Front Coil Spring Removal

[baccus06]

I am getting ready to remove the front coils on my 61 for the full front end rebuild. Before I attempt to remove the spring, do I need to remove that cover/metal piece off of the spring first? Its at the top of the spring. I am also wondering what those 2 spacers (?) that are in the middle section of the coil? Do I need to replace those?

[Alan H. Tast]

It probably would be helpful to remove the bumper bracket before attempting to remove the coil. The spacers are an aftermarket item that a prior owner must have installed to correct a weak spring/ride height issue. You'll want to remove them to allow for more compression of the spring.

TAKE HEED - do not attempt to remove the spring without the proper tools and safety precautions. There are numerous threads in this Forum about what (and what not) to do. Using a cheap-azzed compressor can lead to injury and death (I'm not kidding!). Do a Search using keywords front coil spring removal and see what comes up.
search.php?keywords=front+coil+spring+removal

[Phoenix SR]

I'll second what Alan said, this is a job that can kill you if you aren't careful! This is a case where Youtube is not your friend. There are little steps and tricks that will get you in trouble if you aren't watching closely.

Yes, you will need to remove the aftermarket spring spacers and the bump stop to get the spring out. It is a rather straight forward job as long as proper precautions are taken. I just pulled mine with a rental tool from a local auto store, it took less than an hour to do (though I was an auto mechanic for 15 years and have replaced many springs).

[baccus06]

Thanks for the info. I broke 4 of the 8 bolts on the bump stops. Any idea what size and length those are?