Using a rented spring compressor, I was attempting to remove the front coil spring. As the spring was compressing, the shaft of the tool began pivoting to one side of the spring. I did not notice this however because the ratchet extension came up against the hole in the lower arm and prevented it from moving. The socket eventually slipped off the tool from the pressure and the shaft of the tool slammed up against the side of the spring. Now I'm stuck with a half compressed spring and the tool pinched inside. I was going to attempt to put a floor jack under the lower control arm and see if I could compress the spring enough to get it out but the engine and trans are pulled, so there is no weight to come up against. Any ideas on how to get the tool/spring out? I'm stripping the frame completely so all the parts are going to come off if that helps any. The fenders and entire front end are off as well.

P.S. - While typing this my wife calls and she ran out of gas on the highway. Time to get the kids out of bed, go to the gas station, and bring the wife back home. My night just keeps getting better!

 

Tomorrow, I am going to attempt to get an external spring compressor tool and see if that will bail me out.

 

Put a floor jack under the control arm. Hook a chain from the floor jack to the frame of the car to prevent lifting the car instead of compressing the spring.

 

You might need the weight of a few friends sitting on the fenders and radiator support to compress the spring with a floor jack. Definitely be careful!

 

I dislike using those spring compressors. I get the front very high on jack stands. slip a chain through the center of the spring "just in case", break the ball joint loose, then use a floor jack to lower the LCA until the spring falls out. Reverse this for spring installation.

 

In the op's case he can't do that because the car is mostly stripped, therefore doesn't have a weight advantage. Matts suggestion is the logical choice.

 

I'm not quite following the chain around the frame part. I am envisioning the chain wrapping underneath the floor jack and over the top of the upper control arm on the spindle side. The jack would be positioned with the pad just inboard of the lower ball joint. I would then use the jack to remove all the slack in the chain, remove the spindle/ball joints, then slowly release the spring with the floor jack? I'm still left with the tool stuck in the spring. Maybe with the spindle removed I would compress the spring even more to get the tool out, then uncompress the spring? Does that sound logical?

 

You do realize that the lower balljoint must be disconnected to get the spring in and out? Cant see that in the picture. Also you need to loosen the spring tension to properly position the tool.

 

Are you planning on re-using these springs?

 

Oldsmaniac- Yes on the lower ball joint, that's why I was going to have the jack just inboard of the ball joint so I could get at it. If you read my original post you will see my problem with the tool. It's forced against the inside edge of the spring so that I cannot get anything on it to loosen it. If I compress the spring a little it may straighten the tool just enough to get a socket on it. Thus my disaster.

 

No, I am not planning on re-using the springs if that helps at all.

 

If thats the case, just cut the springs.

 

While under tension from the stuck tool? That doesn't sound safe... (Edit) While under compression

Seriously, I couldn't cut the spring under load, right?

 

Can you not continue to tighten the compressor with an end wrench?

 

Sorry guys, I seem to be communicating poorly here. I'm not sure how to describe this. The end of the tool that I would normally get the socket on is smashed against the inside of the spring such that I can't get a tool on it. So I have two problems. One, getting the spring out. Two, getting the tool out of the spring.

 

Randy, I can try and get an end wrench on it at an angle through the spring coil. The pic is deceiving, there isn't much to get a wrench on but at an angle I might get enough turns to get it off the edge of the spring.

 

I have been in a similar situation before. I was able to get an end wrench in there and tighten or loosen the big bolt. It is frustrating, and takes a while........

 

If possible, with the frame on good jack stands, loop the chain over the frame and under the floor jack, hook it together to form a circle. This will cause the spring to compress when you raise the jack under the control arm. I would center the jack pad directly under the spring. Now Instead of taking the spindle loose, I would just take the bolts out where the lower control arm connects to the frame. Move slowly in doing this step and stay clear. When you release the jack, the spring should fully expand and you can take everything out when the lower control arm falls down.

Think through everything and stay safe.
tc

 

i usually take the torch and cut the spring into pieces then remove ball joint and swaybar link. i think with the tool holding the spring together,you should be able to cut the spring,just dont have your head in the wheelwell

 

If you have a torch, you can just heat the spring red hot in several places, it will collapse

 

If your not planning to reuse the springs, cut them!! As long as the spring compressor is still in place, and the ball joint is still connected, the spring will be contained. A torch would be preferable, but a cut off wheel will work. You just need to plan your cut some the blade isn’t pinched as the spring collapse.

 

Ok, good to know that I can cut the spring while still compressed. I probably won't get to it tonight, my state is on fire here in Oregon and its heading this way. The sky is dark orange and ash is raining down on me at the moment. The fire probably won't make it this far but its a bit rough to breathe outside right now. The wife is a little alarmed. I told her to just get the marshmallows ready.

 

To wrap this thread up, I managed to get the springs out using the chain around the frame and jack method. It did not go quite as smooth as I thought. After compressing the spring with the jack, I removed the inboard lower control arm bolts assuming I could just lower the jack and the control arm would lower as well. This is not possible however, since the lower control arm is inset within the frame and will just pinch in the pocket in the frame before there is enough room to get the spring out. I ended up having to remove the spindle as well. No big deal since I was stripping the frame anyway, I was just hoping to not have to disassemble that much. I don't see how it would be possible to just remove the lower control arm bolts since you can't drop the arm anyway unless I was to attempt to use a pry bar to get the arm out of the frame.

 

Next time you attempt this, leave the shock in place, loosen but don’t remove the ballon joint nuts, and just cut the spring. A torch is best, but a cut off wheel works if you go really slow. A couple cuts in different areas will weaken the spring