I need to replace the front coil springs in my '87 S10 Blazer 2WD. I would like to do this as safely as possible:

1) Could I remove the whole strut assembly?.. so I do not have compress the springs.

2) If not, what is the safest coil spring removal tool available? Besides the large hydraulic shop tool, none of the compressor tools I have seen seem safe. I may buy a motorcycle helmet for this job. I've seen all of the "coil spring removal fail" videos on the Internet and am not excited.

 

i need to search for coil spring fail videos.

i dont think you have have a strut set up in the front. it should just be a coil spring with a shock running up the middle of it. the way i always do it at work is to jack up the front lower contol arm (while the vehicle is supported already in the air) to take tension off the upper ball joint, disconnect upper ball joint from the knuckle then take off the tie rod end and lower ball joint and sway bar link. with the knuckle out of the way you just have to let the lower conrol arm down very slowly.

when the control arm falls down all the way the spring usually just comes out.