Spring compressor for removing lowering springs needed?

[Rapture]

Do you think I'll need one to take out my SR lowering springs and put them back in?

 

[ghunt81]

TECHNICALLY...you're supposed to use one.

Realistically, you don't have to. You can do it by supporting the lower control arm with a jack, removing the center strut nut and the four strut plate nuts, and lowering the jack to release tension on the spring and take everything apart as it comes out.

Then, when you put it back together, push down on the spring and strut assembly by the strut mount to start the center strut nut and tighten it as much as you can, then put the strut back in the car and put everything back together, put a jack under the control arm to get it to ride height and do the final torquing to the strut nut.

The first time I did springs I used a spring compressor, and honestly the method above is way easier.

 

[BruceH]

No, Just jack the car up. Loosen a shock bolt and pull it when tension is relieved from the shock. Keep jacking and the spring will pull right out.

It's super easy.

 

[Rapture]

No, Just jack the car up. Loosen a shock bolt and pull it when tension is relieved from the shock. Keep jacking and the spring will pull right out.

It's super easy.

Jack from lower control arm? Sorry I've never actually worked under the front of my car. Only the rear. Rear suspension is easy.

 

[Rapture]

TECHNICALLY...you're supposed to use one.

Realistically, you don't have to. You can do it by supporting the lower control arm with a jack, removing the center strut nut and the four strut plate nuts, and lowering the jack to release tension on the spring and take everything apart as it comes out.

Then, when you put it back together, push down on the spring and strut assembly by the strut mount to start the center strut nut and tighten it as much as you can, then put the strut back in the car and put everything back together, put a jack under the control arm to get it to ride height and do the final torquing to the strut nut.

The first time I did springs I used a spring compressor, and honestly the method above is way easier.

Oh I see. So you push the control arm up almost as if you were using a spring compressor? How do I know when it's compressed enough to remove those nuts?

 

[JeremyH]

No, never used one.

It doesn't need compressed per say to remove the hardware, just use the jack pressed up enough to support the control arm so it doesn't get pushed down when you remove the bolts.

 

[BruceH]

Jack from lower control arm? Sorry I've never actually worked under the front of my car. Only the rear. Rear suspension is easy.

I had a jack for the car and the rear axle. Didn't use one on the control arm.

 

[RocketcarX]

If you aren't too sure, you could always pull the strut/spring out as an assembly and have a local shop swap the springs.
Realistically you should be doing the struts and strut mounts, along with spring isolators, which means you could assemble all of that and swap out the factory junk for your new assembly. Or are you literally just doing struts?

 

[ghunt81]

Oh I see. So you push the control arm up almost as if you were using a spring compressor? How do I know when it's compressed enough to remove those nuts?

You just have to have the car sitting on the jack "at ride height" i.e. with the spring compressed as if the car was sitting on its wheels. This effectively compresses the spring so something won't go flying apart when you take that top strut nut off. Keep a jackstand under the k-member, then when you let the jack down it will rest on the k-member and the control arm will come down until the tension is off the spring.

 

[Rapture]

You just have to have the car sitting on the jack "at ride height" i.e. with the spring compressed as if the car was sitting on its wheels. This effectively compresses the spring so something won't go flying apart when you take that top strut nut off. Keep a jackstand under the k-member, then when you let the jack down it will rest on the k-member and the control arm will come down until the tension is off the spring.

Makes sense. So the wheel is still off the ground but the car is at ride height because the jack is under the control arm, right? Then lower the car down onto the K member and the strut spring assembly will just hang. Is this right? Kind of like the rear with jacking the differential and the putting jack stand on either side and lowering the car onto stands and letting the axle hang. Is this right?

 

[ghunt81]

You're kinda overthinking the whole thing but yes to all points.

 

[Rapture]

You're kinda overthinking the whole thing but yes to all points.

You got that right, I do that often.

 

[Rapture]

I see a spring compressor being sold on Walmart market place for 18 bucks. Looks pretty solid. I might order this up. Wouldn't hurt to have since I'll be eventually doing coil overs.

 

[01yellerCobra]

I see a spring compressor being sold on Walmart market place for 18 bucks. Looks pretty solid. I might order this up. Wouldn't hurt to have since I'll be eventually doing coil overs.

You might want to sit back and think about that one a little more. Springs aren't something to mess around with. At $18 I can't imagine it being very good. I doubt Harbor Freight is even that cheap.

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[Rapture]

You might want to sit back and think about that one a little more. Springs aren't something to mess around with. At $18 I can't imagine it being very good. I doubt Harbor Freight is even that cheap.

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Should I grab the harbor freight instead

 

[Rapture]

Should I grab the harbor freight instead? These really aren't too high tech of tools I really can't see how anyone could mess one up.

You rent one and then you have to wonder what jackass had the spring compressor before you and what he did with it.

 

[01yellerCobra]

I have a harbor freight compressor I picked up a few years ago. A buddy of mine picked up the big one a few months ago. I want to say it was less than $100. But worked pretty good.

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[Tbone]

Up here in canada i can go to canadian tire and "rent" a spring compressor. You pay full price just in case you dont return it, but bring it back and they give a full refund. Can do almost all specialty tools this way. Nothing in the US like that at an autozone or something?

 

[Bingo]

Depending on how much "low" the springs have, they won't be under much pressure at ride height and would be a super easy job using the jack method.

 

[Rapture]

Depending on how much "low" the springs have, they won't be under much pressure at ride height and would be a super easy job using the jack method.

There the SR 1.5 drop