econo-fix for front suspension

[Double Venom]

JW,

Here's my trick. Taught from an old guy long, long ago. You do NOT need a spring compressor! Mostly, like Don says, I have yet to find one that will work. So what do you do to make it safe?

Get a small chain, real chain, loop it through the spring, bringing it back together over part of the frame. Bolt the two ends of the chain together, keeping the chain fairly tight with just a few links worth loose. (About an inch or so of being slack)

Raise the car up, jacks placed under each front frame rail, remove the front tires. Now it gets real interesting. Remove the cotter key to the lower spindle ball joint, loosen the nut right up to the top of the threads of the ball joint, leave at least enough threads where the stud is level with the top of the nut.

Now look at the front of the spindle close to where the tie rod fits onto it. See a big flat spot, about an inch square? Get yourself a short 2 1/2 lb. or short 5 lb. hammer. Now hit the flat spot and I mean hit it hard! It may take a few whacks, but I assure you the ball joint shaft will "pop" loose and go down.

After you regain your compsure, (remember the nut on the ball joint and the chain?) from a loud pop, you simply place the jack under the front spindle, raise it up a little, remove the shock at the top and start to let the jack back down. If you have enough slack in the chain you should be able to remove the jack then simply pry out the spring.

Then cut, via cutoff tool, hacksaw (uggh!) or anything but a torch, a full coil off the top of the spring.

That's it...took longer to type this than it does to do it! I actually remove 1 1/4 coils from the old coils that CR's used to supply.

DV...haven't seen a ball joint tool/fork that wont rip the rubber seal.

Call if you have any questions! 740-852-5280