How do you guys get your front coil springs back into place?
I have my car raised enough to let the lower control arm down but when I
put the top of the spring into the pocket there is a point where the lower arm is
so angled that the spring hits the metal around the lower arm pocket and it won`t go into place.
I have seen where people will use a spring compressor and compress it, tie it with a strap on one side, release the
tool and it kind of bends as the compression is taken off.
I don`t really want to connect the knuckle and then try to raise the lower control arm into place with a floor jack as that
seems sort of unstable. Plus, it looks like it would be difficult to get it to line up enough to get the bolt holes into place.

Most lower the front with cut or lowering springs which makes it easier.
You can also use a large bolt and large washer in the shock hole in the lower arm to go up through the center of the spring and keep it from popping out while you raise the ball joint end. Go about 1/2 way and use a 2x4 and a mmr to push the spring back into the groove of the lower a-arm. Make sure the coil end is toward the center of the car to match the recessed pocket in the a-arm.

We fabbed up a special spring compressor that makes the job very easy.

It's definitely easier getting lowering and/or cut front springs back into place, and there's a slight difference between 88's and the earlier years... but I highly recommend the "kick" method as described in This thread.

Did a writeup about this awhile ago, my way is super easy! Check it out here!!

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"Discord"
Red 1988 GT under restoration!

Let's Go Mets!

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[This message has been edited by Shho13 (edited 04-06-2019).]

The factory manual says to have the lower balI joint connected and the control arm pivot bolts out, and to put the spring in place and jack the LCA into place. That's sounds like the way the factory manual on the 82 Grand Prix (G-body) I had said to do it, only for the G-bodies they also show a J-tool jack adapter that no one actually has. Either way, that method sucks (I did it that way once). But what works well on the G-bodies - and maybe on Fieros - is to use a spring compressor like this one

but without the upper spring jaws (they slide off). Put a couple of flat washers under the bolt head and drop the bolt through the upper shock mount hole. Hold the spring in position, with the bolt through the center of it, and thread the lower jaws onto the bolt. Engage the jaws on the spring and compress it. Then swing the LCA up and attach the ball joint, and remove the spring compressor.

I haven't tried this on a Fiero - the springs look shorter than the G-body's and may also be smaller diameter.. This method assumes the compressor will fit as needed and compress the spring enough to do the job. But if it fits, the job is easy.

Well I ended up using the method of connecting the knuckle to the control arms and jacking the lower one up into place. I had to use a
ratcheting strap to pull the arm into place but it wasn’t too bad. I got the driver side done and should get the other side finished up tonight.
Thanks everyone for the replies.

[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 04-10-2019).]