The thing is - after you remove the wheel, and disconnect all the bolts holding the strut in per the DIY on g-owners, there is no tension on the spring - the whole spring/strut assembly is just loose in the well.. Using the compressors is just so you can collapse the spring/strut so it's short enough to fit under the control arm. By removing the arm, on which there's no tension but gravity, you don't need the spring compressors.

Please don't take my word for it - I'm *following* DIYs, not writing them. I've done it twice and bypassing the spring compressors takes about 2 hours, and a lot of elbow grease, out of the equation. The front strut/spring is an integrated unit that is pulled and replaced as a single assembly.

 

I see the confusion now - thanks for bring this up Jeff92se...

My experience is NOT in replacing the front spring. My experience is limited to replacing the front spring/strut assembly as a single integrated unit. So, in my experience compressors were not needed. Anyone removing the spring from the front strut will definitely need compressors.

 

Dangit, I thought someone had a clever way of compressing the springs without a spring compressor. I've hear of people using c-clamps to compress the springs, but I would rather not do it the ghetto way and hurt myself or someone else. Anyone know where I can rent/borrow a spring compressor?

 

shucks or autozone. Costs like $6 to rent.

 

Fortunately, I'll be replacing the entire strut/spring at one time also.

For Redlude97, I'd just rent. It's cheaper than fingers and eyeballs!

 

Redlude - I've got some compressors you're welcome to use if you want. They're just sitting in my garage collecting dust. PM me if you're interested.

 

Townsley,
Thanks for the offer, if I end up installing them myself, I'll get in touch with you. I've only got a week left before I head to school, and i still need to finish building my box, getting my spoiler painted, and blacking out my headlights so I don't know if i'm going to have time to do the install myself

 

^^^
How are you blacking out your headlights? I am most interested to know.