Long story short we rented a coil spring compressor tool and it was to big to fit inside the springs. Anyone who has rented or bought one of these please let me know wich tool works best

The one I borrowed from advance Auto worked the best for me Compressor. I tried a couple too and made my own. The one I made worked great taking it out but not to good going in. I had to compress it a little to get it in the control arm.

The link I posted above, you have to make sure the bottom claw, one side of the arms needs to be able to be unbolted. Insert the claw from the bottom hole. Then screw onto the long screw rod inserted down through the shock hole.

Then insert the arm piece you unbolted from the claw and bolt it back on and adjust into the spring.

You can not insert the whole bottom claw up through the bottom control arm because there is not enough room. It has to be taken apart and then inserted and re assembled inside.

I worked on this for a week reassembling the coil springs. Tried different tools and this worked the best.

A lot of us made compressors. Get some good quality 5/8" all thread, some nuts and washers, and something to span the lower shock hole. I used some heavy angle and drilled a 5/8" hole. Run the all thread up through the upper shock mount hole and compress/decompress with the nuts.

X2 on the redi-rod ( as we call it up here) and I would recommend a safety chain as well just in case. pics of this system in action are here. this is with sheet metal removed but works just as well with it in place. just a little tighter.
http://www3.telus.net/68bird/front_suspension.htm
it's cheap and it works

I just removed mine last month. The first side I tried all different kinds of spring compressors and none would fit. I tried letting it down with tow straps and jacks very slowly but when the A arm was all the way down it still wouldn't come out. I ended up using a pry bar. Looking at the service manual, Firebirds used a special tool (which I am certain doesn't exist anymore) that lowered the entire lower A arm straight down. The next side I just put a safety cable through the middle of the coil and secured it back to the sub frame (some what loose, just to keep it from ending up on the neighbors roof), took the lower ball joint nut completely off, got my pickle fork and wacked it a couple times on the lower ball joint and let it fly. POP! It came right out with no violence at all. I think allowing a little bit of controlled violence made it unseat. Now, trying to get it back in will be a different story.

A lot of good info in this post Here

Thanks for all the great info. I will try to make my own if this kit doesn't work.

Never had to use any spring compressor when the weight of the engine is still on the frame.
Floor jack and pry bar is all I use, put the floor jack under the lower arm once you have the spring lined up on the top pocket pry the spring through the coils to seat it in the lower pocket.
The key is to have the jack placed far enough on the outside of the arm so there is enough leverage to put the ball joint stud back thru the spindle.

The biggest trouble I had was putting the spring back in with out scratching the lower control arm. It was a PITA and I still scratched it.

I rented the spring compressor from NAPA and it worked perfectly, I will get the brand name and part number so anyone in the future knows wich compressor to get.