MGB Spring compressor for MGB front suspension

[Foghat73]

Looking for a spring compressor recommendation for '76 MGB for front end work, looked on line and seems to be a lot of choices but don't know which one would work best for an MGB.

Thanks

 

[bill_young]

From what I've read most of the units available don't fit the MGB coils well and most just use a floor jack against the weight of the car, installing a cable or chain to prevent the spring from popping out. Works ok with the weight of the car and engine there, but if the engine's out it's a little more tricky. I made up a home brewed compressor for my MGA which did the job, but needs some fine tuning to make it easier to use before I recommend that design to anyone.

 

[tony barnhill]

You don't need a compressor! The spring can't go anywhere.....they don't shoot out & kill people!

Here's how I've done it for years: jack car up in air; remove tire; take caliper off stub axle; put floor jack under spring perch & jack it up enough to just hold pressure; pull the cotter pin from the fulcrum pin in the shock; remove castle nut; pull fulcrum pin from shock; loosen the small nut on side of shock arm that allows the arms to widen a bit; separate shock arms enough that the stub axle will come out from the front; fold entire stub axle assembly down away from shock so you have access to spring; slowly release pressure on floor jack &, as the spring perch drops because the stub axle is free, the spring will fall away from its upper perch.

Pressure is then released from the spring & you can remove the jack & reach up & pull the spring out.

Installing is reverse.

 

[MGBGT_noob]

If you can get it in through the hole in the spring pan, You could use one like:

https://djvmerchandise.com/pro1164965.html

I haven't tried it, so I don't know if you have the room.

Don't get one for "MacPherson Struts". They only work if you have good access to the outside of the spring.

However if you don't need to remove the crossmember, most people just use a jack under the outer wishbone pivot. Raise the jack to compress the spring slightly, remove the top trunnion bolt, then lower the jack to release the spring.

As the manuals say "installation is the reverse of removal", but you may want to use a cargo strap or something to keep the spring aligned with the upper an lower perches, as you raise the jack to compress it.

 

[tony barnhill]

If you can get it in through the hole in the spring pan, You could use one like:

https://djvmerchandise.com/pro1164965.html

I haven't tried it, so I don't know if you have the room.

Won't work - no room.

&, you don't need a compressor! Lemme see if I can make it a little clearer:

<span style="font-weight: bold">YOU DON'T NEED A COMPRESSOR!</span>

 

[David_DuBois]

You don't need a compressor! The spring can't go anywhere.....they don't shoot out & kill people!

Here's how I've done it for years: jack car up in air; remove tire; take caliper off stub axle; put floor jack under spring perch & jack it up enough to just hold pressure; pull the cotter pin from the fulcrum pin in the shock; remove castle nut; pull fulcrum pin from shock; loosen the small nut on side of shock arm that allows the arms to widen a bit; separate shock arms enough that the stub axle will come out from the front; fold entire stub axle assembly down away from shock so you have access to spring; slowly release pressure on floor jack &, as the spring perch drops because the stub axle is free, the spring will fall away from its upper perch.

Pressure is then released from the spring & you can remove the jack & reach up & pull the spring out.

Installing is reverse.

Tony - You forgot one thing - a jack stand under the frame rail - otherwise, the whole corner of the car will lower right down on the jack (an embarrassing situation) :blush:
Cheers,

 

[tony barnhill]

You don't need a compressor! The spring can't go anywhere.....they don't shoot out & kill people!

Here's how I've done it for years: jack car up in air; remove tire; take caliper off stub axle; put floor jack under spring perch & jack it up enough to just hold pressure; pull the cotter pin from the fulcrum pin in the shock; remove castle nut; pull fulcrum pin from shock; loosen the small nut on side of shock arm that allows the arms to widen a bit; separate shock arms enough that the stub axle will come out from the front; fold entire stub axle assembly down away from shock so you have access to spring; slowly release pressure on floor jack &, as the spring perch drops because the stub axle is free, the spring will fall away from its upper perch.

Pressure is then released from the spring & you can remove the jack & reach up & pull the spring out.

Installing is reverse.

Tony - You forgot one thing - a jack stand under the frame rail - otherwise, the whole corner of the car will lower right down on the jack (an embarrassing situation) :blush:
Cheers,

Thank you, David....you are absolutely correct....but, then, I don't know of anybody who would attempt to rebuild a car on jacks!

 

[Foghat73]

Thanks everyone, never was concerned about being "slobber knocked" unconscious by the spring, although that's what most fear will happen getting near it ;-).... MG is currently up on jack stands with all wheels off; I replaced the steering rod boots last weekend so I'll slip a hydraulic floor jack I have under it.

 

[Steve_S]

You don't need jack stands either, but they're certainly a good idea. If spring compressors weren't the best tool for the job then they wouldn't make so many of them.

Use the proper tool for the job. Use a spring compressor. It's so easy that there's no reason to not use one.

Here is a previous thread on the subject: https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/476267/

I don't know about anyone else, but encouraging people to forgo the proper tools seems a bit risky in this age of law suits!

Photo of spring compressor in place....

 

[tony barnhill]

Steve - What you're using isn't the proper tool either! Do you know what factory/dealer's proper way to remove springs is? From the factory manual's perspective?

It was to use a special spring compressor to the lower wishbones to take the spring's pressure off so the spring pan could be removed from the wishbones...That compressor fit under the outsides of the 2 wishbones & hooked to the outside of the spring so that the perch could be removed from the wishbone assembly....spring wasn't compressed against itself like your compressor does...it was compressed down towards the wishbones...then the compresson was taken off the spring & the spring & lower spring pan were removed from the bottom leaving the stub axle assembly bolted to the front shock.

The length of the spring (under pressure) is longer than the distance between to upper spring mount & the top of the lower perch over which it has to be pulled (if you leave the perch in place)...it can't go anywhere!

If you leave the lower spring perch in place, the spring can't go anywhere until you push the lower wishbone assembly down enough to release the spring from the lower spring perch (farther than the normal travel of the wishbone assembly.

If you want to go to the trouble of installing that compressor - go for it...but it's a waste of time!

I even take springs out of a complete suspension assembly that've been dropped from the car with no problems....can't count the number of cars I've done the way I described!

Use a compressor if you have one - don't waste your time running all over town to find one though!

 

[jlaird]

I change spridget front springs without tools as well. Only a floor jack and a jack stand.

 

[19_again]

Tony, do I need a spring compressor to change out my springs?

 

[bob67bgt]

I also just use a floor jack and jack stand.

 

[tony barnhill]

Tony, do I need a spring compressor to change out my springs?

On an MGB or Midget, IMO, no....just do like David & I described above.....but, its your call.

 

[Steve_S]

Steve - What you're using isn't the proper tool either!

Correction, it isn't the factory tool. However it is the proper tool to compress a coil spring and allow safe, easy removal.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]If you want to go to the trouble of installing that compressor - go for it...but it's a waste of time![/QUOTE]Safety is never a waste of time, especially when we're talking about 90 seconds to mount the tool to the spring. You then disassemble everything by hand. No jacks or special care required.

Using jacks, chains, 2x4 blocks of wood, clamps, wire, metal rods, comealongs, removing shock bolts or any of the other methods I can't think of will all work. It's all simply a matter of how much risk a person is willing to take.

When I work in the garage, my goal is to never be "that guy", if you get my drift!

 

[tony barnhill]

Yep - but when you do as many cars as me, that compressor's too hard to use! & there's no safety issue not using it....like I keep saying: the spring can't go anywhere - its a design factor.

But, we're still friends!

 

[Steve_S]

If the spring is captured by design, then why does the factory specify a puller? Gotcha!

 

[tony barnhill]

If the spring is captured by design, then why does the factory specify a puller? Gotcha!

Nope - don't "got'me"....the only reason the factory specifies a compressor is to take the spring's pressure off the spring perch & transfer it to the wishbones so the spring perch can be removed from the wishbones & it & the spring dropped through the bottom!

Got'cha!

 

[Steve_S]

Same thing from a different direction! A spring compressor is intended to be used to remove the spring.

From the factory manual:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]To remove a spring fit a spring compressor to the lower wishbone arms and take the weight of the spring. Unscrew the spring compressor to release the tension in the spring and then remove the spring pan and spring.[/QUOTE]

 

[tony barnhill]

Nope - they're not compressing the spring for safety sake.....the only way to loosen the bolts holding the spring perch to the wishbones & to remove the perch is to take the spring's weight off the perch.

Thus, if you're not using the factory method but are doing it the way most of us do, no spring compressor is needed - nor is it necessary for safety.