STOP. Do not use a spring compressor or a bottle jack. Good way to get severely injured.

The EASIEST way is to drop the axle. I have done both ways in the last two month...trust me, drop the axle.

It is easy: Remove the coil spring retainer clip, unbolt the lower CA on the drivers side, loosen the pass side LCA. Unbolt the sway bar and, if memory serves, maybe the drag link...can't remember but it's written up several time sin the archives.

All this takes LESS time than trying to hook up that stupid, life-threantening spring compressor and then figure out how to get a socket on it. You can pop all the fittings off in ten minutes and teh springs will fall right out. Stuff the new ones in, reverse the process, and you're done.

BTW, jackstands are a must and, obviously, place them to hold the car up, not the axle. Double up on them...two per side is best. They aren't in the way and crawling under cars in the garage ain't going to win any Mr. Safety awards. Do it right and it is easy AND safe.

 

I've done both...it's faster. PLUS, you don't have to drive to the parts store to get the spring compressor. I could do a spring job faster than I can get to the store and back.

Not to mention, it'll give you a total confidence boost when you see how simple and intelligent the XJ front-end is built. There is nothing under there you can't handle with garden-variety hand tools except the ball joints. And you'll understand how it works when you're done, too.