Re: alfa-digest V6 #3

["Ralph M. Fetsch" <"rfetsch@sccsi.com"@sccsi.com>]

> 
> Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 12:36:51 -0800
> From: "Paul Irvine" <pi@crl.com>
> Subject: spring compressor
> 
> Believe it or not I'm actually starting to run out of stuff to do on my
> project Spider. One of the things left though is to replace the front
> suspension lower arm bushings that have been the source of an annoying
> "creak" during summer months for the past few years.
> 
> I have the new parts but I'm going to need a spring compressor to get the
> things apart. Is this a "special" tool? The pictures of spring compressors
> that I have seen in catalogs don't look like they would work on the front
> springs.
> 
> Anyone out there that has done this, I'd appreciate some advice.
> 
> Paul Irvine  - Antioch CA
> 72 Spider - 79 Sprint Veloce - 82 GTV6
> - ---------------------------------------------


Paul

I replaced mine and used 4 -  3/8" allthread rods to compress the
springs. They need to be long enough to project about 2 - 3 inches below
the bottom plate. Double nut the top of the all thread and jam (locK)
the nuts tight together, put a large flat washer with a 3/8" hole on the
bottom and put one nut on each rod. You have to remove one bolt at a
time from the bottom plate and replace it with an all thread rod.
Tighten up the nut to compress the springs a littel and then replace the
other bolts with the remaing rods, then start backing off on each lower
nut until the pressure is off the spring.

I useds a ratchet type of box wrench to speed things along. You can also
use a floor jack or a small hydraulic jack to hold it up while you
loosen the nuts and lower the jack at the same time.

This work ok for me when I replaced the bushings in by 91 Spider.

good Luck

Ralph Fetsch

Houston, Texas