I wasnt able to get my coil springs out of my 72 MAV 302 before my wife was hollaring for me to come in to help out with something. I got to the point of compressing the spring. Chiltons next step is "remove the 2 nuts retaining the upper control arm to the spring tower and swing the arms outboard from the tower". After that release the compressor and remove the spring. My questions are: 1)What 2 nuts are they talking about? Are these the two that attach the upper ball joint to the upper arm? 2)What does swing the arms outboard from the tower mean? 3)Do you have to take the drum off to get the spring out as Chilton's recommends?
what compressor are you using...i used this one... jack up car put jackstands under car remove shock (use a floor jack to raise the lower control arm to get bottom shock bolts out) install compressor remove spring "work safe" these springs are some bad boys if they come out of the compressor... :Handshake
Sounds to me like they are suggesting that you take the two nuts off of the inside of the shock tower that holds the upper A arm in place. By swinging the upper A arm out pivoting it on the lower ball joint it would make the spring come out easier. But having said all that...I've never done it that way. I always just compressed the spring enough to tilt the spring and slide it out.
Just to add a step to 71's instructions... After you jack the car up and put it on sturdy jackstands... Jack up the wheel hub to semi-compress the spring, put your spring compressor on it, then let the wheel hub back down. Now much of the pressure is already put on the spring. When I cut my springs to lower the car, I just happened to end up with it so I can just take the shock out, take the weight off the wheel, and just unscrew 1/2 turn on the spring and the bottom pops out:bananaman I have taken them out no less than 4 times since WITHOUT a spring compressor...
I like to run a chain down through the shock tower and the spring when removing them, just in case it lets loose. Years ago a friend of mine was removing a spring from his Mav. The spring shot out, flew half a block up the alley, bounced once, and we never did find it. Good thing he wasn't in the way of that!
