<VV> spring compression

[Tony Underwood]

At 06:47 hours 04/11/2005, Kirk Eck wrote:
>I'm rebuilding the front end of my 66 vair. I have a
>spring compressor but it is too big to remove the
>front springs, it compresses it but not enough to
>remove it .  What is the best way to remove the spring
>without blowing a hole through my chest?  Is there a
>smaller compressor or some other miracle device, I
>looked through the service manual but didn't find
>anything.



In my experience, the hardest part about front spring change in a Vair is 
getting the shocks off the suspension so you can free the spring.   I've 
not used a spring compressor.   I take the shock off, loosen the reaction 
strut and sway bar brackets and (with a jack under the control arm) loosen 
the ball joint and then just lower the jack down carefully until it won't 
go down any farther, then grab it and push it down more, which allows you 
to simply reach in and yank the spring out with your free hand.   And 
yes,  it's done without a spring compressor, if you remove the ball joint, 
sway bar and reaction strut brackets.   When the lower control arm arcs 
down, it will go through the full length of the spring and release the 
tension to the point that you can simply lift it out or push the control 
arm down lower still and the spring will *fall* out.

This only works if you do remove the sway bar brackets and strut rod to let 
the control arm move unfettered.   Takes a few minutes, or about 5 times as 
long as wrestling the coil into a spring compressor and trying to shoe-horn 
it out of the suspension only to find you still don't have 
room.    Depending on how sagged the original springs might be, there will 
be more or less tension on the control arm as it's lowered once everything 
is cut loose.   Normal care and attention will get the spring out with a 
minimum of trouble and no spring compressor is required, particularly if 
you are installing HD springs which will be a bit shorter than the 
originals in any event.

You can use a medium size hammer to shock the ball joint loose (leaving the 
loosened nut on the joint stud to keep it  from flopping off if/when it 
does come loose) by sharply wacking the side of the spindle boss which 
will/should loosen the joint and allow the ball joint stud to fall out of 
the spindle.   The ball joint stud nut won't come all the way off with the 
steer arm in place; gets in the way of the nut as it unscrews upward, 
meaning you have to lower the stud down and out of the spindle.  Don't lose 
the nut, which will end up falling off and rolling halfway to 
Kansas.    Reverse the procedure when reinstalling everything.   (this also 
works for tie rod ends etc)


The ball joint itself might pose a problem.  About half of the ones I've 
done will pop off with 5-6 sharp raps with the hammer on the spindle 
boss...  and about half of them won't budge.   Do NOT hit the stud, 
ever.   You'll never get the nut off, or back on again if you mash up the 
stud.   Strike the spindle ball joint stud boss *only*... the boss is the 
part of the spindle that the ball joint stud goes through.   If it's 
tighter than all Hell, you may have to resort to the trusty pickle 
fork.   Don't worry about the ball joint boot; replacements are available 
at Auto Zone (I'll have the part number in a day, Seth) and in all 
likelihood the one on the car is already decomposing.   Replace it when 
everything goes back together while it's easy to get to.   Cheap.

Simple common sense and careful wrenching will get the spring change done 
in short order, no pain and no suffering and no sweat.   Be sure to look 
*closely* at how the spring perches on the lower control arm, noting the 
position of the end of the spring.   If the spring isn't seated correctly 
on the control arm, it will bow when under tension  and arc out far enough 
to rub on something, like the shock tower or the shock itself, makes a 
squawking racket you will not appreciate.   It can't hurt to smear a little 
grease on the ends of the springs to keep them from emitting those errant 
little moans and squeaks until everything jounces a while and settles in.

I just did all this again last Saturday, no problems encountered.



tony..