Anybody know a good trick for putting new springs in the front of a 69? Can you rent some sort of spring compressor? I used the chain roped around the A-Arm and floor jack trick to get them out, but I don't know if it's going to work getting them back in. I haven't tried yet, but the new ones are a smidge longer than the originals, and it looks like it's going to be a chore getting the new ones back in without compressing them a little bit. ???

Go to any parts store that rents tools and rent their inside spring compressor. Be careful springs hold alot of energy when compressed. Make sure that you seat the end of the spring in the detents in the seat areas on both the upper and lower a-arms.

PS: If you want to buy a compressor Harbor Freight sells them.

Yeah Shawn. I changed the coils on my 68,mind you it was a bare sub frame.I used a 5/8" threaded rod about 3 ft long.After you get the old ones out slip the new ones into the frame pocket and rotate them so the end of the coil is against the stop. Also make sure the close end of the coils are at the top.Then with the shock out slide the threaded rod thru the upper control arm till it slides thru the lower arm . Now use a large washer or flat plate on each end start nuts and tighten this will compress your springs enough to start your ball joint nuts. It worked for me and was cheap good luck. Garry

Shawn, hey this was one of the most fun (not!) jobs I have done on my car. My car is a '67 so there are differences, but here are a few thoughts that I hope will help. Get an inside spring compressor, the outside one would not fit up into the frame when on the spring. The one I used was a long threaded rod with two pieces that threaded on to the rod. Each of the two pieces had arms that "hooked" over the coils. You will attach two of the arms on the upper part of the spring and two on the lower. Setting the arms on the springs is key. First of all, place the arms three coils down from the top and one coil up from the bottom. My first attempt, I put them on the top coil and on the bottom coil and once they were in place, the compressor was jammed against the frame and lower arm and I couldn't get it out. Second, PLACE THE ARMS AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO EACH OTHER. If you place the top two arms at 6 and 12 o'clock, place the bottom ones and 3 and 9 o'clock. If you don't do this, as you compress the spring, one side of the spring compresses more than the other and it looks like a slinky. (are we having fun yet?) Now take your socket and put it on the nut on the top of the threaded rod and begin to compress the spring. Check periodically that the arms are still at 90 degree angles as they can slip. I compressed the coil down as much as I possibly could and then set in between the frame and lower arm. Watch your fingers and always ask yourself if I hold it here or stand there and the thing lets go, will I get hurt. Once I had it positioned in the frame and lower arm, I placed a floor jack under the lower arm and raised it enough to just lift the frame off of the jack stand it was sitting on. This put a load on the spring. I now tightened the spring a few turns and then raised the floor jack again. You want to keep a load on the spring or it will "spin" out of position as you tighten the rod. You need more force on the spring to hold it in position than what you are exerting on the compressor. Patiently continue this tightening of the compressor and raising of the floor jack until you can get the nuts on the ball joints. Tighten those nuts down and breath a sigh as I don't think the spring can jump at you anymore. Now you need to get the compressor out. My car has a very small hole in the lower arm so I had to unscrew the compressor entirely until it was in pieces and fell through the bottom. '69s may have a larger opening in the lower arm that the compressor will just slide through. A couple of final thoughts, you can tie the spring into the frame with rope or chain or cable to keep it from launching. It seems like practice makes perfect, but I hope some of my experience may save you some time and frustration. I rented my spring compressor at a rental shop. Pep Boys gave me the outer kind and again it didn't fit. Good luck and be safe!

Thanks for the detailed directions, I'm going to do it later this week. I've got all the new parts for my front end but I'm still waiting for my POR-15 to come in the Freaking mail. I've got new bushings, ball joints, rotors and springs etc, but I want to paint the arms and spindles it before it goes back together.

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Shawn "My Camaro is a money pit" Peterson

Use gloves when working with POR15 or wear the stuff for a week or two!!! Put something down where ever you apply it or it will be there forever!

Holy S&#T, you aren't kidding about POR 15. I hope it sticks to the A-arms and frame like it's stuck to my workbench top... Slick stuff though. Easy to use and looks good.

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Shawn Peterson
1969 Z28, 406SB

What is this POR 15 stuff? Is that a rust preventative? Where do you get it?

www.por15.com (http://www.por15.com)

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'69 Base Camaro
355, 200-4R trans

whack one coil off and they go back in with no need for any special tools - plus it rides lower and handles better! Of course - it doesn't do much for that stock look!