Trying to figure out why the front oem springs are not coming out? Note: All the suspension components on this car is OEM / original and overtime. Dust and rust did accumulate in the wheelwell area and is now cleaned. My project is to add performance springs. I did as instructed removing the required nuts to the sway bar. shock absorber & ball joints. To me. It seems that the ball joint assembly is sticking and is not allowing the lower control arm to freely fall. I hit against the knuckle & spindle without any luck. Have any of you had a similar outcome? Are there specific applications involved with the Fiero in order to get these springs out? Any suggestions would be great
Thank you
[This message has been edited by MERATIME (edited 05-10-2025).]
Trying to figure out why the front oem springs are not coming out? Note: All the suspension components on this car is OEM / original and overtime. Dust and rust did accumulate in the wheelwell area and is now cleaned. My project is to add performance springs. I did as instructed removing the required nuts to the sway bar. shock absorber & ball joints. To me. It seems that the ball joint assembly is sticking and is not allowing the lower control arm to freely fall. I hit against the knuckle & spindle without any luck. Have any of you had a similar outcome? Are there specific applications involved with the Fiero in order to get these springs out? Any suggestions would be great
Thank you
You'll probably need to disconnect more things to let the lower control arm drop farther. I popped out one of the ball joints, and still the spring was under tension and needed to be levered out with a prybar.
If you have a spring compressor that will fit, that will help a lot. (mine did not fit, there isn't much space to work with)
Yeah the front and rear springs are under compression even at full suspension droop (the rear is held captive by the shock, the front by the suspension geometry).
Thank you all for your response. I will look at these comments and use them towards this process. Enclosed are photos of the current status. I meant to mention earlier that prior to this posting, that I double tied the springs to the front member with two different ropesfor security when that moment comes when the springs pop out.
[This message has been edited by MERATIME (edited 05-10-2025).]
This is how my lower control arms were hanging when I popped the front springs out of my '84 years ago. I remember I had to pry the bottom of the springs up and over the centering hump in the LCA. I used a chain to prevent the springs from inflicting damage to my face.
If you plan on installing lowering springs, I hope you're planning to shorten the metal "cones" which center the top of the springs. Otherwise, you'll be riding/bouncing off the bump stops. They need to be shortened from 5-1/4" to 4-1/2". (The rubber bump stop is missing in the photo below.)
*If the job includes replacing the outer tie rods; first measure from the outer tie rod grease fitting to a fixed reference point on the steering rack on both the driver’s and passenger’s side. These references numbers are to set the toe alignment close as possible when changing out the outer tie rods. Then before disconnecting each outer tie rod from the steering knuckle; clean the inner tie rod threads and then loosen the jam nut.
Don't be a caveman, use the proper tool which are listed in the service manual. Yeah, Kent Moore tools are 'big bucks' these days; but search equivalent "Tie Rod End Tools" like OEMTOOLS 25112 - $55
Support the lower control arms effectively under the coil springs on a firm surface
Ball joint studs are tapered into the knuckle boss...
Use Kent-Moore J-26407 tool {or equivalent} to "Pop" the ball joint studs from the tapered boss of the knuckle
With the knuckle from the car.......carefully and SLOWLY lower the control arm.....
THANK YOU ALL …. For all your help After looking for availability on all the tools you all mentioned , I ended up using this one showing in the image below and it worked successfully Patrick. I cannot thank you enough for your photo and advice to hold up the rotor assembly. Here is a photo of what I did to temporarily remove the springs. I really appreciate all your help!
