clicking/knocking front end

[Tx Firefighter]

You're not really compressing the spring any appreciable amount. All you want to do is jack it up enough to take the bind out of the upper ball joint. You should not have any reason to even touch the spring unless you just want to.

The new ball joint will come with bolts to bolt it in place instead of rivets like original.

It's a 30 minute job if things go well.