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Index > Suspension > Thread: Easy way to install front coil springs?
Thread: Easy way to install front coil springs?
dhood


Hauling
Posts: 134
posted February 06, 2005 10:08 AM

Easy way to install front coil springs?

Real dumb question. I am installing A-arms and springs from a 75 onto my 77 REPU. Shop manual shows teeny tiny external compressors that I can't find around here. I have an internal compressor with the swing hooks, which get caught up in the tower so too big for this job. Also tried starting the compressor on various different levels on the coil, but just can't get enough compression on the spring to install it. Tried installing the A-arm then compressing the spring with a floor jack but the starting angle of the lower A-arm prevents the spring from centering on the A-arm. I'm going to try using longer A-arm bolts to start the lower A-arm in a more horizontal angle so I can center the spring before compressing it with the floor jack on one side and tightening the bolts on the other, but there must be an easier way and I don't want to loose a finger.

Thanks once again, this is a great forum!

       
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nwaco


Redlining
Posts: 407
posted February 06, 2005 10:58 PM

Hmmmm? I just replaced mine on my 77 and a 74...

and I didn't have a problem, and I didn't use a spring compressor.

I also just parted two and removed control arms on both without use of a spring compressor.

I just jack up the vehicle, set it on a set of jacks. I use a floor jack to lift up under the control arm just until the truck starts to lift off the jack stands. I remove the lower shock bolts then the tie rod attach arm from the back of the hub assembly.

I then remove the upper control arm ball joint, flip the upper arm back, then remove the lower ball joint bolts and then remove the spindles with ball joints attached. I then slowly lower the jack and the spring loosens and can be removed by hand. I hae never found one so compressed it wouldn't slip out. I installed my 77 a few weeks ago in reverse order and it went in easy. Of course, I cut those springs, so it might have helped a little, but the 74 went in just as easy and it was not cut.

I would think you could do it without compressors, at least I do.

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Tom93R1


Redlining
Posts: 458
posted February 07, 2005 07:00 AM

I know I had alot of difficulty getting the springs seated as well. I dropped the lower arm, placed the spring in as far back as I could and used my foot to hold the spring in place to keep it from slipping out, had a friend use the jack to lift the lower arm back up. If it werent for those springs I would have finished my bushing and ball joint replacement project at least a week earlier.

Something I found helped alot was to put a bit of grease in the rubber spring cups so the spring would slide around in them better, without doing that I could not get them seated properly at all.
____________


'74 lawn-green
4-port 13b
Weber 48DCO
Racing Beat Header
Magnaflow
resonator/amplifier
really loud!

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dhood


Hauling
Posts: 134
posted February 09, 2005 06:59 PM

Thanks for the responses. Ultimately, I found what I was doing wrong was supporting the outside of the A-arm on a block of wood. In order to jack up the inside of the A-arm, the outside point needs to move laterally.

With the flat bottom coils and the rubber cups they sit in, if you try botling the shaft to the frame first, the A-arm angle is too big and the coil can shift easily during jacking. Use your foot or whatever to keep it in place but its too hard to keep it in just the right position while jacking up the A-arm. If you use at least two temporary long bolts to attach the shaft to the frame (Important! Same metric diameter as the original but longer, I used 150 cm) you can start jacking the A-arm off nearly horizontal making it a cinch to keep the coil positioned. Raise the A-arm enough so you can attach it to the lower ball joint then shift the jack inside a little and jack up the shaft side of the A-arm. It will slide right up the temporary bolts. You can then switch the bolts.

The 77's are no problem since the bottom of the coil is not flat and the A-arm has a notch to keep the coil in place so while jakcing the coil won't shift around or out. Either way, a 15 minute job!


       
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wvoigt


Revvin Up
Posts: 75
posted April 10, 2005 08:19 PM

I did this.

I went to Home Depot. Then to the simpson area.( simpson make building anchors.) I found a 18inch long 5/8 shaft and a 4 inch anchor plate. I put the spring in and jacked it up until it started to left the truck. I used the shaft and a wench acrossed the anchor to hold the spring in place.I had the a arm bolted in place. Standing to the side let down the jack slowy. Swing the a arm up and suport it with the jack. At this point the spring was back in place. Remove the shaft.


P.S. I bought 2 of the 18 inch shafts for the nuts I needed. Good luck and Be careful.
____________
1974 Repu
1973 Courier
1989 Car Dolly

       
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Brad


Rotorhead
Posts: 1672
posted April 11, 2005 11:07 AM

fyi

With the threaded spring perches I'm using, I can remove, adjust height, and reinstall spring and perch in 30 minutes.

I put the perch up in bucket first, then spring under it. Seat it in lower control arm then put jack under control arm and push spring with my foot to keep spring seated.

Jack up the LCA a few inches until it's parallel with the ground. Shove the lower ball joint in LCA and 3 bolt it down. DONE.

REALLY helped to soak the LCA bushings in WD-40 for an hour beforehand, amazing how low that thing will pivot.

____________
-brad-
74 REPU Lawn Green
81 Rx-7 racecar. 12a J-
Bridge

       
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