Front Springs.
01-02-2009, 02:38 PM
#15
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 93
I just installed the Eibach pro kit on my 90 GT yesterday. I ran into the same thing your asking about. I couldn't find a spring compressor that would work.
After searching around on this forum, a few guys mentioned removing the lower control arm bolts & using a jack - just like what fivepointohh was talking about.
Boy, that was the HOT ticket there.....got the front springs in in no time flat! THANK GOD FOR THIS FORUM!! I went the extra mile and replaced the ball joints while I was at it.
The rear was super easy. I was glad I bought new isolators because my old ones were squished & torn pretty bad.
To remove the rear springs, I just unbolted both rear shocks at the bottom and removed the bolts that attach the quad shocks to the axle.
Next, place a jack under one side of the axle to raise and the opposite side will lower, giving more room to remove the spring.
When installing your new springs, just make sure to line up the spring ends like the instructions show! (pointing towards the drivers side)
After searching around on this forum, a few guys mentioned removing the lower control arm bolts & using a jack - just like what fivepointohh was talking about.
Boy, that was the HOT ticket there.....got the front springs in in no time flat! THANK GOD FOR THIS FORUM!! I went the extra mile and replaced the ball joints while I was at it.
The rear was super easy. I was glad I bought new isolators because my old ones were squished & torn pretty bad.
To remove the rear springs, I just unbolted both rear shocks at the bottom and removed the bolts that attach the quad shocks to the axle.
Next, place a jack under one side of the axle to raise and the opposite side will lower, giving more room to remove the spring.
When installing your new springs, just make sure to line up the spring ends like the instructions show! (pointing towards the drivers side)
01-02-2009, 03:03 PM
#16
in limbo
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 7,300
I just installed the Eibach pro kit on my 90 GT yesterday. I ran into the same thing your asking about. I couldn't find a spring compressor that would work.
After searching around on this forum, a few guys mentioned removing the lower control arm bolts & using a jack - just like what fivepointohh was talking about.
Boy, that was the HOT ticket there.....got the front springs in in no time flat! THANK GOD FOR THIS FORUM!! I went the extra mile and replaced the ball joints while I was at it.
The rear was super easy. I was glad I bought new isolators because my old ones were squished & torn pretty bad.
To remove the rear springs, I just unbolted both rear shocks at the bottom and removed the bolts that attach the quad shocks to the axle.
Next, place a jack under one side of the axle to raise and the opposite side will lower, giving more room to remove the spring.
When installing your new springs, just make sure to line up the spring ends like the instructions show! (pointing towards the drivers side)
After searching around on this forum, a few guys mentioned removing the lower control arm bolts & using a jack - just like what fivepointohh was talking about.
Boy, that was the HOT ticket there.....got the front springs in in no time flat! THANK GOD FOR THIS FORUM!! I went the extra mile and replaced the ball joints while I was at it.
The rear was super easy. I was glad I bought new isolators because my old ones were squished & torn pretty bad.
To remove the rear springs, I just unbolted both rear shocks at the bottom and removed the bolts that attach the quad shocks to the axle.
Next, place a jack under one side of the axle to raise and the opposite side will lower, giving more room to remove the spring.
When installing your new springs, just make sure to line up the spring ends like the instructions show! (pointing towards the drivers side)
dont remove the A arm bolts. you dont need to. what MJR and I have stated is all thats needed, otherwise you're making more work for yourself and potentially causing a hazard.
01-02-2009, 03:41 PM
#17
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 93
Fivepointohh-
Sorry for the misquote. I can honestly say there was NO WAY IN HELL those springs were going in by just breaking the ball joint loose and lowering the control arm.
The control arm was pointing straight down and still wouldn't even start into the lower pocket.
Of course I tried that first.....after about 1-1/2 hours of pushing, pulling, and scratching my head I knew I needed some sort of spring compressor if I was going to do it that way. I tried outside spring comps but no room.....I tried inside spring comps, but they couldn't be installed because too much of threaded portion stuck out. The upper spring perch is "blind".
Ford makes a spring comp tool for 5.0's (Ford #D78P-5310-A) but I didn't have one laying around...
I know that in the end of it all, with all the different things I tried, removing the control arm inner bolts was the BEST way to make a simple job of this.
Sorry for the misquote. I can honestly say there was NO WAY IN HELL those springs were going in by just breaking the ball joint loose and lowering the control arm.
The control arm was pointing straight down and still wouldn't even start into the lower pocket.
Of course I tried that first.....after about 1-1/2 hours of pushing, pulling, and scratching my head I knew I needed some sort of spring compressor if I was going to do it that way. I tried outside spring comps but no room.....I tried inside spring comps, but they couldn't be installed because too much of threaded portion stuck out. The upper spring perch is "blind".
Ford makes a spring comp tool for 5.0's (Ford #D78P-5310-A) but I didn't have one laying around...
I know that in the end of it all, with all the different things I tried, removing the control arm inner bolts was the BEST way to make a simple job of this.
01-02-2009, 03:47 PM
#18
in limbo
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 7,300
sorry it didnt work out that way for you. maybe next time when you try it it'll work out better. after 4 spring separate replacements i've never needed a compressor or needed to unbolt the a arm except for on my car because the drag springs are 5 inches taller than stock. now you can honestly say for those drag springs there is no way in hell they are going in without a compressor. even then i didnt unbolt the a arm. i had to use a clam shell spring compressor from mcpherson. 60 bucks shipped. 
01-02-2009, 04:16 PM
#19
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 93
With the lower arm still attached (separated at ball joint) and just "hanging" there, It just didn't seem safe to me since the spring just wanted to spit right out.
The spring was a little too tall to just drop into the lower pocket, so I had to push & pry it , just trying to get it to start to go into the pocket, but it didn't work out.
I ****ed with doing it this way for over 1-1/2 hours before realizing I like my front teeth the way they are.
Also, how could I be sure the bottom pigtail would be lined up properly when doing it this way, once it's under pressure?
When I removed the inner control arm bolts and used 2 jacks, I did one side in 20 minutes
start to finish.
I'm just not sure what I'm missing doing it your way. I am by NO MEANS an expert, I'd just like to know for next time.
The spring was a little too tall to just drop into the lower pocket, so I had to push & pry it , just trying to get it to start to go into the pocket, but it didn't work out.
I ****ed with doing it this way for over 1-1/2 hours before realizing I like my front teeth the way they are.
Also, how could I be sure the bottom pigtail would be lined up properly when doing it this way, once it's under pressure?
When I removed the inner control arm bolts and used 2 jacks, I did one side in 20 minutes
start to finish.
I'm just not sure what I'm missing doing it your way. I am by NO MEANS an expert, I'd just like to know for next time.