Removing/Replacing front springs

[Ashyukun]

OK, I've fought with the damn thing for the better part of the afternoon, and I cannot get the front spring off with either McPherson strut compressor or the coil spring compressor from Autozone. What exactly do I need to do it? The shop manual is ever so helpful up until actually removing the spring (I'm assuming it's not actually necessary to essentially take everything apart like they say to, since the LCA is already at full throw even with everything attached...).

On to something else, for now...

[content22207]

1) Take the upper control arm off
2) Take the shock absorber out (support the lower control arm with a floor jack otherwise it will dig into the frame)
3) Use McPherson strut compressors with the threaded rods hanging down on either side of the lower control arm

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Ashyukun]

That did it, though I didn't end up taking the control arm all the way off, just unbolted it from the frame and rotated it out of the way- in part because I couldn't come up with a way to separate the upper control arm from the steering knuckle that wouldn't damage the joint...

Yay, my DMC Europe front springs are now (mostly- I still have to finish the driver's side because I need to get a grease gun/grease for the angle drive) on the car. :)