Removing front springs.

[svslow]

I've looked everywhere to figure out the easiest way to remove the front springs. Is there a write up or anything?

[MacToolsSVO]

Two ways....


1) Put a jack under the A-arm, unbolt the A-arms at the K-member and slowly lower the jack and the spring will fall right out - DO NOT do it quickly or all of the energy in the spring will release and that spring will shoot out and hopefully only damage the car and not your head.

2) Put a jack under the A-arm, take off the sway bar link, unbolt the castle nut on the ball joint, unbolt the tie rod, unbolt the strut to the spindle (probably need to take off the brake caliper and be careful with the rubber brake line), and again slowly lower the jack and carefully remove the spring - still some energy in it. You may want to recruit another set of hands and feet as your A-arms (still factory torqued) will need to be pressed down, they will not pivot to a lowered position...now if they have been off before or have been serviced they may pivot all the way down. Putting lowering springs in is easy as they are significantly shorter than the stock springs - you will not need a spring compressor...if you are putting stock springs in you will definately need a spring compressor.


Andy

[GAboySVO]

If you use option 2 (which is the preferred method), remove the brake caliper, then the strut nut to allow for the a-arm swing lower and the springs drop out when you lower the jack.

[blueboss]

I just removed my front suspension not more than 24hours ago. If your lower control arms have never been off the car, chances are the teeth that are on the bushing sleeves are dug into the k-member really well. Subsequently, you may or may not have luck removing the spring using method 2 described above as the control arm will still not pivot far enough out of the way. You may have to loosen the nuts on the control arm attach points to relieve some of the pressure on the bushing sleeves. Pushing down on the arm will yield a "pop" noise followed by the spring falling out and the control arm swinging in the wind.

Also, method 2 describes "unbolt the castle nut on the ball joint, unbolt the tie rod, unbolt the strut to the spindle (probably need to take off the brake caliper and be careful with the rubber brake line), and again slowly lower the jack and carefully remove the spring - still some energy in it." Using method 2 as a guide, I would recommend that you perform the following procedure: 1. Remove the caliper from the spindle, tie it back. 2. LOOSEN the castle nut (do not fully remove it yet) until half of the ball joint stud is recessed into the nut. Smack the spindle at the lower ball joint attach point with a BFH until the ball joint breaks loose from the spindle. 3. Insert your jack under the control arm just to support the arm. No need to crank it up. 4. Remove the tie rod from the spindle. 5. Remove the strut from the car. 6. Remove the castle nut from the ball joint and then spindle w/rotor still attached from the car. 7. LOOSEN the nuts at the control arm attach points. 8. Lower the control arm and catch the spring. Installation is the reverse of removal with the following exception: DO NOT tighten the lower control arm attach points until the car is back on the ground, weight on wheels. You will bind the attach points resulting in premature bushing failure.

[svslow]

I did the springs today, wont do it agian

[Unclesams_SVO]

I went about it a little different:

Remove brake calipers front spindle
Remove sway bar end link bolt
Place a jack under the a-arm and raise the jack pad untill you just barely start to raise the car.
Remove the 2 lower strut bolts, then slowly lower the a-arm with the jack
Then remove the spring with some elbow grease or a spring compressor. (the elbow grease part is easier if you already have lowering springs installed, if not then i would get a spring compressor)

[svslow]

I went about it a little different:

Remove brake calipers front spindle
Remove sway bar end link bolt
Place a jack under the a-arm and raise the jack pad untill you just barely start to raise the car.
Remove the 2 lower strut bolts, then slowly lower the a-arm with the jack
Then remove the spring with some elbow grease or a spring compressor. (the elbow grease part is easier if you already have lowering springs installed, if not then i would get a spring compressor)

Thats exactly how I did it, and I used a spring compressor.

[svslow]

When they say the sportlines slip right in because they're shorter,... thats a myth.

[kjdad]

OTC tool. Makes it a slam dunk to do. I had to get creative with the tool as the hole in the stock SVO arms is smaller then the stamped steel ones.

[svslow]

I used the OEM rental from auto zone, similar to the one you used.