I'm trying to replace the ball joints and worn out control arm bushings in my 77. I bought the compressor for the coil springs but I cannot get it to stay on the spring when I'm compressing it. I thought I had all the tension off the spring but when I took the nut off the lower ball joint to take the lower control arm off the spindle there was still a lot of tension on the spring and didn't realize it would extend so much so the control arm separated from the spindle but the spring is still in there but I still can't get it out

The compressor keeps popping of and the spring just pops back into place. All of the arms of the compressor are seated nicely and I can start compressing it and can compress it about an inch or so before it comes flying off.
What the heck am I doing wrong here?

 

Do you have a good compressor, and are you trying to compress the whole spring? You need to just compress about 2/3 or so of the spring. That will be enough to allow it to come out. If you try to do more they can pop off and hurt you or break something.

 

It's a Blue Point Compressor from Snap-On. I tried to get as much of the spring as I could with the compressor.

I will try and not compress so much of it
Thanks.

 

Well you've got a great compressor, so hopefully a smaller purchase on the spring will get it done.