[mallettfarm]

what is the safest way to remove front coil springs from a 1968 ford galaxie ?

[T-bucket23]

Originally Posted by mallettfarm

what is the safest way to remove front coil springs from a 1968 ford galaxie ?

It has been a while but I believe that is the one with the spring above teh upper control arm.

Those are dangerous to remove. We used to run a chain through them to keep them from flying out then use a QUALITY spring compressor to collapse them. Once out of the pockets, release the pressure then remove the chain.

Many people have been hurt removing or installing these. A quality spring compressor is the key.

[Irelands child]

With a standard full size Galaxie, jack the car up and place on jack stands. Remove the wheels, brakes and backing plates (you can do it with the brakes in place, but it's a good time for a cleaning). With a jack under the lower control arm and lightly holding it, run the lower ball joint nut loose so there are still several threads engaged. Using a pickle fork, place it between the control arm and spindle at that ball joint. You may have to really beat on that pickle fork. You will probably hear the ball joint 'pop' loose. Remove that nut, lower the jack, pull the control arm down (the shock has to be removed) and out rolls the spring. This is not a McPherson strut suspension, needing a compressor nor a coil over arrangement so there will be little danger of the spring bounding out.

Now, if indeed it is a Fairlane, Falcon or other intermediate or small bodied Ford, it will have McPherson strut type suspension and they do need that spring compressor.

Dave W

[T-bucket23]

Originally Posted by Irelands child

With a standard full size Galaxie, jack the car up and place on jack stands. Remove the wheels, brakes and backing plates (you can do it with the brakes in place, but it's a good time for a cleaning). With a jack under the lower control arm and lightly holding it, run the lower ball joint nut loose so there are still several threads engaged. Using a pickle fork, place it between the control arm and spindle at that ball joint. You may have to really beat on that pickle fork. You will probably hear the ball joint 'pop' loose. Remove that nut, lower the jack, pull the control arm down (the shock has to be removed) and out rolls the spring. This is not a McPherson strut suspension, needing a compressor nor a coil over arrangement so there will be little danger of the spring bounding out.

Now, if indeed it is a Fairlane, Falcon or other intermediate or small bodied Ford, it will have McPherson strut type suspension and they do need that spring compressor.


Dave W

Yup, it was the mid size I was thinking of. Thanks for the clarification, like I said it has been a while.