Help removing factory front springs!

Ok ..I have been working on this front for about 3 hours..I can't figure out how to get the spring out..I have rented a spring compressor and I cant even manage to really find a way to get it in right..the bottom is ending up outside the spring and below the A arm...What can I unbolt (with out removing the tire rods) to get the a arm to drop enough that I can get the spring out of the car?!?! :fuss: :fuss:
 
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If you don't want to undue the tie-rods from the steering knuckle then the best advise is to get a long prybar wedge it into the the top of the spring and step on the a-arm with your foot. As you step on the a-arm you will release enough tension that the spring will not shoot out. Pry on the top of the spring with the pry-bar until it falls out. Good luck!

Best way is to take the tie rods off.
 
Rocketman said:
If you don't want to undue the tie-rods from the steering knucle then the best advise is to get a long prybar wedge it into the the top of the spring and step on the a-arm with your foot. As you step on the a-arm you will release enough tension that the spring will not shoot out. Pry on the top of the spring with the pry-bar until it falls out. Good luck!

Best way is to take the tie rods off.

Ok ..I am going to give this a shot..the mustangworld write up was decent but it doesnt cover not removing tie rods unless using spring tool..wich it doesnt show pics of the best placement or anything..that spring is almost out its jsut kind of "stuck" :o)

I wouldn't think it will shoot out bc its not really loaded at all..
 
Ok even prying I am still having the hardest damn time getting this spring out! I dont know if it is stuck in the rubber peice (isolator?) or what! When I do pry it compresses it somewhat and I am affraid that it will shoot when it does come out...any advice please?
 
I have never used a spring compressor on any of the springs.


jack the front end as high and save as possible. Take off the brakes, struts and tire rod and sway bar. Let A arm hang all the way down. put foot on A arm to push it farther down, pull out on springs. They wont be under and pressue and will practically fall out.

Do reverse to put them back in. I just did mine last week.
 
Just remove the one nut at the top of the "endlink" where the sway bar connects. The sway bar will pop off as you lower the arm. That should allow the arm to drop enough to pry out the bottom of the spring. I just removed mine two weeks ago and that what I did. I also ran a section of chain through the spring for safety, before prying.
 
It is a whole lot easier to drop the A-arm with the tie rod and sway bar end link disconnected. I did find a write-up that states to remove the top bolts for the shock, but I removed the bottom two and let the shock hang there.
 
I would remove the caliper, sway bar mount and then unbolt the top strut bolt if you have an impact gun for ease. Otherwise I would unbolt the strut from the bottom. Either way the strut unbolted from either end will make it so a spring compressor is not necessary.
 
I got em out! The drivers side jsut fell out ant you wont believe this...The very bottom coil was broken off! I mean jsut snapped..I was wondering what the pop was I had heard from time to time! I cant believe that crap..so I just cut a quater off the dead coil..I will do the back ones tmrw but am very happy with the front! ..Looks like I need new springs now becuase of this huh? Or will it be ok?
 
hotrodnut said:
I would remove the caliper, sway bar mount and then unbolt the top strut bolt if you have an impact gun for ease. Otherwise I would unbolt the strut from the bottom. Either way the strut unbolted from either end will make it so a spring compressor is not necessary.

You don't need an impact gun to unbolt the strut from the top, you just remove the 3 smaller bolts on the sides and it drops right out. I used a standard socket wrench on those bolts and they came out with ease.
 
ns80 said:
You don't need an impact gun to unbolt the strut from the top, you just remove the 3 smaller bolts on the sides and it drops right out. I used a standard socket wrench on those bolts and they came out with ease.

Um ok, you just took your car out of alighment.

Tie rods, leave them hooked up.

Lowering these car is total cake.


The Spring Master