57 Front Coil Springs Replacement Made Easy (With Disc/Brakes)

No special spring compressors needed. (This is old school method )
1. Jack the car up.
2. Remove the front wheel.
3. Remove the disc brake and hang it up out of the way.
4. Remove the front shock.
5. Unbolt the front sway bar (if installed)
6. Remove cotter pin and loosen upper tie rod nut, just a few threads only. ( Heat gun and big hammer if needed to break loose the nut)
7. Wrap a chain in and around the coil spring, just in case it decides to become a missile. (This will slow it down a bit)
8. Place floor jack under the outer side of the lower A-Frame and apply slight pressure to remove upper Tie Rod Nut.
9. Slowly lower the floor jack and let the front spindle flop to the outer side.
10. Continue to lower the floor jack until its all the way down ( Not resting on the garage floor )
11. Coil spring should be able to be removed easily.
12. Install new spring, ( note flat side up )
13. Slowly Jack up the lower A-frame making sure the upper spring goes into the round groove and lower end fits into the lower A-frame. (wrap a chain around the spring)
14. Install the upper Tie-Rod end into the spindle, (may use a pry bar on the upper A-frame to get the nut on) tighten the nut down and slowly release the floor jack.
15. Put everything back together, make sure everything is tight and you are done.

Hope this helps, i seen too many videos showing all kinds of ways to do this, but this is the Old School method and it works.

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Good summary, Mrzak... and the way I've always done it since being shown that method by an old sergeant (manager of the auto hobby shopt at KAFB)in 1971... :) and he always emphasized.. 'Don't forget the Chain!'...

I used that method many years ago on my 60 Impala and it worked great. I believe you will need the engine in the car.

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Originally Posted by Rocketman

I used that method many years ago on my 60 Impala and it worked great. I believe you will need the engine in the car.

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Rocketman is correct... this technique uses the 'weight' of the engine/car to compress the spring! :) A few years ago, I tried this technique installing new springs in a bare chassis... didn't work! I finally had to borrow spring compressor from local auto store to get them in (and that's not an easy process either!~).. :)

The method shown works fine for some lowering springs, some cut down springs, or even some weak stock springs. Otherwise you need a compressor. Period. End of story. Use a compressor if you value life and limbs.

on the same track as rick said, but i take mine to the spring/alignment guys here, have them banded for $10. pop`em in like nothin`, cut the band.

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Originally Posted by Dave the Wave

on the same track as rick said, but i take mine to the spring/alignment guys here, have them banded for $10. pop`em in like nothin`, cut the band.

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Dave, That's a NEW ONE to me... I'm totally unaware of that process/possibility. Is your local shop that does that a 'national chain'?? I'd try that if it were available to me....

Rick: The 'danger' of a partially constrained compressed coil spring is WHY we CHAIN the spring to the frame (for those of us that have used the car weight to compress the spring). I've done that for many cars ('55-57 Chevys, '69 Camaros, etc) for both 'used original springs' and NEW original spec springs without an issue. The only time I had a problem with compressing the spring was with a shortened '57 6-cyl spring in the bare chassis because I didn't have enough weight.

I installed new springs in the manner mentioned without a problem. I had not heard of banding springs but sure sounds like it would make it easier. The bands would have to be pretty strong.

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Rick: The 'danger' of a partially constrained compressed coil spring is WHY we CHAIN the spring to the frame (for those of us that have used the car weight to compress the spring).

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Problem is, the car weight does not compress the spring as far as needed for installation. Or probably more important, safe disassembly.

There is a reason that the shop manual shows using a compressor for this job. If it wasn't needed, it wouldn't exist. Nothing has changed since the shop manual was written and the compressor was designed, except for the few exceptions I mentioned. And those exist on modified cars for the most part.

The need is not rocket science. And you of all people should be aware of when rocket science is appropriate.

no, no national chain. i mark the spring where i want it banded. only one band, on the side of the spring, closest to the engine. then it has a slight curve in it, pops right in. they always leave a coli or 2 from the ends, then just cut the band, pull it out.