[Iniquity]

Whats up,

Here's the issue, the ball joint on my driver's side control arm separated from it's housing and I can't get the bolts attaching the lower control arm to the k-member out. I've used penetrating oil in excessive amounts, beaten the nuts until they have started to mushroom, and can get the head of the bolt to only come about an eighth of an inch out.

I'm an experienced mechanic when it comes to the power train and engine management systems, but I don't have any experience with suspensions, so a few questions.

1) I've read not to compress the coil spring to the point that two coils touch, is this true?

2) When I compress the coil to the point mentioned above the top of the coil still hasn't unseated from the top. Is it safe for me to remove the lower control arm with the top still seated?

3) As I compress the spring the control arm moves upward, it doesn't appear that it's going to stop. Is the top of the coil spring just seated that tightly?

I can only reach the two outside points of the bolts between the forks and k member with my grinder. I've already cut about 1/3 of the way through one of the forks of the control arm, it seems to be the only way to get it off. First cutting through both forks of the control arm so I can rotate the remaining parts down to be able to reach the two inside mounting points to cut the rest of the bolt. The problem is I'm nervous about that coil spring still being under pressure, when I cut through that fork I'm committed boys and I don't like the idea of the spring jerking the control arm. For those of you that can't picture what I'm saying check out the attachment for a picture. Need some experienced advice.

[evintho]

First off, if the ball joint seperated from the housing (A-arm) the spindle should be loose and the spring should come right out. If not, back the nut on the ball joint off a few threads, use a pickle fork and seperate the BJ from the spindle then remove the spring. You definitely don't want to remove the A-arm from the K member with the spring still in there!

The A-arm bolts aren't coming out because you've got 600 lbs of tension pushing down from the spring. Remove the spring first!

[Iniquity]

OK i see. So the only thing that kept the spring from flying out when the ball joint broke was the end link from the sway bar to the control arm. I noticed when I was removing the spring compressor the control arm just kept going down, because I had removed the end link. So, I placed a jack under it so I could remove the spring compressor. I was afraid that the spring would fly out if I let it all the way down.

Will the spring fly out if I let it all the way down with the jack?

If not, then I completely misunderstood the process.

[b_chandler]

It won't "fly out". It'll jump out a bit if it's not compressed and may need a little coaxing out of it's rests. Best bet is to compress it a good ways, let the jack you've got holding the control arm down until you can safely remove the spring. The control arm will be damn near perpendicular to the ground by the time the spring's ready to come out so make sure you've got the rest of the car high enough.