I am trying to compress my coil springs on my '91 Z28. I am using the coil spring compressor with the two upper hooks and the two lower hooks. I'm not having much luck with this tool. Can anyone offer some assistance on what is the best way to compress this coil?

 

I lost my nerve and paid a garage to do it for me. I feel really uncomfortable around spring compressors-even good ones.

 

slowly... put it on opposite sides of the spring as high and as low as you can get and tighten...

 

Get one that bolts solidly to the coils and can't pop off. This is a Lisle strut compressor:

 

You can always take the struts to a shop and have them swap springs; probably run you $40

 

It's really nothing to be afraid of. The important thing is that you tighten the 2 parts of the compressor evenly, which means you'll be alternating between the 2 sides frequently. You don't wanna crank down one side a whole bunch and then try to do the other side. I rented a compressor from one of the auto parts stores, and had no problem swapping in my lowering springs with it.

 

That thing is slick. Those u-bolts would've calmed my nerves considerably the first time I did springs!

 

I'm a bit uneasy whenever i do front springs on a 3rd gen. They pack a TON of potential energy and if the compressor breaks your in for some pain. I had a hook break off a harbor freight (cheap) compressor years ago and the spring crushed the tip of my pointer finger between it and the lower control arm. That hurt.
The internal spring compressors are a little more tricky to setup than an external that you would use for a spring on a strut. The problem i ran into the first time i used one was that the screw would hit the top of the spring pocket before the spring was adequately compressed. I ended up using a few large nuts under the bottom arms to space it out. Also be sure you have the hooks on the spring good, you don't want them sliding off.