Need tips for removing front and rear springs at a junk yard...

[Rocla]

Why would you lover diff? Sometimes sawybar must be loosened to get trailing arm to move enough, but can't see why differntial should be lowered.

When trailing arm is in furthest possible position, just pry spirng out with something you can use as lever.

I read Bentleys today, it tells you to lower diff because that way you don't put driveshafts to extreme angle.....

I've never lowered diif while swapping shocks or springs.

[Mike325]

Why would you lover diff? Sometimes sawybar must be loosened to get trailing arm to move enough, but can't see why differntial should be lowered.

When trailing arm is in furthest possible position, just pry spirng out with something you can use as lever.

Yep, and lowering springs slip in even eaisier;)

[Rocla]

Are you sure? My bentley says you have to lower the diff a couple of inches. And when I replaced my rear shocks, the trailing arm didn't seem to lower that much.

Why would you lover diff? Sometimes sawybar must be loosened to get trailing arm to move enough, but can't see why differntial should be lowered.

When trailing arm is in furthest possible position, just pry spirng out with something you can use as lever.

[WlknGenius]

Rear springs: raise the car up -> unbolt the bottom shock bolt -> watch trailing arm lower -> pull spring out.

Are you sure? My bentley says you have to lower the diff a couple of inches. And when I replaced my rear shocks, the trailing arm didn't seem to lower that much.

[brian0128]

Rear shocks are damn cheap here. $20ea for the cheap line.

I'd get those before i consider used stock ones.

I'm just getting the front and rear H&R Springs...I don't need the shocks and struts.

[T.Dot_E30]

Rear shocks are damn cheap here. $20ea for the cheap line.

I'd get those before i consider used stock ones.

[Rocla]

Ok, I'm having a hell of a time with the rear bolt on the shocks. Wow. I'll get it tomorrow. It's soaking in WD-40 right now. As for the fronts...I might not have had all of the proper tools and maybe I was a little lost. Since I'm doing this without a spring compressor, I was going to remove the strut, spring assembly complete without uncompressing the spring. I have the tie rods undone, the brakes off, and the 3 bolts up top loosened. How do I seperate the strut/spring assembly from the control arm. I undid the bolt, and I tried to use a tie rod puller (pickle fork tool) to seperate them but it wouldn't work! No matter how hard I tried. I didn't have a big hammer to hit the control arm itself, but will that work to seperate them?

Hammer the portition of the struts where the "pin" of ball joint goes trough it. Don't try to hit strut "upwards" of CA "downwards", but hit it so that youll make the hole on strut flex a bit, after few hit's you be able separete them. If your rod puller will fit, you can leave it on pressure while hitting the strut.

You can disassemble spring from strut without spring compressors if the yard lets you use air tools, just be careful, place upper strut mount againts the corner of wall, so that you can place socket into top shock nut, and drive the nut off with a bolt gun. Placing top mount against the wall makes spring tension to distract to strut, not so much on top mount, How ever it will kick to your direction too, BE CAREFULl IF YOU CHOOSE THIS METHOD. The flying top mount or nut will hurt you.

[brian0128]

Ok, I'm having a hell of a time with the rear bolt on the shocks. Wow. I'll get it tomorrow. It's soaking in WD-40 right now. As for the fronts...I might not have had all of the proper tools and maybe I was a little lost. Since I'm doing this without a spring compressor, I was going to remove the strut, spring assembly complete without uncompressing the spring. I have the tie rods undone, the brakes off, and the 3 bolts up top loosened. How do I seperate the strut/spring assembly from the control arm. I undid the bolt, and I tried to use a tie rod puller (pickle fork tool) to seperate them but it wouldn't work! No matter how hard I tried. I didn't have a big hammer to hit the control arm itself, but will that work to seperate them?

[golde30]

dont know about your u-pull-its, but good luck getting the car on the ground. Every car at the junkyards I go to is 3 feet in the air balanced on ancient wheels welded into T's

LOL thats how they are around me also...i always wonder how many ppl have been crushed by falling cars...

[brian0128]

dont know about your u-pull-its, but good luck getting the car on the ground. Every car at the junkyards I go to is 3 feet in the air balanced on ancient wheels welded into T's

This particular car is balanced on 4 steel rims and tires at each corner so I won't be able to lower it.

[browntown]

undo the top nut holding the springs in while the assembly is still in the car and the car is on the ground. Then jack the car up and the spring will slowly extend.
Remove rest of strut assmebly as you would normally.
A bit bodgy but just be careful and theres no need for a spring compressor.

dont know about your u-pull-its, but good luck getting the car on the ground. Every car at the junkyards I go to is 3 feet in the air balanced on ancient wheels welded into T's

[Borat]

undo the top nut holding the springs in while the assembly is still in the car and the car is on the ground. Then jack the car up and the spring will slowly extend.
Remove rest of strut assmebly as you would normally.
A bit bodgy but just be careful and theres no need for a spring compressor.

[brian0128]

Thanks for the tips on the fronts as well. I'll just pull the whole assembly at the junk yard and take it to the auto hobby shop and take the spring off their when I install them on my car.

[Erick]

you can get the whole front strut assembly without the need of a spring compressor, as long as you dont unbolt the shock bolt located on the upper strut mount.

[brian0128]

Thanks for the tips on the rears. That should save me quite a bit of time. Maybe someone will know a tip with the fronts that will keep me from having to get a spring compressor. I'll get the rear springs tomorrow since that'll be a quick...not sure when I'll be able to borrow a front spring compressor. Maybe on Wed when the auto hobby shop is open, I just hope nobody takes the fronts before then.