StriderTacticaL

So I am planning picking up some stock Mach 1 springs this weekend but only plan on using the rears. I already know how I am gonna go about installing the rear springs but I've never done front springs before.

I plan on either trimming my stock springs or going with some 4cyl fox body springs. I've read several how-to write-up's but they all seem to instruct you to do different things.

So far, the easiest prodecure seems to be:

1. Lift car up and remove front wheels.
2. Put jack under A arm and lift until it is taking the pressure of the springs.
3. Remove the 2 strut bolts from the spindle.
4. Lower control arm slowly all the way and then pull springs out.

And installation would be the reverse. I guess i'll have a spring compressor handy incase I need one.

Does this sound right to you guys? Would I have to remove the caliper from the spindle between steps 3 and 4?



Thanks,
Brandon

Nestang

These are basically the same thing, heres a link.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-c...g-install.html

JerseyTrueBlue

You pretty much got it man. Just to let you know, my arms didn't drop enough to fully release the springs so instead of getting a compressor, I just stuck a breaker bar in the spring and torqued it up until the bottom popped out. Just be very careful, mine shot out hard enough to take a chunk out of my driveway lol.

hpwrestler220

You also need to disconnect the swaybar as well too? And the tie-rods too no?

Damn jersey that musta scared you lol. I need to pull my front springs out and now i am nervous about them shooting out! But than again, i dont have the stock size in there so i expect them to fall out. I need to remove the isolators.

BlackMage

yea u have to disconnect sway bar, and tie rod ends, and brakes obviously ha. i did it in my driveway, about 30-45 min a side. pretty simple and straight forward. just be careful when releasing pressure on the spring like everyone said.

StriderTacticaL

Ok cool. Well I don't have a front sway bar so I guess that makes it easier. About removing the brakes....so I have to remove the entire assembly? or just the caliper? isn't the caliper held in just by one bit bolt with a C-clip on the backside?

BlackMage

why would you take off your front sway bar on a street car?? and you should only have to take off the caliper.

JerseyTrueBlue

You don't have to do anything to the tie rods to do struts and springs. You do have to loosen or remove the sway bar bolt but you don't have to remove it, it's very simple to do suspension stuff on these cars. Yeah that spring did scare me lol, smacked my hand too and gave me a big welt but didn't break my knuckle thank god. Just be careful and get another strong metal bar and jam it under the frame and on top of the a-arm. While you push up on the spring with a breaker bar, have a friend put all of there weight on the bar over the a-arm, that would release most of the pressure and it should more or less just fall out. To do brakes, you need to remove the two caliper retaining bolts (one on each side) then remove the caliper. You might be able to wiggle the rotor out with the bracket on, if not I believe it's only held on by one larger bolt on the back. As with the suspension the brakes are pretty easy and straightforward, anyone with a little mechanical experience under their belt can do it. Just don't forget that the rotors are held on with a clip on one of the lugs, don't be scared to break it because it's not needed at all. When you re-install, the wheels will hold the rotors in place.

JerseyTrueBlue

Edit to that last post, I thought you guys were talking about changing brakes too. You do not need to do anything to the brakes to remove the springs. To get the a-arm to drop all the way you need to unbolt the strut, if you do this via the two bottom bolts it will release the whole brake assembly and it will tilt towards you and out of your way. Just make sure to support it by a jackstand so you don't have a lot of pressure pulling on your brake line.

Nestang

I just did mine and it was easy.