I guess if you braced the underside of the car to whithstand the weight of the motor being there it would work, but the subframe is heavy and cumbersome for your idea. I have never heard of anyone doing it this way, I guess theres no reason why not, just seems like too much work.

 

Now that I think about it I dont think there is a seal between the engine and tranny.

 

As long as everything is disconnected, and the body and subframe arebraced up separately, I don't see a problem with that working. It might be easier though, to put the front of the car's bodyon dollies and wheel the body back away from thesubframe. Then slide it all back together the same way.

 

I did the same thing that you are attempting to do, remove the springs while the subframe is seperate. I took Some tie down straps, and one of them I looped in and around the spring and tied it so it the spring let loose, it wouldn't go anywhere, it would just expant out. The second one I wrapped around the A-arms twice, and then connected it together so when I tightened the ratchet is compressed the spring. I only tightemed it a little to see some spring movement. Then I took the nuts off from the spindle and got that out of the way. Then I crossed my fingers and let the tension out of the tie down that was compressing the spring, the extra wrap or two aroung the A-arms prevents it from flying apart when you undo the tension, let it apart easy, and away you go. Good luck.

 

I want to get my point across with all seriousness since your first post revealed exactly what you did wrong but I want you to think of this next statement with the voice of Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future.....with a little humor added.

" Uhhhh Marty, why didn't you in God's green earth remove the shock before you even started? Now the Flux Capacitor won't work....."

Anyway the only way to use a compressor is to go from the inside (with the cotton pickin shock removed). Jack A-arm up, tighten the compressor, remove castle nut on balljoint, lower jack carefully.

We used to do the jack only thing.....till our driver took a spring to the gut and broke a rib a ruptured his spleen.

RM

 

I did remove the shock, for sure. The lower portion of the compressor needed to hook the spring just as the top hooks did. However, this lower portion would not fit up through the shock opening. Perhaps I could feed the compressor up through the lower hole with the smaller portion on bottom, feed the threaded rod through the top shock hole and attach the larger portion of the compressor to the threaded rod outside the control arm..................??????? Running out of good weather fast here in NJ. Need to be able to move the good car from the bay into the driveway while I work on the extra subframe. Guess it is this weekend or bust!!!! Will keep you all informed of success or loss of limbs. No response next week might signal death. Ha Ha. Course, that's not funny, really.