rebuilding shifter: Springs, Is there some trick? or am I just a weakling? Options

[Calwaterbear]

Put new bushings in a 914 tail shifter shifter, Thanks to Joe fro providing a nice used unit at a very reasonable price.

so I'm stuck trying to get the springs back in - the ones with the pins going through them. I can't seem to get em compressed enough to fit em inside the housing.

are there any secret Yoda tricks, or do i just need to roid up and brute force it. and if thats the case - where the heck is Mark Henry when you really need him?

[mepstein]

There's a thread on this but I clamp a vise grip to the end of the spring, start the pin in the shifter and the opposite end of the spring. Once the pin is halfway in, bend the spring to the shifter and push the pin home.

Always wear safety glasses. The spring is under some compression and the pin should keep it in place but these are 40 year old parts so you need to take precautions. Leather work gloves can't hurt either.