This is a report on the fabrication and use of a tool for
compressing the front road springs. See my photo albums for
documentation.
I am indebted to list members who generously provided
details of their spring compressors, especially Nigel
Snowden, Win, Robin O�Connor, and Mick G.
I don’t have a welder, so I used the elegant design of the
tools built by Win and Mick G.
I obtained most of the parts from McMaster-Carr
(www.mcmaster.com):
Threaded Rod: M20: 20mm X 1 meter (item number 99055A145)
Heavy Nuts: M20 pkg of 5 (item 90725A740)
Dowel Pins: 1/4 inch X 1-1/4 inch, case hardened (item
97395A492)
Steel Ball: 2 inch diameter (item 9528K71)
Washer, Self-Aligning, Female: 2-1/4 inch O.D. (item 91131A122)
Washer, Self-Aligning, Female: 13/16 inch I.D. (item 91131A090)
Threaded Rod: M8X1 meter (item 99055A125)
Flange Nuts: M8, sourced locally (True Value Hardware)
Washers, Heavy: For 3/4 inch bolts, sourced locally (Tractor
Supply Co.)
The ball was too hard to be drilled with a conventional bit
so I annealed it by heating it first in the oven at 550F,
then with a MAPP gas torch. After it air cooled, I could
mark it with a center punch so I proceeded to drilling. I
don�t have metric drill bits so I first drilled a 3/4 inch
hole then used carbide burrs to enlarge it till it could
slide on the 20mm rod.
Using a 3/4 inch wooden dowel to test the maximum useable
length of threaded rod, I learned the rod could be 2 inches
longer if it was inserted into the spring pan with its other
end under the car. This was counter-intuitive, since the
arc of the spring led me to assume I should start with the
lower end of the rod outside the car.
Using the spring compressor is straightforward. I tightened
the top nut till the road spring was compressed enough that
I was confident all tension was relieved from the spring pan
screws.
Following the advice of several list members, I removed each
of the 2 inner spring pan screws and replaced them with 8
inch sections of M8 threaded rod to guide the spring pan
down and then back up into position on the control arms.
After removing the remaining 4 spring pan screws it was just
a matter of turning the nut down the rod till the spring
fell free from the upper spring pan.
I cleaned, neutralized and painted some surface rust on the
spring pans and lower ends of the springs.
Note that Jaguar and Haynes both caution against reusing the
old spring pan screws. In fact, the head of one of mine
snapped off as I was removing it, requiring some tense
drilling and extraction and chasing the threads in the
control arm with a tap. I found suitable replacement screws
at McMaster-Carr (item 92820A420). Use them at your own risk.
Use thread-locker on the spring pan screws, and note that
the torque specification for these screws is relatively low.
Stripping the threads in a control arm will ruin your day.
Once all the spring pan screws are properly torqued, you can
remove the compressor and you’re done!–
Don B : '93 Vanden Plas : (ex-'88 Sovereign)
Franklin, TN, United States
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