HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,374
From: MD, but NC for school
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
springs are pissin me off....how do i get teh new ones in???? i have spring compressors but they like dont fitthe stus get int he way cuz theuir too long....how do i get it in!?!?!?
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 42
From:
RE: HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I recently installed the FRPP "C" springs. I know they don't drop the car that much, but it's the way I like it.
Removal of the rear ones was really a fight, until I followed my Ford service manual. For the rear springs, first support the car at the rear frame points and let the axle hang by the shocks. Remove the swaybar; put a floor jack with a wood 2x4 block under the rear of each lower control arm and raise the jack slightly to get the load off of the bolt; remove the lower rear control arm bolt; lower the jack and the spring just falls out.
For the front springs, I did not use the procedure in the Ford service manual. Instead, I supported the car by the front frame rails (the higher the better so you can swing the lower control arm down fully). Remove the sway bar links; split the tie rod ends (I installed new tie rod ends - with lube fittings); remove the brake calipers; remove the speed sensor; support the lower control arm with a floor jack and a block of wood; raise the jack to get the pressure off of the strut; unbolt the strut from the spindle; lower the jack and control arm. At this point, I still could not get the old spring out. I used two external spring compressors to shorten the spring about 1 inch. Then I was able to grab it and pull it out (I have heard of people just popping the spring out with a bar or something, too...) The new springs were shorter so the compressors were not needed. I also installed new urethane rack bushings when I was under there.
I hope this helps. Best of luck.
Removal of the rear ones was really a fight, until I followed my Ford service manual. For the rear springs, first support the car at the rear frame points and let the axle hang by the shocks. Remove the swaybar; put a floor jack with a wood 2x4 block under the rear of each lower control arm and raise the jack slightly to get the load off of the bolt; remove the lower rear control arm bolt; lower the jack and the spring just falls out.
For the front springs, I did not use the procedure in the Ford service manual. Instead, I supported the car by the front frame rails (the higher the better so you can swing the lower control arm down fully). Remove the sway bar links; split the tie rod ends (I installed new tie rod ends - with lube fittings); remove the brake calipers; remove the speed sensor; support the lower control arm with a floor jack and a block of wood; raise the jack to get the pressure off of the strut; unbolt the strut from the spindle; lower the jack and control arm. At this point, I still could not get the old spring out. I used two external spring compressors to shorten the spring about 1 inch. Then I was able to grab it and pull it out (I have heard of people just popping the spring out with a bar or something, too...) The new springs were shorter so the compressors were not needed. I also installed new urethane rack bushings when I was under there.
I hope this helps. Best of luck.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 42
From:
RE: HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Furthermore, when you go to reinstall the rear springs, use a scissor jack under the front of the diff housing to help rotate the axle to get the lower control arm bolt back in. It was fairly easy for me to do it this way. Good luck.