Riceinator

That is where the second set of hands can come in handy right?
All that needs to be undone in the strut bolts in the strut tower, and the endlink bolts, correct?

FivePointOhh

the swaybar endlink and strut bolts at the sprindle is all that needs to be unbolt. or MJr's way of the ball joint. either way works two people would make it easier, im just saying i did it myself to let you know its not that hard.

Riceinator

Awesome. Just waiting for my isolators to come in. Just ordered them today. I can't wait to get the springs in.

1RED87

You can rent a spring compressor from an AutoZone or Advance Auto parts store for free you just need to give them a deposit and make the job a hell of a lot easier.

joes90gt

I tried every spring comp that Advance had available - none of them worked because of the top perch being "blind" - no hole in the top of the perch for the tool to poke thru.

I know by removing the (2) inner control arm bolts, I was able to install the springs in about 45 minutes for BOTH sides complete.
I didn't have to worry about having a spring spit out at me or being directly in the line of fire if the spring decided to pop out of the lower perch.

I'm sure there are several different ways to do it, but I'm happy with my front teeth the way they are.

Mylittlepony93

Joe, apparently we have the only 2 mustangs set up like that. I'm running into the exact same problems. My control arm is pointing vertical and I still dont have enough room to jam the spring in there. I also have the same issues with the compressors. Then, when I decided to try unbolting the control arm inner bolts they are super tight. I've sprayed them with pb blaster and I've broke 2 impact sockets trying to break them nuts loose. Anybody have any suggestions? I've come to the conclusion that I need to get those inner control arm bolts out, but how? I'd rather not break anymore sockets, they are not cheap.

Ketis

id just use a torch if you are having trouble getting them loose

joes90gt

At least now I know I'm not nuts......'cause there was NO WAY IN HELL those springs were going in without dropping the control arm -OR- getting my hands on the "ford" compressor.

I thought mine LCA's were tight, but I didn't break any thing! If you use heat, make sure you don't get it so hot that your bushings don't damage/melt/ catch on fire!!
I used a 3/4" drive Breaker bar with PB blaster and mine came right off.
Maybe I was lucky??

koesterca1

I too was in the same position as you guys..I was installing H&R race springs which are not much shorter than stock springs.I thought I was going to be able to put them in by hand without compressors just like every how-to on the internet does.I had my control arm pointing all the way down the spring needed to be compressed about 3 -4 more inches to even be close to fitting.After fighting with it for a day I went and rented both autozone compressors to see if I could rig up some way to make it work.I fought with that for a day and the best solution I could come up with was the use the exterior spring compressors.They worked but the bolts bottomed out on the control arms so I went to Lowes bought the same bolts that the compressor used but were about half the original bolts length(maybe like 6").This way even with the spring compressed the bolts didn't hit the top spring perch or bottom control arms.I put the spring in compressed,jacked up the control arm,bolted up my strut and slowly let the spring decompress/let the jack down.My neighbors probably thought I was nuts.I had the springs chained in.Hiding behind the side of the fender hoping nothing went boom.After 2 days and a whole lot of cussing I got them in. GoodLuck

15austin

Like I said b-4 using the method I came up with having the same problems of the spring just not going in with just the strut unhooked, using those hard as hell spring compressors from Auto Zone that dont work, scared of getting killed when the spring comes shooting out and takes your head off using a big f'in pry bar. Leave the strut bolted up, take out the CA bolts use(if they will break loose^^), 2 jacks on each piviot point, lower out the old spring and raise the new one. You are out of danger not going to get your head taken off and you are not going to punch the wall or your dog in anger when you have been working on it for 2 days with those f'in compressors and pry bars..
It works.