Thanks to the mechanic that tore up my rod bearings on a "test drive", I am in the very fortunate position of having an empty engine compartment. I am using this well appreciated opportunity to detail the engine compartment/front end. How does one get the front springs out without losing teeth and fingers. I can see how it could be done with jacks if you had the weight of the motor but the motor is out. Any suggestions?

Special tool, spring compressor. Autozone may rent one for free. Under no circumstances attempt without the tool, you can kill yourself.

Several of us made spring compressors from threaded rod. Get good quality 5/8 rod with nuts and washers. Assemble the rod through the upper shock hole and use something like plate or angle with a hole drilled for the lower control arm.

I tried the tool from autozone and it did not work for me. I ended up buying a 3/8 maybe bigger all threaded rod from Lowes along with some big heavy washers and nuts. For the bottom I bought a 1/2 pipe flange that you screw to a wall. I post some pics in a minute to show what I got. It worked great.

Should have let me know before hand. I have an old professional model you could have borrowed. Drebich, where in WV are you located?

I live in Buckhannon WV, The car is at my dads place in Windsor, NY and I'm working on a project in Newark, NJ for another year. I get around. The photo above shows the large diameter flange, but if the top bolt is above the upper control arm and the large flange is below the lower, how would that let you remove the spring unless the rod is so long that you can remove lower ball joint then slowly unscrew upper bolt until all pressure is off?

That pretty far to come grab a tool. Anyways, the one I have has hooks on each end of a threaded rod. You twist the shaft and the hooks close in on one another. Same basic concept as what Harold showed.

That's how I did it, redi rod, plates and nuts after you thread it up to take off the pressure you then disconnect the ball joint then thread off to release all pressure and remove the spring.

HaroldB, did the pipe flange fit between the coils? I am envisioning the threaded rod being lowered down the upper shock hole and then somehow inserting the pipe flange between the coils then threading the rod into the pipe flange, but I don't see how it would fit. The spacing on my coils is pretty tight, maybe 3/8".

No, you just need something at the bottom where the lower shock mount is since it's a big hole. You're compressing the whole control arm with the spring. It's amazingly simple. I tried an internal spring compressor and the threaded rod trick is the way to go.

I used 5/8" grade 5 threaded rod from McMaster Carr.

I'm not getting it. I want to remove the spring so that I can remove the A arms. If you compress the spring with a device mounted under the lower A arm how could that allow you to remove the spring?

You install the threaded rod where the shock goes to hold the lower control arm in place. Then you can undo the lower ball joint. After that is loose you slowly unthread the nut at the lower control arm to lower it and de-compress the spring.

I have the lower ball joint removed and the lower A arm is maxed out on how low it will go. The spring will still not come out.

You should be able to get the spring out without the spring compressor. The A arm can swing down low enough. Do you have some other things connected to the A arm? Did you take swap bar off? Shocks are off? Got a pic to show us?

Everything is disconnected. I will post pics

I just put some sand bags on the cross member to replace the weight of the motor. you can also use bags of concrete, some of them are around 90lbs each.

How long does this threaded rod need to be? I think I am understanding how this work, but does anyone have any pics on how this set up looks while sitting inside the shock mounts and inside the springs?

If you have a engine hoist then pickup the frame by the hoist instead of putting frame on jack stands.

When the A frame drops down nothing will jump up at you.

The only real special tool I use to remove the springs are ball joint separator(fork) to remove the ball joints.

http://www.harborfreight.com/11-3-4-quarter-inch-ball-joint-separator-1740.html

I use a proper coil spring compressor for installing the spring.

http://www.harborfreight.com/macpherson-strut-spring-compressor-set-3980.html

Just thought of something...

If you do it just right the spring pops down the A frame and the spring pops out onto the floor (not a lot of drama or trauma).

But, if your really careful the spring stays in and does not pop out. Get a long (4-5'long) steel breaker or pry bar and just pry it out at the bottom.

Use some 5/8" threaded rod, washers, grade 8 nuts, scrap steel plate and a short length of pipe. Back up the shock access hole end with steel plate and a washer. On top, thread a short length of pipe, washer and the nut. Crank down on the nut to compress the spring. Once the spring is compressed, remove both bolts through the lower control arm. Now slowly loosen the nut. The lower control arm will follow down easily and without any danger of getting loose. Be sure to use threaded rod long enough for the spring so you don't run out of range. Assembly is the reverse, with you hooking up the lower control arm as it comes into alignment. Lubricate the threaded rod with plenty of front end grease first.













These directions don't describe removing the connection to the lower ball joint since you had already done that. When you start from scratch:

raise the car and support it
remove the wheel
remove the shock
thread the 5/8" rod, washers and nuts and capture the a-arm
separate the ball joints, remove spindle
loosen the lower control arm mounting bolts
unthread the nut on the threaded rod until the lower a-arm bolts turn somewhat freely
remove the lower control arm bolts
unthread the nut the rest of the way, the lower control arm will ease down until the spring tension is relieved.

Assembly is the reverse.

At all times, keep in mind where forces are on the spring. Don't let it loose until all pressure is gone.
Don't work with the car on jacks, use stands.
Budweiser after the job is done ,not before.

I will try that this weekend Gus. I can see by letting a little bit of "violence" take place when dropping the A arm that it could fall out. I let it down very slowly and it acts like it has a good bit of load still on it.

I have taken mine out twice in the last two months. Getting the spring out is the easy part. Putting it back in is tougher. All I did was take out the front sway bar connectors see link.

http://www.firebirdcentral.com/product_p/sus-388.htm

Take out the front shock.


Then you use a strap or bolt a chain around the lower rung of the spring and down through the hole where the lower part of the shock mounted and back up to the original starting point and making a secure loop will prevent the spring from flying out and hitting you or anything else.

Then you put a jack under the inner portion of the A Arm that is toward the middle of the car (opposite end of the ball joint) and jack it up enough to take the load off the bolts your going to remove.

Then take out the A Arm bolts that mount in the middle of the car. There is a front and back bolt. Then when these come out you will SLOWLY lower your jack nice and smooth. until the A Arm is all the way down. The spring should be fully extended and easily removed.

I never messed with the ball joint.

You can find a Youtube that demonstrates this.


Any questions just ask.

SAM

Off2, that is actually how the service manual describes removing the spring. It indicates a special jack type tool used for Firebirds that attaches to the locations you mention and then lowering the entire lower A arm. Interesting.

The way I did mine years ago was to leave the shock in place, then cut through several coils with a cutting wheel on the grinder. Each cut will relieve some spring force. After two or three cuts there is no more tension. The shock keeps the spring coils in place. Then you can dissemble at will.

Your just caught on the bottom now. Just need to pry it out with a long bar at the bottom. The bar comes in handy at times.

I would have left the top ball joint connected as you can see it's in the way now. Your spring compressor may be in the way as well. Also, take the sway bar off.

You need 2 spring compressors if you go that route (one for each side of the spring). If you can get into the middle of the spring you can use one. Air wrench works great for tightening up the spring.

I don't recommend that type of jack and also use 3 ton jack stands. A good trolley jack and stands are key to any job
you take on with these cars.

You will be less concerned next time after you have seen these pop out without much drama.

I'm going to vid my next frame tear down.

The sway bar is disconnected, I just didn't undo the drivers side. I attempted to remove the lower ball joint first but at a certain point it started spinning so I could not get the nut off, that's when I due aided to go for the upper. The spring compressor you see was actually doing nothing. After my 12th beer and getting no where I attempted to try it but it was definately not going to work. The car is actually on four 3 ton jack stands, the jack you see is out of my truck that I used just to see if added height would allow the a arm to come down more which it did not. Hopefully you can see that I did secure a cable down through the coil in order to prevent a broken nose, lost teeth, and deep facial scars that would add 100 lbs to the potential women I could marry.

Yup, Pretty much pry bar time. Remember that cable will have to be loose enough to let the spring bottom to come all the way out of the lower CA. Probably not enough pressure on it to mame you bad now but I'd still wear a thick pair of gloves when you pull it out of there.

You would be way ahead to get the threaded rod and backup plate. It doesn't cost much. You will need it for putting this back together anyway. I like that you have it contained, but it's not really a solution since you have to assemble it someday.

Alternatively, OTC makes an excellent tool for this job. OTC7045B.



Check out the angle of the lower control arm with the spring compressed on this SN95. It's not going in without the correct tool in this car.



If you can get an impact wrench on it to rattle it, the lower ball joint will come free after soaking with PB Blaster on the threads. Clean off as much rust from threads as you can first with a rust removal product such as naval jelly. I can't recall if will work on the Firebird, but an extension might fit through the upper hole like it does in the P71.

I will get the threaded rod rig made up. I see how much angle is caused by the A arm being dropped. I think my plan will be to try a bar first. Then, after drinking several beers at the bar, I will jack the A arm back up to its original position. Secure the threaded rod down the shock holes using the large washers UNDER the A arm. Once I have tension back on the spring with the threaded rod I will then position the jack under the wide, engine side of the a arm. Then remove the inner a arm bolts and shaft using a heavy tow strap to keep it positioned horizontally. Then I will begin releasing tension on the threaded rod and slowly lowering the jack at the same time, the object being to lower the entire lower A arm vertically. This is basically how it is shown to be done in the service manual. All you guys are great help, my next thread will be about removing inner fenders.

That'll work. If you feel for the resistance on the lower control arm bolts, you can figure out when there is almost no pressure on that pivot point. Once those are disconnected, the arm lowers down fairly straight from then on. A bit beyond that point, things will start to bind up on you.

When you put things back, don't tighten the LCA bolts down until the weight of the vehicle with engine is on the tires. Otherwise the rubber bushing will be under stress. If you have delrin bushings, this doesn't matter.

A washer large enough for under the a-arm can be hard to find. An old lawnmower blade will work fine for that.

Removed the drivers side this weekend. No jacks, no straps. Removed lower ball joint bolt, three blows with a pickle fork, "Bang!". Then just a block of wood and bar to work it out of lower pocket. No drama. (Still had cable inserted inside coil for safety).

There ya go!