Removing Coil Springs without Busting Ball Joints

[boulky12]

Hello guys. Soon I will be installing a pair of 2 inch lowering coil springs on my truck. The truck is an 86 GMC Short bed 2wd.

The way I'd like to remove the spring is by removing the bolts holding the inside of the lower control arm, so that I can drop the lower control arm and remove the spring without busting up my ball joints.

I was successfully able to this on my previous truck but it was a 1990 short bed. The only issue I had was when I was putting the control arm back up. It didn't exactly line right back up. I had to keep trying to line it up several times and even had to bring out the ratchet strap to get it lined up again, but I eventually got it done.

Am I going to have a similar experience if I try this with my 86?

Have you guys ever tried removing the coil spring like this?

I'd really appreciate another perspective on this. Thank you

Here's my baby

[dphipps]

For what it's worth the method you describe is the exact method in the GM shop manual. I've never done it on a truck but it was the way I was planning on doing mine. It worked good on a G-body buick regal of mine (and is also the method in the shop manual for those cars)

[boulky12]

For what it's worth the method you describe is the exact method in the GM shop manual. I've never done it on a truck but it was the way I was planning on doing mine. It worked good on a G-body buick regal of mine (and is also the method in the shop manual for those cars)

Lol Wow I did not know that. And it surprises me because most of the people I read doing it and see on youtube, they always bust the bottom control arm ball joint apart.

But thank you very much dphipps.