Technical Car lifts off stands when I compress control arms??

Is this normal ? The springs are compressed with a summit racing coil spring compressor. Just makes me nervous when it's off of the stands like that. What am I doing wrong? Sorry if this is a repost p

 

Do I need to compress the springs more? Kinda freaks me out with a cheap spring compressor. I just figured I'm not gonna use it much after this.

 

Is there an engine in there? Try getting some 1" threaded rod and make some washers/straps to span the coil spring seats. Run the nuts down on the t-rod and compress the spring until the ball joint fits it's hole. Use some never seize on the threaded rod so it doesn't gall the threads.
Does the sway bar go over the lower control arm? Not usually.

 

I don't know about the other guys, but I'd need to see a photo from further away, just how your jack stands are positioned...

 

we had the same issue in a 59 chevy pickup, camaro clip and we got new ball joints for it. tried putting the spring compressor on it and we couldn't get it compressed enough to go back up in there... we ended up putting the tractor bucket on the frontend and pushing it down to get the spindles back in place with the spring in.

 

Chain your floor jack to the frame thru the axle on floor jack. This will help.

 

^^^ The load generated by compressing the spring is greater than the weight of the frame, so it's lifting.

Make the frame heavier or prevent it from moving...

 

yes - thats normal with a bare frame and/or no motor.....use a better compressor and chain the spring to the frame as a safety in case the jack slips and the spring flys out......speaking of chain, 1-shots idea above sounds good too...

 

Get a couple of fat buddies to come stand on the frame

 

This is exactly what I did when I did my Ford front coils with no engine. One guy in the engine bay, one on the front bumper.

 

Cut a coil off the spring

 

no...heat it with a torch..it's faster!!!!

 

The chain around the frame attached to the floor jack front axle is the easiest way I've been able to get it accomplished.

 

Great minds think alike!!

 

Yup. No motor in the car. I don't remember how I got the last one ona lot of sound help here. I think I'm gonna try to chain the jack to the frame. Should I take the compressor off?

 

Haha

 

Hmmm.maybe I'll stop by the McDonald's down the street and find a couple of fat chicks. There's no shortage in my town. Lol

 

Chain it down, don't take off the compresser till the ball joint is connected.

 

Long ago an old guy showed me how to put a tire iron or crow bar from underneath the lower control arm through the hole so it acts as an extension of the control arm. Then you can jack up on the bar which extends out from the end of the control arm giving you a little more mechanical advantage. Without the engine in it, the chain method is best--take it slow.

 

You need. . .

 

Yep that outta do it! WOW!

 

That gal on the right is a lightweight.

 

Just need more weight. You could stack a few bags of ready-mix concrete or, something similar.on the front x member.

 

Maybe I'm missing something here, but can we revisit the theory of a spring compressor? It literally compresses the spring, without being attached to the car - frame or otherwise. Under that assumption it should be an independent process. If the car is on jackstands that are holding up the frame, you don't need a chain or any other thing to "hold the frame down" engine or no engine.

If the problem is that you can't connect the lower ball joint to the spindle, then you don't have the spring compressed far enough with the spring compressor. I don't like messing with coil springs by compressing anything with a jack. I've seen one go through a buddy's chest. Use the spring compressor correctly, and you don't have an issue.

Mike

 

Finally - a use for FAT girls !

Oldmics

 

I went to autozone and rented their spring compressor, the shoe type, and it was MUCH easier than the type you are using. Was able to get the spring compressed enough where I didnt even need a jack to bolt it all together. Was kind of a pain to get the shoe out of the spring afterwards though, had to use a pry bar to seperate the spring coils enough to pull it out...dont slip and bust you face on the frame like I did....

 

I believe Mike is correct. If you are just compressing the spring, it should have no effect on the frame whatsoever. Something is amiss. Hows about a few more pics of whats going on.

 

I remember hearing those autozone ones aren't the safest for this. Am I wrong?

 

It's going to take a long time to get that picture out of my mind....more then I wanted to see.

Bill