if the springs are taller/stiffer..
particularly in the front you need to know what you are doing.
There are considerable forces at work..
it would not be impossibly for a coil spring under tension to fly out taking
your head off..
that's extreme of course..
and not entirely impossibly either.

I have threaded hook type spring compressors.
3 of them ...
with those on a coil spring and screwed down ...then you can control them.

for removing stock springs ..
'usually' you can just undo things and lower the lower control arm enough to
get the coil spring out ..as it just works out there's very little tension
on it, with lower control arm all the way down as far as it will go.
 However..
putting in a newer/stiffer/taller spring could be nearly impossible, or
certainly dangerous to get in, without a spring compressor tool or a few, of
some kind.

the rear is pretty easy and safe..
not real difficult there..
but still..
you'll be undoing suspension parts...
lowering things with spring tension on them with a jack ,..
The rear is 'medium not that bad' ..
the front ..
pretty intense.
You'd probably be better off to have an  alignment/front end shop change the
fronts, and align the front.
And you shouldn't do that until the new rear springs have been installed.

Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shawn Wright" <shawngwright@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 8:05 PM
Subject: GoWesty 2WD lift spring install advice

> Hello all,
>
> Last summer, I picked up GoWesty 2WD springs along with my 16" wheel/tire
> combo. The springs are still sitting in the garage for a variety of
> reasons
> I won't go into...
>
> What I'd like to know is a realistic time for a reasonably adept person*
> (albeit one who is prone to screw it up the first time around) to install
> these things. GoWesty warns it is a tough job, but are they just being
> cautious? I just don't want to start into a job that may become bigger
> than
> planned...
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
> --
> Shawn Wright
> shawngwright@gmail.com