That's the best route, break the top nut, front or rear, while the weight is still on the suspension. The nuts don't need to come off much, just broke loose so one knows they can take them off when the suspensin drops.

Find some one that has a 10-12 ton shop press for the bushings.

 

haha I love doing that. I got an Xbox 360 and played it for 29 days, then brought it back for a full refund. 29 days of free gaming, you cant beat that.

 

Rhode Island.

 

That was me. Once the top nut and the 2 17mm strut bolts are out, wedge a large pry bar or similar between the frame and the sway bars, and slowly lower or put weight on the pry bar to release the spring tension. I've done it over 100 times especially at the junkyard.

 

Be very careful compressing the front springs. Ensure the compressor is properly seated or better still use a bench compressor at a buddies house, if available. It's one of those "Small chance something will go wrong, but if it does, it's no small injury" sort of things.

 

Rear springs and shocks are easy and like someone said before performance springs are shorter so are easier to get in/out than stock springs. Spring compressors arent required (I got them in my old car with some 2x4 chuncks and a 3' crowbar) but sure make the job easier and safer. Bushings on the other hand are a beeattch! I have replaced about 1/2 of mine so far and had to drill/dremel/recip saw/torch them out!! What a mess but well worth it.

 

spray all the nuts with wd40 a couple times before you take everything off (like the day before) so it will soak in there and not be such a pain in the ***.

 

if you wanna remove the rear springs, have the rear of car on jackstands (frame), remove the rear shocks and let the entire rear end hang loose. then the rear stock springs should slide out

 

WD-40 works better as a maritial aid than a rust penetrant. P B Blaster is the best. I have found it works well as a cutting lube too. I now use it when cutting steel or aluminum with the jig saw and works great keeping carbide burs from clogging when grinding aluminum. Burs and cutting blades last longer too.

After doing a half dozen or so lowering spring replacements on 1st and 2nd gen front struts, I have not yet needed to use a spring compressor for the install, only removal of the oem springs.

 

i always use it for rust, but thats because its usually the only thing i have handy. i use it for when i cut metal as well, and alot of it when i do porting. makes the porting much easier.

 

i couldn't get the shocks off the rear to drop the rear end down enough to revmoe the springs to install the ground cntrols, so we just used a cutting wheel, and cut the springs in half (not safe) but it worked perfectly. the new springs slid into place no problem

 

Next time, drop both ends of the sway bar at the frame rail. That will allow the rear axle to angle more. I can put a foot on the disc/drum, push down, and if the spring doesn't fall out by itself, I have a hook I can reach in with and pull the spring out.

 

Try the PB. I used to use Liquid Wrench, after the 1st can of PB, I'll never go back.

 

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Best stuff there is.

 

Well, I need to swap my rear end at the same time (I have a disc brake LSD unit ready to go in...), so I think I will just leave the shocks attached to the rear end and drop the whole damn thing.

 

That would be great, except I don't know anyone around here who has half a clue how to do this. I'm hoping somebody from the forum can come by and help so I don't lose a finger or an eye or anything.

 

I would loosen or remove the front top strut nut with it still installed in the car, then when you jack it up you will release the pressure thus foregoing the spring compressor.
The racing beat springs are shorter and have no compression when you reassemble your strut assembly...kinda weird when that happened to me, had to call RB to verfiy that I did the install correctly. I'm removing my rear RB springs today and installing the Eibach 200# springs with the deadcoils( you cut the dead coils to lower the rear) I'll take pics and post them.

 

Here's the new coilovers and rear springs, notice the coils that are close together, those are the deadcoils that you cut to adjust your ride height.
The other shots are of the bottom shock mount and the lower control arm disconnected so you can get the spring out and the new one in and the last shot is of the spring installed.