Removal of old springs

[fst 5pto]

I am going to be removing my stock springs in the front... does the entire a arm have to be unbolted to remove the spring?

[bobtsgt]

all you do is put a jack under the control arm, take the strut out and mabey the brakes, undo the sway bar and tie rod link, then lower the control arm down very slowly and the spring should come out. There is a lot of force stored in the springs so be very careful when lowering it and stand to the front of the car when doing so. If you want to be safer you can use a spring compressor or put a chain around it.

[fst 5pto]

Excellent thanks Bob....

[bobtsgt]

no prob

[jared]

you might find this helpful

http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/steedaspring1.htm

[fst 5pto]

The spring seems to be rusted to the a arm. Tried beating it with a hammer and pulling it down but nothing. Anyone have any recommendations?

[bobtsgt]

well thats not good. from the side with a long bar or pipe you can try to push the arm down so that it swings freely. then get the spring off the arm by beating it since it doesn't have any pressure on it anymore.

[fst 5pto]

I tried that... guess ill have to stop being a pansy and try harder lol?

[jared]

I tried that... guess ill have to stop being a pansy and try harder lol?

:lol:

[5.0calypso93lx]

I tried that... guess ill have to stop being a pansy and try harder lol?

Thats what i'm thinking :flipoff:

[fst 5pto]

Ok enough funny guy lol... tried last night and still wouldnt budge. Either im a huge pansy or stock spring do not like to come out at 170K lol... not sure if it is the a arm that wont bend all the way or could the spring be rusted to the top? Any ways gonna try and spray the a arm with PB blaster and see if that helps? Any other recommendations though?

[bobtsgt]

you could beat the spring with a large mallat and see if it loosens it up. so the A arm is free from the strut and tie rod end so its just swings in the breeze but the coil is rusted on both ends correct? Worse comes so worse you might have to compress the coil and heat it up. That way you deform the metal and there will be less pressure on the spring.

[jared]

if they are "stock" springs then there should be no way they rusted....since if they factory the isolators should be on....which wouldnt allow a metal to metal rust.

the a arm should fall to the ground and spring should fall right out...in a perfect world. :)

[fst 5pto]

Bob, i beat the f*** out of the spring lol... and the strut is already out and NOTHING is connected to the a arm.... why do the projects always end up being a bit** lol?

[fst 5pto]

if they are "stock" springs then there should be no way they rusted....since if they factory the isolators should be on....which wouldnt allow a metal to metal rust.

the a arm should fall to the ground and spring should fall right out...in a perfect world. :)

Yea were far from perfect.... everything is disconnected from the a arm. I push down on it and it only goes down so far and thats it.

[bobtsgt]

I guess you could take the a arm bolts out and let the arm dangle freely. then put pressure on the arm to get the top of the spring free from the K member. Then you can take the arm to a bench and work on it. If you do that you might want to put a spring compressor on just incase.

[fst 5pto]

Anyone interested in drinking some brews and beating some springs?

[fst 5pto]

Ok just got back... beat the piss outta the spring again and drowned the a arm bolts and bushings in PB blaster and still nothing.... if I go to heat it now, wont the PB blaster catch fire? Need to get these off soon and have no idea how?

[bobtsgt]

only if you light the bushings on fire. I was thinking of either taking the bolts out and drop the arm or heating the springs w/ pressure on them to shrink them but you don't need to heat the springs now since both ends are stuck. Try punching out the bolts and let the arm drop. Be careful though if your not using a spring compressor.

[jared]

something just doesnt seem right...its being too ahrd. did you happen to read the link i linked you....maybe you somehow overlooked something?

[fst 5pto]

Is there anything to overlook? I took off the tie rod(rack), sway bar, and completely took off the spindle and strut... what else is there?

[fst 5pto]

only if you light the bushings on fire. I was thinking of either taking the bolts out and drop the arm or heating the springs w/ pressure on them to shrink them but you don't need to heat the springs now since both ends are stuck. Try punching out the bolts and let the arm drop. Be careful though if your not using a spring compressor.


When you say punch out the bolts do you simply mean just take them out?

[bobtsgt]

should only be the 2 bolts holding the arm to the K member. Since the spring is rusted to both the A arm and K member there is pressure at the rear of the spring. Did you try to pry the bottom of the spring up against the a arm yet? Or pry the spring from the back against the K member? Spray the bottom of the A arm with PB to see if that will loosen it up some. If not you may have to torch it.

[bobtsgt]

When you say punch out the bolts do you simply mean just take them out?

yeah. Usually the nuts come off fairly easy but since the spring is in it is pushing against the bolts making them harder to get out. So you might have to take a long punch and knock them out of there. While staying clear incase the arm frees up from the spring causing it to shoot down.

[fst 5pto]

I tried prying on it and nothing... ill spray some PB blaster on the arm again.

[5.0calypso93lx]

Sounds like your gonna have to use a spring compressor. I think taking the control arm bolts out should be the very last resort. I can just see something really bad happening by doing that.

[fst 5pto]

Ok got the little beothces off, finally. Only issue is I need to replace the brake line BEFORE the caliper hose on both sides.... not sure where they run to OR even where to get them?

[bobtsgt]

what did you end up doing to get them off?

[fst 5pto]

Well my uncle came over with TWO huge f'ing pry bars and we both pried down and got them out(hes about 6' 2" weighing in at about 350 lol) So now I need brake lines tho!

[IWRBB]

Ok got the little beothces off, finally. Only issue is I need to replace the brake line BEFORE the caliper hose on both sides.... not sure where they run to OR even where to get them?


We just did some on a Ranger, got them at the Autozone...

[fst 5pto]

I ordered them from Classic Tube for $50, both sides Stainless Steel....