Coil spring compressor.

[jjrbus]

Here goes first attempt using DIY SST to get the spring in, looks intimidating. I am sure the bottom tail is in its grove, but can not be 100% sure on the top as I cannot see it. My heavy chain will not fit between coils, lighter chain does. I was hoping to use very heavy straps but my tow truck driver budd is in rehab. I had to purchase a bull pin to align holes and cut it down as it was too long.

 

[booster]

Here goes first attempt using DIY SST to get the spring in, looks intimidating. I am sure the bottom tail is in its grove, but can not be 100% sure on the top as I cannot see it. My heavy chain will not fit between coils, lighter chain does. I was hoping to use very heavy straps but my tow truck driver budd is in rehab. I had to purchase a bull pin to align holes and cut it down as it was too long.View attachment 868316

I assume no compressor in?

I know you mentioned the spring length, but don't know what the stock spring is to compare.

If the are the same or the new one is shorter than stock , I think that as log as the chain is on it you would be way ahead by doing the "normal" no compressor install. That way is by far the quickest and easiest to do, and the chain makes it safe.

All you do is put the arm in with just the pivot bolts and put the spring into the tower and hold it up while jacking up the arm by the ball joint area. If the tail of the spring bottom coil can be pushed into the pocket of the arm in the early arm lifting, just hold it by a bit and keep lifting the arm. Once the arm is up bit more, the spring tail will be captive and you can lift the rest of the way up until you can connect the lower balljoint and remove the chain. Put on the rest of the parts on to have the upper arm in place and the jack can be removed.

 

[jjrbus]

Thanks for the response. The new Moog spring 81012 is slightly shorter than the OE spring.

Putting the spring in with the arms installed looks like the easy way to do it and is the way many on the internet use. Are they installing the same Moog spring, is it the same generation van as mine? I struggled with it and gave up. It may be doable but not by me.

I am slowly raising the spring, I have to walk away from it as it keeps popping, creaking, snapping and making other uncomfortable

sounds. I did notice over lunch the arm raised about 3/8" with no jacking.

 

[booster]

What are they doing to get the rear pivots to line up? That is what I on our model and Marko on your model had trouble with as the lower arm flops around because of the ball joint.

That pic looks normal for that method. and with a chain would be safe.

 

[jjrbus]

I must not have stated that right, all the online videos are showing installing the spring with the LCA bolts installed and jacking from the ball joint area.

Getting the holes lined up is not going to be easy, made worse by my jack is biting into and distorting the wood. On some of the forums they talk about using ratcheting straps to help align holes.

 

[jjrbus]

Installing the spring this way feels much safer. Doing it on wood over a shell parking spot is not the way to do it! Rear of control arm goes into mounting bracket easy, I measured the old and new one and they are within a couple hundredths of each other. Front of arm and bracket are a bear, I cleaned up the mounting bracket, there is no crud or anything to impede installation. I also measured new vs old and again within a couple hundredths of each other.. I would go after it with a sledge hammer but the service manual says not to beat on parts when installing.

 

[jjrbus]

I am going to stop and modify my SST. The uprights are too wide and not tall enough and hang up when I can almost line up the holes, they are 3 1/2" wide and 3" tall to the top, not the bottom of the circle. I will try 2 1/2" wide by 4 inch tall. The radius of the circle is 2 1/8"

Picture is intentionally not clear, I can't see that good and the welds are horrible LOL

 

[booster]

Looking at the pic where the second arm won't go into the frame shows that you are very close, but the spring force just pushes it back out, I think.

If you had a functional compressor, you could have it in place in less than 30 minutes, based on my testing.

All you would would be to compress the spring to take the load off the arm, set the end of the compressr rod on a block to push it into the tower all way, lift the low side end into place and install the bolt.

How about this, as I really want you to be able to finish this and it will be tough the way you are now.

Three options to ponder.

1. Order a new complete compressor and use it to finish. Send me the rod which I would like to have and I will send you 1/2 the cost of the compressor.

2. I will order a complete compressor and send you the plate you are missing and you send me 1/2 the cost.

3. I send you one of my plates to use and when you are done you send it back with your unbent (hopefully) rod. Need max couple of months time frame on this option as I may need it to finish my stuff in the spring.

 

[jjrbus]

The spring is about 15" long the upper spring mount covers about 5" of the upper spring, I believe I will need to keep the upper plate below the bottom of the spring mount or risk not being able to get the plate out.

I have been thinking, I might be able to use what I have in the spring compressor by installing the large plate near the top of the spring and installing the small plate under the lower control arm bracket. I would have to get the jack and assorted wood blocking and such moved around. I would be jacking the LCA passenger side from the driver side.

There is another option, when the dust settles on this shipping debacle and I have completed this job, I will send you the forcing screw. I do have a couple feelers out looking for a large plate but think it is very unlikely one will show up.

 

[jjrbus]

Got my DIY SST modified, seems to fit correctly and not hang up on anything. I removed the chain and installed the OTC spring compressor as best I could. Looks like front part of the LCA bushing is lower than the rear so will require a 2nd jack, I will use a bottle jack. Spring is forcing the LCA towards the passenger side of the vehicle, so holes may be difficult to line up. I am leery of putting top plate any higher in the coil spring, afraid it will stick and be inaccessible

when trying to remove. I did have to drive a wedge in the coil spring to insert the top plate as it would stick. Then I ran out of energy and put things away. Have a endoscopy tomorrow so will lose a couple days.

 

[jjrbus]

Service manual says to use pry bar to line up holes. I have no idea what they are calling a pry bar and there is no place to use as a pivot point for a pry bar and no place to hook up ratchet straps as my LCA needs to be pushed out from the center or pulled from the outside. I was thinking port a power. Thinking and going through my meager treasures I came up with this. Had to sacrifice my 6 foot breaker bar extension and an old RV stabilizer but worked like a charm and the bolts are in with little effort. About 2 feet of 1 1/4 inch pipe the stabilizer, some welding. My welds are horrible but they held!

 

[jjrbus]

Markopolo mentions user error in getting a plate stuck. My top plate was stuck and took a good 2 hours to get the thing out, thought I was going to have to remove the spring again! I cannot recommend the OTC 7045B with the MOOG 81012.