Coil spring replacement

[LTDMike]

Ok guys recently I started hearing squeling sounds coming from the front right side of the car. Then today I noticed that the car was leaning to the right and it was sitting lower than before. I poked around came to the conclusion that the spring is no good.

I haven't changed springs before I've changed shocks before. What are steps to doing this I was told that it is easier to use strut compressors rather than a coil spring compressor. I know how they look in comparison. I want to know what you guys recommend.

95 town car

[86VickyLX]

You don't have air springs?
You're gonna need an alignment after this.
Gotta take the shocks out to replace the springs.

I've done this on the ground (once). BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU'RE MESSING WITH COIL SPRINGS!!!! THIS SHOULD BE DONE ON A FLAT LEVEL SURFACE!!!! (You should use some type of spring compressor on removal but it's not totally necessary) If you have jack stands and hydraulic jack, you'll be good. Lift up the car high (you'll know why), support it on jackstands.

Remove tire, and brakes. Unbolt the sway bar link from the lower control arm. Unbolt tie rod end from spindle. Support control arm with hydraulic jack (put some tension on it). Unbolt the lower ball joint. Separate the spindle from the lower control arm, slowly lower the jack, and the spring will push the control arm down. Slowly let it down, and be careful, this could be a time where something goes horribly wrong and you get a face full of coil spring. The coil spring when not under any tension, is pretty damn tall. Once that's out put in your new one. I haven't been able to recompress the spring enough without a spring compressor, to reinstall the spring. So you're gonna need one. Put everything back together. Once the spring is in place and the control arm is bolted back to the spindle, you're golden, everything else is easy as pie! When it's all back together take some bumps with the car, to make sure the spring seats, don't be scared, you'll hear some clanging and whatnot as the spring tries to settle in the control arm. I've heard bangs and pops that shake the whole car. That's all normal until it's properly seated. After that's done, go get it aligned.

[LTDMike]

The car does have air springs in the rear, I'm changing the front coil springs

[86VickyLX]

Then refer to the above post. Rear coil springs are so much easier to do, and not really hazardous haha.

[Piece-it pete]

When you disconnect the shock, leave it in there, or stick a tire iron in there, hopefully if the spring decides to take a fast trip out it'll hang up on it

On my 85 I needed a inside spring compressor, the strut compressor I tried didn't work. Auto zone / Advance has them free loaner. I'd think about control arm bushings and lower ball joints while I'm 'in there'. Remember your life. 86 ain't kidding, be very careful, a spring can kill you

Pete

[marquisman]

its prolly not a bad idea to replace both front springs.

[LTDMike]

Yea since I'm there I'm goin to replace both springs and shocks aswell