Hi all. First let me get my first question out of the way. I have a jaguar x type. 2003 s. Am I correct in saying that this car has standard shocks and springs and not sports shocks and springs?
Now I have one broken spring which has snapped at the top coil. The top of the spring is now resting directly on the metal work. I am assuming that if I remove the bolt holding the subframe,this spring will shoot the strut out like a rocket. My plan is to compress the lower three coils on both sides othe spring as best as and then g clamp them just incase. I am assuming that the spring is to some degree less compressed as the weight of the car is off it and also it is shorter due to the loss for the top coil.
Any thoughts welcome please.

 

I see you are in the UK, but in the US the local auto supply store will give loaner tools like a spring compressor for free. I would explore that option. Other tricks could be a clamp as you suggested, or jack up the corner loosen the strut bolt (not remove) and gradually lower it.

Here is a video I just posted on a similar thread that should help.

 

Hint her . Thanks for the reply. I have the spring compressors but whilst the strut is on the vehicle they are tricky to use. The complete unit should be faily straight forward but the broken spring unit is the one I am more worried about.

 

Lubino: When you lower the front subframe, the strut and spring will lengthen only 1-2 inches, then stop at the point where the strut is fully extended. The spring won't "shoot the strut out like a rocket" because you will leave the center nut tightly fastened to the top of the strut while you remove the strut from the car. Only after you have removed the strut from the car and safely compressed the spring should you remove the center nut from the top of the strut. At this point, be very careful, because the compress spring has a lot of stored energy and can "shoot off like a rocket"!

If you are unsure how to safely compress and change the spring, then remove the entire strut and spring assembly from the car, and pay an experienced mechanic to swap new springs onto the old struts. Better yet, if the struts are old, install new struts AND new springs.