Remove front coils when front end out of truck?

[Canada20]

Hey all. Sorry for the clunky title; seemed to be a tough one to boil down to a few words.

I want to tear down the old front-end assembly from my '69 C20 (with HD springs) which I've removed from the truck which makes the trick of putting the truck on jackstands and using a floorjack under the lower control arm moot.

I tried using an internal coil spring compressor but the one I found didn't quite fit inside the spring and I didn't feel safe about MAKING the thing work (though I may need to go this route in the end).

Any suggestions? I'd prefer to avoid one that are likely to end with "here, hold my beer" or "hey ya'll watch this!"

Thanks!

Greg

[Jaredm82]

Get some tie downs and find a way to tie the lower arm to the crossmember. Get them snug and start banging away. Thats what I would do, but assure you I am not the smartest guy in this bunch haha. Be careful...
ps, dont remove the nut on the ball joint until you have both arms loose. If you do then you will have a heck of a time getting the second balljoint loose with out spring tension.

[49studebaker]

I removed my heavy duty coils off of my 1/2 ton last year, the spring compressor I rented from Checkers was actually for struts, so I was basically in the same situation you are. Mine was still on the chassis but had the body and engine out so very little weight. I was very cautious but in the end had no problems. You could put a tiedown strap around it just to make sure but I think you'll find out once everything is fully extended and the nuts are most the way off, you'll have very little tension left. Just my thoughts, Good Luck.

[Kevin45]

The way we did mine was jack the front up so no pressure on the springs, loosen the nut but still leave it on by a few threads, smack the ball joint if replacing or use a pickle fork / seperator, let it go. After it seperates the spring will be loose. Remove the nut hte rest of the way and pull the spring out. It will not go flying anywhere. We have dropped wuite a few that way and is way easier than a spring compressor.

Kevin

[Canada20]

thanks for good replies, all.

Kevin; just to be clear, are you saying that you popped the lower joint without any support under the lower control arm? ie the front suspension was at full droop and nothing compressing the springs at all? Just asking for clarification before I try something like this since you guys mention that there shouldn't be much force left in them at that point anyway.

I was originally removing the nuts for the upper control arm but realized that if there was any energy left in the springs at that point, I'd likely end up shooting someone with the nuts/wrench PLUS the whole upper arm would now on be attached at one end by a balljoint - too unpredictable.

I think if i were to leave the sucker upright but on the ground and tried to undo the lower setup, then any force left should be into trying to lift the crossmember and hopefully there won't be enough there to throw it very far (if at all).

Thanks again!

Greg

[milehightoyz]

what ive done before is just loop a chain or strap under the jack up around over the top of the frame, this becomes a limiting strap that basically traps your frame from going up any farther so that the spring compresses....just my 2 cents hope it helps....

[bedsled71]

i didnt even use spring compressors and i didnt have any problem with anything.. i heard you dont need them with our trucks