Surgical assemblies, instruments, and related methods are disclosed that control tissue gripping force. A surgical assembly includes an end effector including a jaw operable to grip a patient tissue and a spring assembly. The spring assembly includes an output link drivingly coupled with the jaw, an input link drivingly coupled to an articulation source, and a spring coupled with the input and output links to transfer an articulation force from the input link to the output link. The spring is preloaded to inhibit relative movement between the input link and the output link while the transferred articulation force is below a predetermined level and so as to allow relative movement between the input link and the output link when the transferred articulation force is above the predetermined level.
