before? Was wondering how dangerous it is... don't want that coil shooting off somewhere about half way down...

 

I've done it that way before I bought a compressor. Now I use the spring compressor. No flying springs either way, but the floor jack method doesn't work if you don't have the weight of the engine in the car. The compressor is just easier.

 

The engine will be in the car, so I'll give the floorjack (and shop manual) method a try.

I used to have a spring compressor, but it went the way of Katrina.

BTW, I can't tell you what a struggle it was to use that compressor on my Buick GS.... clearance to turn those bolts was at a premium, to say the least...

Thanks.

 

BOLTS? Plural?

I'm guessing that you weren't using one of these: