I've never removed a coil spring before and have researched all the posts on this site and still have a couple questions. I am going to be installing the QA1 front coil-over kit in place of stock type spring. I've heard a few people say that if you don't care about your existing springs than it's easy to cut them to relive tension before removing and avoid having to compress them and chain to frame. Can somoene please tell more about correct and safe way to cut a spring while in place (I'll be using a cutting wheel). I assume only 1 cut is necessary to relive tension?

Also - As I undersand it's not necessary to use an internal spring compressor when installing the QA1s - can someone vouche for that?

You don't need to cut the springs at all to get them out, even though you've read it here in older threads. All you need to do is: Jack the car up (on jack stands) as high as you can. Support the LCA with a small floor jack until it's VERY snug and even slightly pushing the arm up. Disconnect the spindle (at least at the upper ball joint)...and SLOWLY and carefully, let the jack down in a very controlled manner. Realize that there is tremendous force on the LCA/Jack, but if you let her down slow you'll be just fine. As an added precaution...you might want to wrap/tie a chain around the spring...because it WILL "jump" a bit at the end when it falls out. I wouldn't even want to cut a spring while under any tension. But that's me.

One thing Kev forgot to mention is that you DO need to POP the balljoints first, pretty much regardless of what you are doing to the suspension.

You will NEED the power of the compressed spring to help you do this.

With the car supported and the suspension hanging free, take the cotter pins out of both ball joints. Break the nuts loose, and loosen them enough that you know they are gonna come off when it's time, the threads are not gonna catch in the crud and rotate the balljoint. The notches for the cotter key will clean out the threads nicely. DO NOT TAKE THE NUTS OFF!

Then screw them back down, maybe 3-4 turns loosened.

Beat the side of the spindle at the lower joint with a Ford tool (2 lb minisledge type works good) until the joint POPs. The nut will catch it and nothing bad will happen.
Repeat with the upper joint.

Once they are both popped proceed with what Kev said.

I usually leave the shock in as a safety, just take the nut off the top of the shock.

Note also that this method relies on the weight of the car and engine to keep everything under control. If the motor's out, you might want that spring compressor

Yep, good catch, Jim. The spring in place will make a world of difference when trying to get the upper BJ off the spindle. Like Jim added, make sure you leave the nuts engaged at LEAST a few threads.

I just did mine like Kevin and Jim described. It worked great.

I cut mine with a cutting torch was very easy that way.

Same deal here didn't care about the springs was going to go with a coil over setup.

I had pretty good luck getting all the rusted stuff loose by spraying ZEP Preserve on it over the course of about a week then taking an impact to all the bolts, came pretty loose that way.

like all said relief pressure first. UNDER no way cut it with a die grinder. maybe a torch yes but not with a grinder. that thing springs there goes your hand.i think the spring will collapse on the wheel anway tho. i never tried it. and not going to.

One thing Kev forgot to mention is that you DO need to POP the balljoints first, pretty much regardless of what you are doing to the suspension.

You will NEED the power of the compressed spring to help you do this.

With the car supported and the suspension hanging free, take the cotter pins out of both ball joints. Break the nuts loose, and loosen them enough that you know they are gonna come off when it's time, the threads are not gonna catch in the crud and rotate the balljoint. The notches for the cotter key will clean out the threads nicely. DO NOT TAKE THE NUTS OFF!

Then screw them back down, maybe 3-4 turns loosened.

Beat the side of the spindle at the lower joint with a Ford tool (2 lb minisledge type works good) until the joint POPs. The nut will catch it and nothing bad will happen.
Repeat with the upper joint.

Once they are both popped proceed with what Kev said.

I usually leave the shock in as a safety, just take the nut off the top of the shock.

Note also that this method relies on the weight of the car and engine to keep everything under control. If the motor's out, you might want that spring compressor


Thanks Kev & Jim - so I'm popping these ball joints with help from the tension of the installed spring and with nuts still on (but loosened) I pound with "ford tool" and at this point should pop out. O.k. - now where should the floor jack be positioned - I saw a picture in a book where it is placed under the lower A-arm but under the section where it is bolted to chassis. Is this correct/applicable to the method you guys are describing? or are you placing floor jack under A-arm in area where the shock is mounted?

I wasn't planning on replacing ball joints but at this point may be worth it since I'll be removing them. Do you have to have them pressed in at a shop or does tightening the bolt bring them into place?

Thanks Kev & Jim - so I'm popping these ball joints with help from the tension of the installed spring and with nuts still on (but loosened) I pound with "ford tool" and at this point should pop out. O.k. - now where should the floor jack be positioned - I saw a picture in a book where it is placed under the lower A-arm but under the section where it is bolted to chassis. Is this correct/applicable to the method you guys are describing? or are you placing floor jack under A-arm in area where the shock is mounted?

Your top ball joints are either riveted on...or bolted on (4). You want to use the spring tension to disengage the upper ball joint shaft from the upper spindle....and they're usually stuck in there pretty good. At this point, you would have the jack maybe...1/2" or so from touching the LCA, but centered under the lower ball joint. You will also have the upper/lower BJ's nuts backed off about 1/2"-5/8"...making sure the nuts are still threaded for holding power. Since you're replacing the ball joints (you are, right?), you don't need to worry about crushing the zirc fitting. You can use the ford tool...or you can whack the spindle a few good times and it will "pop"...and the spindle/LCA will only drop that amount you left spaced (1/2"-5/8") the nut. The nut is a "safety catch", if you will. After it pops loose, you can jack up the LCA a tad....take off the nut completely...and let VERY slowly let the LCA down with the jack as previously described.

As far as jack placement; don't use the outermost edge of the LCA. Your small jack should cup right under the lower ball joint and in the "tray", so to speak. This is the most advantageous point of leverage. Placing the jack where the LCA is bolted on would be like trying to reel in a fish holding the wrong end of a fishing pole :) (zero leverage).

I wasn't planning on replacing ball joints but at this point may be worth it since I'll be removing them. Do you have to have them pressed in at a shop or does tightening the bolt bring them into place?

Yes, replace them while you're doing this. Uppers are approx $14ea at Auto Zone, and the lower's are around...$56... I think. AZ, Advance, etc., will let you use a BJ press for FREE (just leave a deposit and get it back when you return it). Takes a bit of muscle, but it's easy enough. I don't know about you, but it wasn't convenient for me to take them to a shop to have it done. And hell, if I can do it...I almost always do it myself. And again, your top BJ's are easy bolt-in. You only have to press out/in the lowers. Good luck!

Thanks for all this detailed help - I am now inspired and ready to go in there and get them springs out. But first I need to back track a little - do I need to take the brake caliper & rotor and anything else off first? I already took off the sway bar hardware and shocks (which I will not put back and bolt in lower section as safety per above recomend.)

Do you think I should also replace the upper and lower A-arm bushings to poly urethane type (can't afford the delalum at this point) since I'm going this far?

Like jim and co say above..
Failing having a 'ford' tool (think this is what we call a ball joint splitter here a tappered fork u wack in)
or you can whack the spindle a few good times and it will "pop"...
the best way if resorting to this method is have someone hold a heavy hammer ahainst the opposite side u are goinf to whack, as a dolly...then whack real hrd with a heavy hammer ...line up and aim your whack so as not to clip a gaurd or something..
and when u do swing, swing as if the joint is several inches beyond, so the hammer hits and sort of keeps going rather than 'pulling when it hits.
Generally it is the 3 or 4th whack that drops the joint.

unless they are in very good shape, I'd replace the a arm bushings too. We call this the snowball effect, it gets bigger as it rolls. In this case it makes sense though. It's a lot of work taking all this apart. Check ALL the moving parts for wear, and replace the ones that need it, or just pull out the checkbook and replace everything that moves.

Don't forget the idler arm.

The hammer on the side of the spindle is the best method if it works, and if you want to save the balljoints for reuse. They also make ball joint separators, they look like clamps, you turn a screw with a wrench, they work good, but I don't like getting my fingers that close. Pickle forks work too, but they will tear up the balljoint boots.

Toss in a Total Suspension Kit from Prothane, and this is exactly what I'm looking at, except my subframe is OFF the car, so I don't have the weight of the car to help.

I DO have a spring compressor though.

What made you decide to go with the QA1 Coil Over kit?

Jim

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What made you decide to go with the QA1 Coil Over kit?
Jim[/quote]

The main reason for going to QA1 coil over kit was that I wanted ride height adjustability and I also like the idea of having adjustability of the shock. I want to put the height exactly where I want it w/o fussing with trying differenet springs and cutting them. I also plan to do some larger diameter wheels sometime down the road and this will make it easy to taylor height to whatever wheel/tire combo I decide on. I understand there are better products but this kit fell within my budget and I've heard good feedback about the product.


Yes - the domino effect is happening so I may as well do all the moving parts and detail everything along the way. Thanks for everyone's help with providing your knowledge and experience to tackle this. I've rebuilt engines and recently converted from auto tranny to 5spd. (sure wish I was aware of this site while that project was going on) However, the front suspension/steering (also converting to Cardone box at same time) is entering new territory for me so it helps to know what I'm getting myself into. Thanks again.

I'm toying with going the coil-over route...just not quite there yet ;)

Jim

Good luck getting the ball joint to pop by hitting it. I banged away till I was too pooped to continue and didn't get it to let loose. Ended up using a pickle fork, which just took a tap (albeit a hard one). As JimM mentioned it does damage the boot, but I was replacing it anyway.

Good luck getting the ball joint to pop by hitting it. I banged away till I was too pooped to continue and didn't get it to let loose. Ended up using a pickle fork, which just took a tap (albeit a hard one). As JimM mentioned it does damage the boot, but I was replacing it anyway.

Ha! I'd say, "good luck with a pickle fork!" :) That's what I tried first (and I would still recommend trying this first). Nothing doing. I actually used a 8lb sledgehammer head to to finally disengage mine.....and it took at least 10 hard whacks. But yes, the hell with the boot, as most us are replacing the BJ's anyway :)

Pickle fork worked for me on the one ball joint that wouldn't give up.


I also went with the Coil overs for the same reason I wanted to be able to control exactly how low the car was plus be able to adjust it for different environments (track vs street).