How hard is it to replace the Upper Control Arm Shaft? Unbolting it on the upper control arm looks simple, but will the entire arm come flying up/out if the front coil spring is not compressed or something first? Somehow it just looks too easy to me which tells me I am missing something potentially dangerous to be unaware of.....
Jeff
Upper shaft isn't hard to do. Raise the vehicle, remove the tire. Support the lower control arm with a jack stand, disconnect the upper ball joint and remove the upper shaft bolts from the frame. Remove the arm from the vehicle and make your repairs.
The weight of the vehicle resting on the stand will prevent the spring from expanding much, if at all. I did my 59 that way. It was pretty straight forward, easy in and out.
T Lewis
As a safety measure; wrap a chain through the spring and the center of the lower control arm. Put a bolt through the links of the chain. This will prevent the spring flying out and bouncing around the place. It probably wont stop it from popping out of place but it will minimize the damage, if any.