Amazon: Do you need spring compressors?

[bened]

Morning,

I'm going to remove the springs from my Amazon ('68 131) and just wondered if I'd need spring compressors? From what I've read up to now I've not seen it mentioned that I do but thought a lot of you on here will have experience of this. Any advise would be great.

Thanks

[Ron Kwas]

Bened;

I've not used or needed a spring compressors...only jack-stands and a hydraulic floor-jack...critical trick is to release the stored compression force slowly and in a controlled manner (fast and uncontrolled release of such forces can lead to blood blisters and emergency dentist visits...)

...for fronts, raise and support nose securely, remove Wheel of a corner, then support lower Control Arm of that corner well with a hydraulic floor-jack (compressing that Spring slightly), release Damper, then (separate) lower Ball-Joint, and gently lower the Control Arm decompressing the Spring slowly in the process (a rope through the coils of spring to capture and keep it under control if things slip might be a good back-up safety plan, although it's not absolutely necessary, and I don't use it because I have a lot of respect for these compressed Springs, so I work extremely slowly and methodically when doing this operation...).

...for rears, process is similar, except that instead of releasing Ball-Joint, one supports a corner, then releases Damper and the Axle-Limiting-Strap for that side, and slowly lowers that corner...

Once you've done a disassembly, the reassembly should be clear...essentially the reverse of disassembly as they say...

Good Hunting!

[bened]

Originally Posted by Ron Kwas

Bened;

I've not used or needed a spring compressors...only jack-stands and a hydraulic floor-jack...critical trick is to release the stored compression force slowly and in a controlled manner (fast and uncontrolled release of such forces can lead to blood blisters and emergency dentist visits...)

...for fronts, raise and support nose securely, remove Wheel of a corner, then support lower Control Arm of that corner well with a hydraulic floor-jack (compressing that Spring slightly), release Damper, then (separate) lower Ball-Joint, and gently lower the Control Arm decompressing the Spring slowly in the process (a rope through the coils of spring to capture and keep it under control if things slip might be a good back-up safety plan, although it's not absolutely necessary, and I don't use it because I have a lot of respect for these compressed Springs, so I work extremely slowly and methodically when doing this operation...).

...for rears, process is similar, except that instead of releasing Ball-Joint, one supports a corner, then releases Damper and the Axle-Limiting-Strap for that side, and slowly lowers that corner...

Once you've done a disassembly, the reassembly should be clear...essentially the reverse of disassembly as they say...

Good Hunting!

Hi Ron,

Many thanks for the advice, certainly don’t want an emergency trip to the dentists so I’ll proceed with care with the hydraulic jack! For the ball joints do I need a splitter, if so which type is best, the fork type or the scissor type?

Thanks
Ben

[Ron Kwas]

Ben;

I dislike the "pickle fork" type splitters as they typically cut the boot...not an issue when replacing the component, but unsuitable when not replacing...I prefer and recommend the separators based on a threaded part working making irresistible force to separate the joint. Sometimes a calibrated impact from the shop hammer separates them also (leave nut partly engaged to prevent that "fast and uncontrolled release thing"!).

Good Hunting!

[c1800]

On a related matter,

I’ve got a replacement front crossmember for refurbishing.

The springs are loaded, held together by the shock absorbers.

Contemplating how to disassemble and avoid the dreaded release of kinetic energy, and potential injury.

I’ve got these

https://www.amazon.ca/Performance-To...ing+compressor

But haven’t tried them yet. Seems to be the only ones that will work given the lack of clearance due to the shock tower and lower control arm.

Any suggestions as to how to accomplish this safely?

TIA

[Ron Kwas]

C1800;

The situation is a bit different when you don't have the weight of the corner to help with slowly releasing the compression, BUT, from the picture, it is clear that you don't have Steering Knuckles installed (normally, when these are in place, they do a lot of the work of keeping the spring compressed!), so the ONLY thing holding the spring compressed, as you point out, is the Damper... and it is already at maximum extension (allowing the spring to go to some maximum allowable extension), so the amount of stored force is already way down (as can be seen from the huge separation of the A-Arms)...I expect there is not much stored energy at all...I'd tie the two A-Arms together with a piece of rope, then unbolt the Damper top hardware which will release what little further extension the Spring has left (maybe an inch), then just release the rope gently and viola! Drape a rag over the spring to control its release just a bit (which I predict will not be particularly violent). I really don't think using those compressors is necessary.

Let us know how you make out (when you get back from the dentist...just kidding!)

Good Hunting!

[mocambique-amazone]

Hi C1800, don't use this tool. send it back. It is dangerous and won't work proper.
If you have a spare spindle, fix this first. Mount it like you would use it at the car. remove shocks. Buy a threaded bar, long enough to be a shock. Waschers and nuts, easy job.
The tread should be thick as maximum to go through the hole where the shock is fixed on the top.

A front crossmember in this particular situation is the worst to remove shocks and springs, sorry.
another solution:
Destroy the springs with a flame cutter, this will be more easy. after burned down springs remove the shocks.
check the crossmember for cracks, on top of the mounting of the shocks and where the lower wishbone is mounted too

good luck, Kay

[c1800]

Thanks Ron, and Kay.

I agree the spring is mostly decompressed, but still feeling a little wary.

Kay, I agree that tool looks inadequate, probably why I haven’t opened the package yet! Don’t have a spare spindle, probably would have trouble compressing the spring to attach it. No torch either, but may want to use the springs anyways as the ones are the car are different heights, at least the car is lower on one side than the other.

In any event, I’ll continue pondering the problem, and maybe some one else will chime in with an alternative.

[Pigeon]

I've done it both using spring compressors and using Ron's method. I reckon Ron's method - with the safety rope through the spring! - is not only easier, but safer too. You can only fit two, not three, compressors, in such a way that they only grab about half of the spring, and grab it in an insecure and unreliable way. And the rest of the procedure is essentially identical, so it boils down to giving yourself more work to implement an illusory safety precaution which introduces the novel risk of having a spring compressor fired through the side of your skull.

The point to watch is when you're nearly there - with the damper disconnected and the lower arm approaching its limit of travel, it's at such an angle to the spring that there's not a lot still holding it in, and even when the spring is released enough that you can compress it a bit by hand, there's still enough THUNNGGGG left in it to initiate quite a decent clutching-fingers-and-swearing episode. So I consider that the safety rope plus care with hand positioning are both indicated.

For the crossmember-off-the-car case I would suggest rigging a block and tackle to pull the arms together, and checking that it works and that you can easily release it smoothly before going any further. Then tighten it enough to take the tension off the damper, disconnect the damper, and carefully let it out. Not forgetting the safety rope as well of course.

[c1800]

Pigeon, that’s sounds ok, now to find a block and tackle.

Thanks.