Bought ball joints..they're press-in...not a problem. The problem is getting the spindle off...strut mounts to spindle, spring on a-arm. how do i do this without A) the spring flying out at me and NEVER going back in, or B) the strut bottoming out and NEVER bolting back to the spindle? I dont want to take this to a shop, I dont' have the money.

 

If I do it in the driveway, I always put a floor jack under the control arm, remove the cotter pin and nut, preload the jack and smack the control arm next to the balljoint. Usually busts it free. This way the spring doesnt come out too. Then you can lower the jack out of the way and by that time the spring is unloaded. If you do remove the spring, it easiest (at least for me) to put it in from the back. Make sure you put the isolator back in too.

 

here's a link to a tech article i made on how to change them out. http://www.fl-thirdgen.org/balljointreplacement.html