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Suspension removal...

K

Kats66Pny

Active Member
I have Gert on 4 jacks, front 2 tires off and now I'm staring at everything wondering if things need to come off in a certain order or can I just start unbolting stuff? Everything is coming off - center link, tie rods, control arms...everything.

Oh and I don't have a spring compressor, but was thinking that maybe by remove the upper control arms, the springs will fall out and I won't need to rent a compressor. Or would that be dangerous? They aren't very compressed with the whole body up on jacks. Atleast they don't look like it.
 
You need a spring compressor. The stock springs are compressed in the present state and can/will do damage to you if try to "cheat" them out.
 
Damn. We replaced the front springs last year with the 620 w/1" drop and I hated that stupid compressor. :rant I noticed that only half the spring was even touching the perch which is why I was wondering just how compressed it could be.
 
what you could do is pull the spindles first. This might allow the UCA to drop significantly so that the spring is not compressed. If it has ANY tension at all, don't remove the UCA without first using a spring compressor and removing the springs! We like having you around!!!!
 
"tarafied1" said:
what you could do is pull the spindles first. This might allow the UCA to drop significantly so that the spring is not compressed. If it has ANY tension at all, don't remove the UCA without first using a spring compressor and removing the springs! We like having you around!!!!
Click to expand...
I don't like this idea at all either. You'll still be giving the spring a chance to release its energy unabated. It will just fire the UCA down as it flys out.

If you already put in a drop spring, though, you may not have much tension to begin with depending on spring height. I know with the ones I got from NPD I can install/remove without a compressor. Be safe and rent a compressor. Or buy one like I did. Cheaper than renting a few times.
 
I'm going to call a couple car club guys. One guy lives down the road and he said he has pretty much everything and if I need a tool, call him first. Maybe I'll be lucky and he'll have one I can borrow.
 
Kat,

I have the 1" lowering #620 springs up front (along with the Arning drop) and I do not need to use the compressor to remove them. Stock springs...no way without the compressor.
 
Removing tie rod ends and stuff will be impossible without a pickle fork or, better yet, a tie rod end removal tool. The latter looks like a pitman arm remover, but smaller. I've yet to find one in the local part stores. These tools are needed to remove ball joints from their mates.
 
See the gap?

4ac0d820-c0e5-9fd2.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
"Kats66Pny" said:
See the gap?

4ac0d820-c0e5-9fd2.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

That's not the gap to be looking at. If there is no compression, the gap will appear at the top of the spring, not the bottom. Gravity, ya know.

I don't care what the spring looks like; there is an incredible amount of power stored there, even slightly compressed. I won't put fingers between the springs and I will always use a compressor to put the spring in and out of the car. There are no short-cuts in this aspect of personal safety.
 
This is just too easy. Did you need a compressor to install the new springs? If so...........you get the drift right? I can install without the compressor, so that means it will also come out without the compressor. This stuff ain't rocket surgery.
 
I didn't install the new springs. I made my husband do it and he doesn't remember if they had to be compressed to go in. :shrug

No biggy. I found a compressor I'm going to borrow tomorrow. :thu
 
I don't need a compressor for mine either. I remove the shock, then the sway bar end link, pull down on the lower control arm and they fall right out.

And Mid, If you can't separate a ball joint or tie rod with a BFH, you're a Nancy.
 
Just call me Nancy.

Both AZPete and I tried the BFH method without success. Eventually, the pickle fork did do the trick after one fork broke beyond repair (cheap Chinese crap!).
 
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