installing front springs
12-25-2008, 07:49 PM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 835
installing front springs
in swapping in my 96 spindles and i let the pressure down with a jack but i hit the handle and let the spring out. now i cant get it in i i even tryed compressors but they wont fit cause the compressors get in the way. any tips?
12-25-2008, 08:49 PM
#3
The Rogue Mod
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maryland Sucka's!!
Posts: 21,918
2 man job. Need a big prybar. Set the spring in place in the upper perch. At the bottom of the spring, wedge the prybar in the front bottom of the coil. Have someone start jacking the control arm up while you keep force on the spring. It's tough to do, but it works.
12-25-2008, 09:08 PM
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 614
I may have it wrong, but cant you get the A arm to move so much to the point that it will actually point straight down at the ground... I just tore a 87 thunderbird apart & while taking the entier k member out I unbolted top of strut and anti sway bar and the a-arm moved down out of the way and the stock springs came out with zero compression, zero force... I imagiane that I could very easily place them back in then start pumping up the hydraulic jack... (out of direct line of fire of the spring of couse) It seems to me that its a one man job that way, does this jive?
Last edited by Hamutoff; 12-25-2008 at 09:26 PM.
12-25-2008, 09:11 PM
#5
The Rogue Mod
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maryland Sucka's!!
Posts: 21,918
I may have it wrong, but cant you get the A arm to move so much to the point that it will actually point straight down at the ground... I just tore a 87 thunderbird apart taking the entier k member out fully assembled... I unbolted top of strut and anti sway bar and the a-arm moved out of the way and the stock springs came out with zero compression, zero force... I imagiane that I could very easily place them back in then start pumping up the hydraulic jack... (out of direct line of fire of the spring of couse) It seems to me that its a one man job that way, does this jive
12-25-2008, 09:36 PM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 614
oh when jacking it back up the spring will try to escape then? If so is this also the case with shorter aftermarket springs? Could it be a 1 man job
Last edited by Hamutoff; 12-25-2008 at 09:38 PM.
12-25-2008, 10:14 PM
#7
in limbo
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 7,300
you have compressors and you still cant do it? i have drag launches which are 5 inches taller than stockers and i got them by myself. are you messin with stock spring, lowering, or drag launches? if its stock or lowering you should be able to just shove it back into its perch and jack it back into place without an issue.
12-25-2008, 11:19 PM
#8
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SW Missouri
Posts: 889
Heres how I did it 3 weeks ago by myself (stock v8 springs with 3/4 coil cut out). I left the strut bolted up, unbolted the a-arm from the frame, used 2 jacks on each part of the a arm where it bolts up to the frame, jack up both jacks at the same time till I could get the bolts back in.
I had the same problem, spring always poped out of the a-arm. I have no compressor.
I had the same problem, spring always poped out of the a-arm. I have no compressor.
12-25-2008, 11:37 PM
#9
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: sleeping with the enemy
Posts: 998
it could be a one man job or a two man job. i did it by myself and believe me i was pissed and tired after doing it. one hand holding the pry bar in place with pressure and one hand pumping up the jack, but its tough.