I have the Haynes manual but it doesn't make sense to me. I've done this many times with newer cars but the shock/spring are usually together not coming out separately. The manual got me as far as disconnecting the front sway bar but doesn't tell me how the (assuming next step) lower control arm is lowered. I want to chop a few springs but as it stands, I can't get my spring compressor to fit between any of the coils and cannot compress them to remove them.

Any thoughts are suggestions? I know obviously, I'd have to put a hack under the control arm to prevent it from exploding down but I'm stuck and want to lower this car before I lose my mind looking at 3 finger gap in the wheel well! If you're local and wanna lend a hand, beer and pizza will be provided (IPA of course)

Where is local?
Update the location in your profile, get in the beers and order some pizza!

Haha...I've been to Dubai three times when I was in the military so I know for sure where you are but you are far from local to me my friend.

Profile updated. I'm in the Seattle area.

Couldnt you just use a impact gun and face it away from you? I wish I could come out and help.

I've fine this plenty on newer cars. The shock comes out separately on this car and Webern I disconnect the sway bar the control arm doesn't move any and (with a jack supporting and lowering it) I cannot got my spring compressor between the coils. Seems like my only option is to disconnect three ball joint which seems like an awful lot of work.

Can you get the spring and shock assembly out as a whole?

Nope that's what I'm getting at. Newer cars, sure. This car, they are separated parts and the shock comes out independent if the springs...

Im not really fallowing you. Can you post some pictures.

I have the wheels back on because I changed all the brakes and bled them but here are a few pics with the wheel turned. The shock is not connected under the hood. There are two nuts you remove from the top of the shock and two bolts you remove from the lower control arm and the shock slides out from within the coil spring. The Haynes manual says next to support the lower control arm with a floor jack and disconnect the front sway bar then lower the jack slowly to allow the lower control arm to flex enough to use a spring compressor but, the control arm doesn't budge and there is not a big enough gap to actually fit my spring compressor between any of the coils and reduce them enough to remove, cut and reinstall. I'll be at it again this weekend. Getting my clutch kit installed and flywheel resurfaced on Thursday so no plans on taking the wheels off again until after that.

You wont get a spring compressor in there. Theyre for macpherson struts man. Best thing to do would be to keep a jack underneath the bottom arm, loosen it and let the spring fall out

The reason your arms don't drop is because, as tankluda said, you need to loosen the A-arm bolts (top and bottom). On SOME double A-arm suspensions, lowering the arms low enough will be enough to let the spring just drop out (they had to get in there somehow in the first place). You might have to remove the droop stops (there should be another pair of rubber bumpers pointing up somewhere) or even remove one of the ball joints.

Failing that, you might try what my friends used to do "back in the day". But I must warn you, it may be dangerous and if you try it, you do so at your own risk:

With the car on the ground and the suspension fully compressed, my friends would bind as many coils as they could with heavy, strong rope. Circle the coils many, many times with the rope. Then, when you jack up the car, the spring will not extend as much and will fall out. This technique would work for you since you plan to cut and reinstall the springs. But like I said, it is dangerous; car suspension springs store a lot of energy when compressed and potentially could kill you if the rope broke or the spring got loose somehow...

Seriously? This is NOT a macpherson setup.

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/a ... ressor.jpg

You need a coil spring compressor. Not a macpherson spring compressor.

_________________
1980 RT134 Toyota Corona. Slammed, fully rebuilt 20r, tube header/side piped, roof rack, 53k original miles. Daily Driver.
1987 Mazda RX7 Turbo II. Fully built drift car. Track slut only.

Seriously I have both types it was close so I used it for reference...

but yeah its easy, depending on how much you're gonna lower it you may have to cut more than half the coil, i know i am. i cut 4 coils and it barely dropped it. then theres this weird rubber that fits on top of the coil, yours may be deteriorated, not sure exactly what its called or how to find a new one.