coil spring compressor


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Old 07-13-17, 08:10 PM
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coil spring compressor

I am working on a Chevrolet P30 step van. Replacing the front coil springs. I need to find a coil spring compressor tool. The space is limited. The coils are fat and very strong. The internal hook type I have doesn't work because the coils are too big. The external hook type I have doesn't work because the threaded rods are too long.
Thanks for the help.
 
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Old 07-14-17, 06:34 AM
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What year is it? What you have to do is make the room for the tool. Jack up the van under the lover control arm. Remove the spindle. With a second jack, raise the body of the van. The spring will decompress enough to get the tool on the spring itself even if it only grabs part of the spring.
 

Last edited by ShortyLong; 07-14-17 at 08:53 AM.
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Old 07-14-17, 08:41 AM
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Never have used a spring compressor to replace springs. Disconnect from ball joint and sway bar if there, Let control arm swing down and remove spring. Put new spring in and jack up control arm. Every one I have ever done this works. If bushings are frozen on shafts may have trouble swinging control arm down far enough.Try loosing bushing nuts. If frozen you need new bushings anyway.
 
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Old 07-14-17, 08:59 AM
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pugsl, how do you do that with only one jack & where does the jack go? If you have the jack under the body. how do you control the force of the spring when you disconnect the lower control arm?
 
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Old 07-14-17, 12:00 PM
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You need a jack and at least 2 jack stands. I always did them on a rack but retired now. After car jacked up put jack under control arm and disconnect ball joint. Lower jack.
 
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Old 07-14-17, 12:03 PM
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You other post gave the impression that you could do it all with one jack.
 
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Old 07-14-17, 12:19 PM
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Not sure how you got the impression more than one jack was needed, I had assumed you'd use the jack to get it up on stands and then use the same jack under the suspension.
 
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Old 07-14-17, 12:39 PM
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I wouldn't use stands. I would want two jacks so that I could adjust the height of both the vehicle & the front end.
 
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Old 07-16-17, 04:41 PM
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Thanks. I used the one jack method and one jack stand. Worked fine. Replaced the pads while I had it up too.
 
 

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