jvssmail Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I purchased an internal spring compressor to get the coil springs back in my 72 MC and all went pretty well , compressor worked perfectly spring went right in and I attached the upper and lower ball joints then proceded to dissassemble the spring compressor, removed long threaded rod then the lower fork and now I have the top piece of the compressor with the 2 hook arms stuck inside my spring. How the heck do I get it out? is there a trick or something Im missing ? I realize I can enlarge the hole for the shock on the lower arm but they look so good all powder coated and clean that I hate to start hacking into them. Please help..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 it may be pinched between the coils, if you can move it, try to spin it down like a nut on a bolt if it is pinched between the coils you may have to take the spring back out and reposition the compressor and re-install the spring so the fork is farther down so it won't get pinched in the coils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 its loose I unclamped it from the spring but it doesnt fit out through the shock hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 it should, get one fork arm thru the hole first and weasel the body thru, then the other fork arm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 There isn't a lot of room but it will go through that little hole. I scratched my head a couple times with the first set I did. A twist to the left...a smidge to the right...stick out your tongue and voila...there it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 FYI, I didn't use the top portion of the compressor, only the bottom. I read on a chevelle site once that by removing the top clamps of the compressor, then install a big washer on the long bolt and feed the bolt down thru the upper shock hole. (I reemed this hole slightly with a rat tail file)Then install the bottom clamps of the compressor about a third of the way up from the bottom of the coil and get the long bolt started and ratchet the spring into place. Once the spring is in place & lower control arm is secured, remove the long bolt and the bottom section of the compressor falls out (almost) as you've seen. The bottom section of the compressor folds correctly for easy removal. The top section does not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 that's usually how I do it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Great idea Murphy. Ill definately try that on the other side once I get this upper piece out. My compressor consists of a long bolt that attaches to the upper portion which is a retangular block with a long and a short hooked arm at each end that hook onto the spring then theres a forked shape piece that slides through the spring and catches the bottom end of the long bolt. As I said in my first post it worked great just cant get the upper piece out from the inside of the spring. Going to try releasing some of the spring pressure today and see if I can get it into a straight position to drop out of the bottom, But on the other side Im using Murphys idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Heres a link to the compressor Im using if anyones interested http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/grn/27035/image/4/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I got this internal compressor from Eastwood..... http://www.eastwood.com/coilspring-compressor-internal.html It works really well, I just added a couple big washers at the top of the bolt..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 i went through the same thing but i rented a spring compressor..but it will squeez out through that bottom shock hole.. jus talk to her real nice!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 My compressor is like the one Murphy posted. Never used the one with the bottom block. But the top piece looks the same. If it's not stuck in between the coils it will come out. You may have to rotate it down a couple coils to get it flipped around and in position to go out the bottom hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 I know what I have to do I just have to release some tension on the spring so I can flip the hooks over then it will straighten out and slip right out the bottom. Had me baffled for a while trying to figure it out. Heres a pic [img:left]https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=5273BFAC1F9AEA0C!107&authkey=!ALXW_Oiw0bFHYbs[/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 [img:center]https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=5273BFAC1F9AEA0C!107&authkey=!ALXW_Oiw0bFHYbs[/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 lets try this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 there ya go, thanks sam. Got it out now I know better for the other side. Thanks to everyone for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clever Idiot Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Man I have that exact compressor and I know exactly what you mean. I ended up always having to use a pry bar to pop one of the hooks down a couple coils so I could orient the top piece vertically and drop it out that way. The rectangular block is juuuuuuust a hair too big to fit through the stock shock hole the way it's supposed to be used in the spring. Good luck with the other side. I've always had to throw my very best swear words at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvssmail Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 other sides done tok 15 minutes as opposed to 3 hours on the first one. Well live and learn. now i have to do the bearings, rotors, backing plates and brake system. Waiting for book to come in the mail first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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