Does anyone know a specific tool that works for our trucks? I have a 98 2wd that I need to put lower control arms on and I'm NOT looking forward to it. I've dealt with these blasted springs before and it's been an all day affair both times.

 

Although I have never done a 2wd Blazer's front coil springs, I have had success just using a floor jack; did this on my '81 Corvette. I put the floor jack under the control arm with a 2x4 between jack pad and control arm. Raised jack just to touch the CA....separated the lower ball joint, and then slowly lowered the floor jack to let the CA swing down. The spring just fell out. Removed the CA bushings, replaced them. Put the CA bolts back in...put the jack back where it was, tapped the spring into place, then raised the jack to compress the spring, put the lower ball joint back in and torqued every thing down.

Do have to be very CAREFUL that the jack does not move as the spring will does not pop-out with ALOT of force.

I did try spring compressors, but they just got in the way. Internal type would probably work....but I had external ones that did not.

 

Gotta look into doing upper and lower ca's on the wifes sonoma.

I'm looking into these:

 

Is there enough clearance around the coil spring to use those things?

Personally, I've always done it the same way as Lanny. I think it's actually easier.

 

Just enough... had to use them on the wifes old sonoma... only reason why I thought about them...

 

I like the floor jack and would add one safety procedure. Wrap a chain into the coil spring and then onto a suspension part to secure it in the event the jack slipped and the spring popped out under tension. That's a good 'just in case' to be sure nothing goes wrong. This will hold it, but not get in the way like those spring compressors do.
It's also a good time to spray a coat of black paint on those front springs while you have them out and can cover them as well as the 'seats' in the Upper and Lower Control Arms.