No need to remove or compress the spring right? Top looks pretty simple, just wanted to confirm on the bottom. Looks like removing some old bolts and a pickle fork should do most of it.

I appreciate it!

 

NO

You support teh CAR, well.

Jack under the lower spring pan to take the weight, and compress that spring a little, just so the upper wishbone stop rubbers are clear of their cradle pads.

NOW THAT SPRING IS SAFE.

3 hours later. all done.

DO NOT underestimate that bloody spring, IT WILL kill you if it get loose from a compressed state, and I M NOT KIDDING, I still miss Mark after 50 years.

The above is for cradle IN the car. If the cradle is on the ground, that spring MUST be removed.

 

To clarify, your "NO" means the spring stays in, and don't need to use a compression tool, correct? Just jack up the spring pan per your specifications?

 

Correct.

Jack up and support the car.

Then, jack under the spring pan to compress the suspension enough to "unload": the upper bump stops.

BUT, look carefully at the placement of said jack, coz you will need to get to the 4 lower balljoint bolts.

Watch that jack under that pan, coz if it creeps down (some do), you will get smacked with that spring.

 

That helps- thank you!

 

If you have some of that strapping that looks a bit like seat belt material but narrower (such as used on ratchet straps) when the spring is compressed as Grant describes, tie it vertically round the spring and then the bottom wishbone, so if the worst happens it cannot rocket out at you.

 

Haha- y’all are making me nervous. Might try to find a shop that will do it.

 

It's not really that scary a job, it's just that those of us who have Been There don't want to see a Newbie get hurt because you didn't know something that we do. It's our moral obligation to pass on whatever safety information we have.

You'll be Fine!
(';')

 

After hemming and hawing, and even scheduling with a shop, I decided to try the ball joints myself. Reading in the shop manual, I realized it spells out a really simple way of securing the springs for a ball joint job: Namely, jack up the car, put jack stands under the spring beds, and lower the car. Simple, easy, and very secure. Got the driver's side done tonight; planning for the passenger side tomorrow or this weekend. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement!

See picture...the strap was a sort of 3rd fail-safe precaution, although I don't know if it would have done anything in case of emergency.

 

Very safe and sensible. Congratulations. FWIW we are all nervous as heck the first time we do something new on these cars!

 

First time? When it comes to springs I'm nervous after many times.

There are some things you never want to become nonchalant about. A little bit of fear can help keep you safe.

And, if the group can tolerate a moment of preaching, don't do this type of work when you are tired. There was only one time that I was nearly injured by a spring. And it happened to be a Jaguar. I was helping a friend with a suspension overhaul, we had been at it all day, and the car was fighting us. I won't go into all the details of the near catastrophe. But I am 101% convinced that fatigue was the root cause.

Cheers
DD

 

that’s good advice!

 

I am getting ready to tackle my upper and lower ball joints this week. Here is my setup for the spring. Is this the right approach?

Thank you